Houston Small Business Guideideas And Info For Entrepreneurs
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“Your business is scaling your business.”
It’s a simple observation, but an important one, shared by Dermalogica CEO and founder Jane Wurwand last week at the inaugural Circular Summit in Houston. She was one of many accomplished female founders who’d converged to talk about what’s needed to grow women-led businesses.
Of course, there’s no one route to growth. However, businesses that do scale tend to have certain traits in common. To find those traits, we polled a sampling of successful female founders at the event, from Wurwand to an 11-year-old lemonade entrepreneur who snagged a sweet offer on Shark Tank and an El Salvadoran-immigrant-turned-millionaire-waste management mogul who “turns trash into treasure.”
Houston is a densely populated city of the Texas, United States with an average population of 2,303,482.It is actually USA’s 4 th most populous city. Houston has a vibrant economy and there is a great potential for starting up any business and running it successfully. Build Wealth with Currency Trading - Hawaii. Started Jan 20 in Honolulu, USA. If you are a Small Business Owner, Entrepreneur, Sales Professional or Internet Marketer then The Entrepreneurs Meetup is quickly going to be your new home for explosive income strategies and powerful.
Here are 9 lessons on what’s needed to scale from the Circular Summit’s fearless female founders.
1. Their founders make people believe.
Kelli Thomas-Drake, founder and CEO of MyPurpleFolder
“Scaling comes down to showing people your heart. From there, from a genuine place, show them your value proposition, your revenue model, your financial projections and your potential. Show people the unique, problem-solving magic of your business, what it will empower them to do. Once they understand your mission and what it can do for them, others will get on board. Arcgis license server ports. Recruit believers in your product or service and partnership that can fuel your growth and it will follow.”
Advice on scaling your business fr @mypurplefolder founder @Kthomasdrake at @CircularB summit. #womenentrepreneurspic.twitter.com/PfAlsKrFYO
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 15, 2016Related: Fearlessness, Courage and Capital: What's Needed to Fuel the Next Stage of Growth for Women Entrepreneurs
2. They start small.
Mikaila Ulmer, founder and CEO of BeeSweet Lemonade
“Grow your business locally first. That’s what we did, selling lemonade at my own stand at first, then in local stores. Then I held workshops teaching families about bees. Whole Foods asked me to do a workshop there and, five or so workshops later, they finally asked to carry my product, and it was pretty cool.
Scaling starts with growing a company that you’re passionate about. If you’re not passionate about it, it’s going to be pretty hard to get other people passionate about it. Also know that you can still be sweet and be profitable, so you can be what’s called a social entrepreneur, an entrepreneur who uses their company to help solve problems in the world in ways that have measurable impact. More people will be interested in buying or carry your product, or using your service, if they are part of helping the world be a better place.”
Had a blast chatting w/11YO entrepreneur @lovebeesweet Mikaila Ulmer at @CircularB today. cc @Entrepreneur#circlepic.twitter.com/XHuQtkBA5K
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 15, 20163. Their founders think big.
Felena Hanson, founder and CEO of Hera Hub
“You have to have the guts to scale. Women tend to be a bit more risk-averse than men. What we need to do is challenge ourselves to go bigger. Embrace a growth mindset. Network aggressively and take part in pitch events so you can get out there in front of investors. Then find mentors who can feed it, people who have been there and done that. Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to go for it and ask for what you need.”
.@HeraHub founder @FelenaHanson's advice on scaling your business @CircularB#womenentrepreneurs cc @Entrepreneurpic.twitter.com/S01i9rz0PX
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 15, 2016Related: 4 Calls to Action for Entrepreneurs to Unite
4. Their founders think one-step ahead.
Melanie Spring, founder and chief inspiration officer of Sisarina
“Hire people before you have the money to do it. Getting an assistant is the first step in scaling because it frees you up to focus on growth, to go out there and get the big fish. Be able to get business done without imposter syndrome and without worrying about it. Show up and say, ‘I can do this,’ and then figure it out, even if you sometimes doubt yourself while you’re doing it. Have confidence, courage and some serious fortitude -- that’s how you scale fast.”
.@MelanieSpring of @Sisarina shares advice for scaling your biz at @CircularB cc @Entrepreneur#womenentrepreneurspic.twitter.com/PPyB79bNFx
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 15, 20165. They’re strategic.
Maria Rios, founder and CEO of Nation Waste, Inc.
“Taking your business to a bigger level requires careful, deeply strategic planning well in advance. One smart first step you can take is to get certifications that hold weight in your industry. Many of my certifications led to being able to bid on and win state and federal projects that bring in millions of dollars for my business. Take it from me -- industry certifications unlock big doors to growth. Go after them.”
As you grow, you’ll also want to resist the temptation to take every opportunity that comes your way. My mentor Warren Buffett reminds me that not every opportunity is a great opportunity, so pick and choose wisely. It has to be the right idea, the right fit, otherwise it could end up slowing your growth, not scaling it.”
.@WarrenBuffett mentee @mriosNWI, 'Queen of Trash,' on how to scale your business @CircularB@Entrepreneur#circlepic.twitter.com/3UKr5FbAmV
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 15, 2016Related: Moms, It's Time to Quit Feeling Guilty
6. Their founders listen carefully.
Ali Brown, founder and CEO of We Lead and host of Glambition Radio podcast
“Make connections. The more connections you have, the more access to the right information, the right advice and the right resources you’ll gather. The lesson there is to listen to your gut when scaling. Surround yourself with people who are very honest with you and get you to think very clearly for yourself and what you want.”
From Entrepreneur | RT LaShandrow: Entrepreneur mentor and #Glambition podcast host AliBrown's advice on scaling y… pic.twitter.com/chiCoxOSpV
— DBA (@DBAway) April 16, 20167. They’re efficient.
Grace Rodriguez, co-founder and culture conductor for Station Houston
“Automate. The more tasks you can automate, the less time you’ll have to focus on day-to-day operations. Delegate the ones you can. Then, build an army. Create a small army of supporters, an A-team of advisors who understand your target market, your vendors, your network. These are the people who will propel your growth. Lastly, amplify your efforts. This means targeting and growing advocates and influencers online, the amplifiers of your message. Empower and welcome people to become a part of your brand and what it empowers them to do.
.@gracerodriguez of @stationhouston on scaling your business cc @CircularB@Entrepreneur#WomenEntrepreneurs#circlepic.twitter.com/I8nVIlcSmD
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 18, 2016Related: 11 Grants for Women-Owned Businesses You Need to Know About
8. They’re scrappy.
Jane Wurwand, founder and CEO of Dermalogica
“Be resourceful. Write compelling content about your business and send it to the press. You can just call up the beauty editor at Harper’s Bazaar. I did and it worked. No one does that anymore, but they should. If you can’t afford a PR agency, and I couldn’t when I started, go for it and reach out to the media yourself. Go old-school direct and tell them that you’ve started a company, and you just want 10 minutes to come and tell them about it. You’d be surprised the opportunities it opens you up to. Another key step is to hire dreamers, people who are hitching a wagon to your dream. We hired anyone we thought was crazy enough to join us and had huge amounts of energy. It was an affordable, manageable growth route that got us where we are today.”
Entrepreneur: RT LaShandrow: .dermalogica founder Dermalogicajane shares advice on scaling your business CircularB… pic.twitter.com/GcctMHQZ1h
— Lauren Hutchison (@Lauren_Hut_SEO) April 15, 2016Related: The Entrepreneurial Chicken-or-Egg Dilemma
9. They build the right team.
Kimberly Johnston, founder and CEO of Good Works Houston
“To grow, build a team that believes in you, that believes in what you’re doing. Connect and create deep, meaningful relationships with people who are committed, confident and passionate about your vision. In the end, it’s not financial capital that drives scalability, it’s human capital. It’s taking the time to meet people one on one and understanding how this can be a joint, mutually beneficial relationship. If on your growth path you connect with people who aren’t a match for what you’re trying to accomplish, stay focused and move on. Success is just up ahead.”
Kimberly Johnston of @goodworksHOU on scaling your business cc @CircularB@Entrepreneur#WomenEntrepreneurspic.twitter.com/MP4mBaRPCO
— Kim LachanceShandrow (@LaShandrow) April 18, 2016Today marks the beginning of Small Business Month, a national celebration of entrepreneurs and small business owners across America. While these businesses may be small in size, their potential is anything but: giants like Facebook, Apple, and Google initially started as one- or two-person shops. Even DreamHost was started in a dorm room!
While many people aspire to run their own businesses, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur — especially in the digital age. It takes a specific type of personality to handle the nuts and bolts that make up an online business. To help you decide if you’ve got what it takes to start your own web-based biz, we’ve compiled this list of vital entrepreneur characteristics.
Can you handle the hustle?
1. They’re Highly Motivated
Being an entrepreneur means being your own boss. Not having a supervisor may sound like a huge perk, but when nobody is around to tell you what to do, it’s easy to sink into stagnation. And that’s not going to work — especially on the web. Successful business owners are people who are good at self-motivating. They know that no boss will tell them to hurry up and finish that project — they’ve just got to make it happen all by themselves.
Kevin Plank, the CEO of Under Armour, says that while it’s easy to make excuses for why you’re not building a business, a real entrepreneur will simply go for it anyway: “There’s an entrepreneur right now, scared to death, making excuses, saying, ‘It’s not the right time just yet.’ There’s no such thing as a good time.”
His tough-love approach is typical of the entrepreneurial mindset. “I started an apparel-manufacturing business in the tech-boom years,” he says. “I mean, come on. Get out of your garage and go take a chance and start your business.”
Plank initially began Under Armour out of his grandmother’s basement. Today, his company employs 11,000 people and earns $4 billion in yearly revenue — a small business no more! — but it would never have gotten off the ground if he hadn’t taken his role as his own boss seriously and amped up his self-motivation.
Related: 17 Ways to Stay Focused When You’re Working from Home
2. They Embrace Technology
Good entrepreneurs know that the tools of the trade are always changing, so they never get too comfortable. They know they can best serve their customers by keeping up to date withthe latest solutions technology offers.
Rosters. Today successful entrepreneurs know that every business, no matter the size, needs to have an online presence. Potential customers spend more than 10 hours a day looking at screens, so a website is the best way to get eyes on your service or product. And having a website doesn’t mean having just any website; ideally, you’ll have one that loads quickly, looks equally great on desktop and mobile, and stays online with little downtime.
DreamHost knows what small business owners need — after all, more than 90 percent of our customers are in business for themselves. For entrepreneurs who’d rather be focusing on customers than worrying about websites, our DreamPress service removes the guesswork, keeping customers’ WordPress sites automatically configured so they can focus on growing their business.
Related: How to Start a Blog (A Comprehensive Guide)
3. They’re Focused on the Customer
You can’t run a successful website or business if nobody is interested in buying your product or service. That’s why good entrepreneurs know that customer retention should be the crux of their operation.
Houston Small Business Guideideas And Info For Entrepreneurship
Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, initially set up his company in his garage. He says there’s never been a moment, from those one-man days until now, when he took his customers for granted. “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better,” he said.
Perhaps that’s why Amazon has such a massive customer base today. Rather than treating buyers like a necessary evil that keeps him in business, Bezos saw them as invitees that must continuously be courted and made to feel appreciated.
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4. They Fail and Try Again
Top entrepreneurs know that getting it wrong sometimes is simply part of the game. They’re not held back by their setbacks, but see the entrepreneurial process as a learning experience.
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Drew Houston, the CEO and co-founder of Dropbox, has declared, “Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” In fact, sometimes your previous failures pave the way for your future successes. Before striking gold with Dropbox, Houston worked on a number of other startups, most of which you haven’t heard of because they never went anywhere. But those early attempts taught Houston how to run a successful company later on.
5. They Differentiate Their Products
The best entrepreneurs take a timeless or popular idea and find a way to make it fresh. For example, did you know there are over 117 companies that make mobile phones? But when consumers need a new phone, it’s rare they will look at every mobile device each of these 117 companies makes.
Instead, most consumers will pick from the top three companies that have differentiated their products most effectively: Samsung, Apple, and Huawei. The success of these three mobile device companies is evidenced by each holding the top three highest portions of the industry’s market share, respectively.
Houston Small Business Guideideas And Info For Entrepreneurs Association
Differentiation is something Sara Blakely, the founder of the popular shapewear company Spanx, knows a lot about.
Houston Small Business Guideideas And Info For Entrepreneurs Business
While Spanx performs the same function as a corset or a girdle — items of clothing people have worn for centuries — Blakely put a new, sexy spin on the product. With Spanx, Blakely made shapewear comfortable, easy to put on, and impossible to detect under even the slimmest of clothing. To top it off, she differentiated her product by branding it with a fun and memorable name.
Blakely’s ability to take an old-fashioned item of clothing and successfully differentiate it from all other shapewear helped propel her from a failing salesperson to a billionaire in just a manner of years. Blakely encourages would-be entrepreneurs to ask themselves the following questions as they start their businesses: “Why are you different? What’s important about you? Why does the customer need you?”
You Can Do It!
Houston Small Business Guideideas And Info For Entrepreneurs Students
Just as with any other job, becoming self-employed requires its own set of entrepreneurial skills. Owning your own business calls for grit, determination, flexibility, and the willingness to make a business plan and brew the coffee. Starting a company is never easy, but if you see a bit of yourself in this list, you might just be ready to take the plunge.
Do You Have What It Takes?
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