Tips for Entrepreneurs

Margaret and I went to Cliff Oxford’s Entrepreneur Advisors event last Friday, February 26^th at the Ritz-Carlton. We are founding members of the Entrepreneur Advisor’s group, but our hectic schedules make it difficult to attend the continuing education events it offers. Going to this symposium was time well-spent, and reminded us of the importance of “sharpening the saw” every now and then. We were excited to have our newest client, Janice Howell, co-owner of MODA Floors & Interiors, join us as our guest.

The day was filled with discussions on strategies that entrepreneurs can use to develop and improve their businesses. For me, there were several topics that reinforce the EOS business model, and the marketing advice that we provide our clients.

 I found Cliff Oxford’s Three Steps of Change Management to be very intriguing, especially in the Atlanta’s current economic climate. These steps include:

•  When tackling a major project or problem, find a bright spot then clone it. In other words, find something that’s working and do it over and over again.
• Change comes from doing, not knowing. Sometimes you just have to start moving even before you have all the facts - clarity will come with action.
• Simplify the problem to its core essence and it will be easier to identify the right course of action.

We also spent some time talking about lead nurturing & management - especially online leads. The presenter used this New Yorker cartoon to highlight some of the positives and negatives of interacting with people on the internet.

The positive aspect of “no one knows you’re a dog” is the level playing field created by anonymity of Internet - small companies can have the same impact and presence as large ones. However, on the negative side, if you don’t use your online presence to clearly communicate who you are and the value you bring to your customers, you might as well be a dog.   

We’ll keep you updated on the next Entrepreneur Advisor’s event. We hope to see you there!