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Entrepreneurs: Don’t Go it Alone; You Can Get Expert Help, On Demand

 

I called up a lawyer the other day for some advice. It cost me less than $20. The same week, I called up an HR consultant & career coach and had a video chat. The advice and insight she gave me cost a little over $40. When I put it into action, it will be worth a few thousand dollars in income this year.

Have you ever been it a situation that made you think, “Wow, is that even legal?” Unless you have a lawyer friend who doesn’t mind talking shop on their downtime, your best bet until now has been Google, or a maybe a self-help book.

What if you could connect with a lawyer (or a career coach or an HR expert, or a digital marketing guru), and it wouldn’t cost you hundreds of dollars?

There is a way; actually, there are two ways, and before we go much farther, I want you to know I don’t work for either one — I’m just excited to share what I’ve learned. Plus, resources and support for entrepreneurs are among my favourite subjects.  We entrepreneurs, are by nature, “go-it-alone” types or we wouldn’t be entrepreneurs. If I had one piece of advice for every new business starting up, it would be to drop that line of thinking from day one, and take advantage of all the support that exists.

 

Lawyers On Demand

One of the most exciting things I have stumbled onto this year has been Legal Shield.  It doesn’t sound very exciting does it? I first heard about it about three years ago but in truth, its dull, solid-sounding name didn’t get my attention. Honestly, if I were in charge I’d rename. It needs a name more along the lines of “Legal Hammer” or “Legal Bayonet.” It’s more like a catapult than a shield although Legal Catapult doesn’t have the right ring to it at all; nor does Legal Hand Grenade.

In any case, Legal Shield is, in my humble opinion, a beautiful, effective and affordable weapon. Legal Shield is like CAA, but instead of tow truck coming to your rescue, you get access to real, live, lawyers in your home province or state. You pay a membership fee, and in return, you have emergency, 24-hour a day access to legal advice. The basic monthly fee in Canada is $26 month. I have literally not been able to find a single drawback.

I’ve called upon Legal Shield twice now. The first time, a client owed me money. The lawyers sent the client a collections letter that got his attention. Full disclosure: he still refuses to pay. I may take him to small claims court. The lawyers from Legal Shield will help me prepare the paperwork if I go that route. For $26 a month they won’t actually come to court with me but they’ll get me ready for my appearance. But, I rest easy knowing that the demand letter, delivered on a Friday around 5 p.m. ruined his long weekend. I mean, he wrote back right away. He was actually furious that I hired a lawyer to collect from him. Sometimes just knowing you got under someone’s skin is enough.

The second time is ongoing, so, I can’t go into much detail but suffice to say, if I had to pay a lawyer by the hour to take on our case, it would cost us thousands of dollars and, frankly, we simply wouldn’t be able to pursue it. The lawyer assigned to us has read our documentation, and has confirmed that we have a good case.  That confirmation alone has been worth the cost of membership. She’s drafted the first letter to get the ball rolling. Even if we lose the case, it will have cost us less than a cup of coffee a day.

There are no penalties or extra fees for ending your membership, either. Join for a month, six months or stay long term.

This is the link through which I joined Legal Shield (https://lisajibson.wearelegalshield.com/)

 

Experts and Professionals of All Kinds, Also on Demand

For every other kind of expert, and I mean pretty much every kind, there’s Magnifi. Magnifi is a new iPhone app that was launched in the spring.

Magnifi connects you with experts, as needed – pretty much on demand.  Would you like to have a chat with a career coach, or a wellness expert, or a web designer, without feeling like you have to commit to anything? Would you like to ask even one burning question? If you have an iPhone you can do that through Magnifi. An Android version is in the works and I’m guessing it’s coming soon because the demand is real.

Magnifi lets you talk one-on-one with that expert you need – privately, and if the expert is available, you might even get him or her, right then and there.

The cost varies from as low as 50 cents a minute. Many Magnifi experts offer free initial minutes to get you started. I’ve seen several experts who charge $5.00 a minute; the most expensive I’ve seen is $17 a minute but if you can afford that you should probably be a Magnifi expert yourself (if you have expertise to share, see the “Share My Expertise” link at the top of the Magnifi site).

Magnifi experts include a an electrician, an expert gardener, a nutrition coach, a wedding planner, digital marketing experts, relationship coaches, life coaches — the list just grows every day as experts join. Click here to see the list for yourself.

If you don’t have an iPhone, bookmark this somehow or follow Magnifi on Facebook so you know when the Android version is launched. They promise it is coming soon.

To use Magnifi, go to the Apple app store and download the Magnifi app. Once it’s installed, it’s very easy to navigate.  Search by name or keyword or browse a community of subject matter experts from around the world. If the expert’s profile shows he or she is available, you can even connect then and there.

Whatever You Do, Don’t Do It Alone

I can’t say enough about not going-it-alone. Whether it’s joining a Facebook group, a networking group or your local chamber of commerce or using one of these services I described above, never think of yourself as having to face your entrepreneurial journey alone. In fact, your success depends upon it.

 

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Stephanie Regan is a professional writer. Occasionally she takes on new clients. Her website is http://www.durhamwritingservices.com. Connect with Stephanie through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieregancopywriting/

9 Steps to Creating a Perfect Customer

You made a sale – congratulations.  Before you hand the customer their purchase, make sure you have the tools to effectively contact the customer again.  Get your customer’s information!

Customers buy from people they like, know and trust.  The customer already likes your product (and hopefully you).  Step back and get to know your customer, so they will trust you and come back for more.   Did you know that your BEST customer is an EXISTING client.

Here are 9 simple ways you can create a perfect customer, build a relationship and keep them coming back for more.

DURING THE SALE

1) Get their information:  Ask for their email address

2) Get their information:  Ask for their mailing address (you’ll find out why … see point 6)

3) Get their information:  ask for their birthday (see point 7)

4) Note their purchase (listen):  write a note for yourself (Ms. Smith, purple necklace for her sister)

AFTER THE SALE

5) Follow-up and make it personal.  It takes 30 seconds, and will make your customer feel good (and potentially come back for more).

Hi Ms. Smith.

Thanks for stopping by my booth today at the Made by Hand Show.  I hope your sister loves the purple necklace as much as you do. 

Sincerely

Sarah

6) send a handwritten thank-you… our mailboxes are full of bills – treat your customer to a hand-written card.  A short simple note is perfect.

MONTHS after the sale:

7) You know your customer’s birthday … and send them something special on their birthday.  This could be months from when you initially met them, but this little interaction will keep you fresh in their minds.

8) Be an expert.  You have their information, send them something interesting.  Trending colours, new jewellery techniques.  Maybe even a how-to or DIY.

9) Special Occasions.  Remember your customers year-round.  Mother’s Day is coming up … what a perfect chance to wish your customers a Happy Mother’s Day, or send a sample or gift.

Written by Jacqueline Hunter (Show Director, Made by Hand Shows)

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Jacqueline Hunter is the Director at Craftadian. In addition to hosting annual Craftadian Handmade Markets, Jacqueline is a resource for Handmade Business owners by offering online courses, work shops and support. She showcases, supports and promotes Canadian artists, artisans and designers.

Connect with Jacqueline

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When to Let Go

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As a Small Business Owner, I suspect that you have had more than one good idea about the direction of your business. The business that you run today is probably also not exactly what you first envisioned.

The reason for this is likely because along the way you made small strategic decisions to go towards one goal or direction and let some things go along the way. Sometimes those little pivots are enough to create a business that you truly love but sometimes a bigger ‘letting go’ is needed to really create success.

For someone who has personally gone through the tough decisions of when to let go – I wanted to share my personal experiences as well as share what I have learned by seeing some of my business mentors shift gear.

With personal evaluation, I have always considered two key factors that help me determine when it’s time to let go and when to go forward. The first thing is my personal satisfaction/motivation and the other is the outer result of my work.

My ‘satisfaction’ is determined by my excitement (or lack of), my flow of ideas and interest in everything related to my business industry.

I saw this personally when I was no longer spending my time researching. As an expert in the field I was centered around, I really wanted to be on the leading edge of any new findings and strategies. Beyond that, I was also committed to using and implementing all of my research to make sure I was providing the most relevant and founded information. When I found myself avoiding podcasts on the topic and choosing different books at the library it was one of my first indications that I would not be able to make the long haul in the industry.

The outer ‘result’ that I used to assess my situation was how I felt about the work I was producing and the impact I had on others. If I could see that what I was bringing to the table was truly revolutionary, that would have been a reason to hang on. But the truth was, it wasn’t. I didn’t feel like I was bringing a fresh enough perspective or creating positive change in the world on a level that I really wanted too.

Looking into the future was also a big part of how I made the final decision to let my first business go. I looked at the careers of those who were further ahead of me and I just couldn’t see myself really thriving at that level. While I was ‘out there’ looking, it also gave me an opportunity to look at what others were doing that I could see myself being in the same arena with, which happened to be in a different industry.

By seeing these business mentors from a 10,000-foot view I was able to see how they also continued to make shifts and let go, sometimes in big ways, and other times in small programs or offerings.

Every time I would see this – (because I admired the way they did business) I could appreciate their courage in trying something new, even if it wasn’t my favorite thing they had ever done. That’s why I encourage you to take a look at your own business and feel brave when you feel a change coming on that may include letting go. It may just be the best thing you have ever done.

The overall perspective here is that sometimes it is worth it to push through the tough times and sometimes it is better to just let it go. Considering these concepts will hopefully help you find the best path for you.

Tamara is the Founder and Creative Director of Sweet Clover Studios. Where she provides resources, planners, learning opportunities and inspiration for creative small business owners. You can also see her personal gallery of products as a surface pattern designer at www.SweetCloverStudios.com

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