Build Your Business to Withstand the Test of Time

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Your Mark, Get Set. . . Grow! Designed specifically for new business owners (within 2-3 years in business) and serious entrepreneurs ready to start a business, SBDC StartSmart provides the resources and support to put your dreams within reach. StartSmart will help you build a business for today’s challenging times!  To get the ball […]

“If I Only had Known…”

As one looks to enter the world of entrepreneurship or expand their current business, the question is the same….What are some common mistakes or things we can avoid. Here are a few of them: Cash is King! Not having a large enough cash reserve in the beginning or in the growth stage of a business […]

How This Founder Uses His Competitiveness to Succeed in Business

Matt Ehrlichman, CEO and co-founder of Porch, a home-services platform connecting homeowners to home improvement resources, is clearly a competitive man. When he was in elementary school he wanted to be a professional athlete, a pro-basketball player, and the competitive attitude that often comes from sports has certainly transferred into business with him. He likes to […]

The Entrepreneur with 1000 Faces: A Formula for Success

The entrepreneurial process can be mapped according to the same story formula that Hollywood uses in our favorite epic films.  The formula comes from a model called the Hero’s Journey, which was developed by writer, professor, and mythologist Joseph Campbell.  In his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, he analyzed thousands of stories, myths, […]

What Business Can Learn from Pokemom GO

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pokemon GO is the new internet phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. While I was on vacation last week I downloaded the app to play with my 13-year-old daughter. I confess that I have never played a game on my smartphone before, so why now? I admit I was a little curious as […]

Are you a Grasshopper or an Ant?

A favorite of mine is the story of The Grasshopper and The Ant. If you do not recall, the premise of the fable is that the Grasshopper is enjoying the summer day, hopping, chirping and singing away when the Ant passes by, working away, storing food. The Grasshopper asks the Ant why it is working so hard when everything is so easy, foods plentiful, and states that the Ant should be enjoying the sunshine. The Ant replies that he is planning for the winter, by continuing to work when everything was going well. Of course, winter comes and the Ant is well prepared while the Grasshopper is out in the cold, starving. The moral of the story is:

Why Military Veterans Should Become Entrepreneurs

Armed Forces, Veteran, Handshake.

I’m one of the 2.5 million veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. I’m also an entrepreneur. And I’m not alone. The men and women of today’s armed services are uniquely positioned to become successful entrepreneurs. To my fellow veterans: You have what it takes. By nature of your military service, you possess the skills […]

Successful Entrepreneurship 101: Being less Busy and More Productive

Diversity business team jumping celebrating success

Entrepreneurs often profess to be stressed out and “so busy” that they never have time for anything, even their own families and friends. When I ask many of my former clients about leaving their business to their children, many respond that their children don’t want the business. They just don’t want to work the long […]