Discover 15 SaaS tools that will enhance your operations while keeping finances in check.

Navigate:

• What are SaaS tools?
• Freemium and cost-effective SaaS tools for small business

What are SaaS tools?

SaaS stands for ‘Software as a Service’. It is a model of providing various services, apps, and tools in the Cloud, without the need to download software to your computer. For example, whenever you register to a service and start using it right away in the web browser, you’re using SaaS technology.

The most populous market for SaaS tools is engineering, marketing, and business operations, but the SaaS development model is seeing rocketing growth across all industries. According to Blissfully’s 2019 SaaS Trends Report, in 2018 U.S. small businesses (0-50 employees) spent over $20k on paid SaaS subscriptions. That’s double the spending amount from 2016.

Freemium and cost-effective SaaS tools for small business

The above expenses may seem overwhelming if you’re just starting out, own a home business, or are a solopreneur. If you don’t want to be swallowed up by competitors, though, you’ll need to learn not to cut down, but save up: in other words, find the right technology that will both do the job and save you money. Finding the right balance is key – and completely possible with these fresh and classic, freemium and low-cost tools for small business and startups.

1. MightyCall: on-the-go communication across all devices and platforms

Screenshot via  MightyCall

As of 2018, three out of four U.S. adults live in wireless-only households.  Come to think of it, that’s no surprise in an age when life itself is mobile-first. Mobile devices have also transformed business communication: Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies are fast replacing landlines in offices, hospitals, call centers, etc.

MightyCall is a small business-first VoIP phone system that offers local, toll-free, and vanity numbers, the ability to port in your existing virtual number for a better deal, plus over 35 features like these:

• Business caller ID for a professional image wherever you go
• Unlimited extensions to keep customers connected with your team
• Call flows and call menus for organizing incoming calls by user, working hours, availability status, etc.
• Custom voicemail greetings and voice prompts
• Activity queues that display all activities that need action (e.g. missed calls, SMS, voicemail, messages from integrated social media and web widgets)
• Call history and analytics to help your business gain leads
• Call recording to gather important customer feedback
• Call back and click-to-call widgets that engage callers via your website
• Integration with softphones and IP desk phones so you can keep talking the way you’re used to
• The Mighty Call mobile app so you can have the most useful MightyCall features on the go
• And more

Although MightyCall doesn’t offer a free lifetime plan, using a VoIP phone system is proven to save up to 60% on phone bill costs – so it’s still a terrific deal for your team. Moreover, you get to test-drive the full-feature product with a free trial and get special deals on both MightyCall plans.

2. Wave—accounting for all occasions

Even amongst tight SaaS competition, Wave Financial is a classic that makes nearly every free SaaS tools list – and for good reason. The product really stands out thanks to its unlimited service model.

While freemium accounting tools like Zoho Invoicing and Freshbooks may have advanced business features (on their paid plans) that Wave lacks, the latter is still a beloved choice for small businesses.

That said, Wave’s Cloud financial service isn’t exactly freemium: it’s completely free. The financial tool offers free accounting, invoicing, payroll, receipts, tax calculations, deductions, and more. In short, it’s the no strings attached SaaS accounting tool every small business should start out with.

3. Sumo—superb customer engagement

Cart abandonment during online shopping is one of the greatest challenges online store owners experience. With a rocketing 76% of online carts being abandoned, this invisible culprit is responsible for $4.6 trillion in lost e-commerce sales annually.

Sumo is a freemium ecommerce tool created to fight such issues: business owners can set up the Sumo tools on their website to start reducing cart abandonment rates in real time. Sumo shows you ROI from every single sale or subscriber, to make sure you see what they’re doing for you.

Sumo’s WordPress plugin is very popular, but it integrates just as well with other web and ecommerce services. The free plan promises to drive up to $500 in extra monthly revenue for your online store.

If you like the free version, you can switch anytime to the $39/month PRO plan to go for unlimited benefits.

4. SendinBlue e-mail automation

Newsletters are a huge thing. According to WBR Digital, 80% of retail professionals say it’s their number one customer retention tool. Further, email marketing statistics show that for each $1 spent on email campaigns, business owners get a ROI of $44.

For the same reasons however, email campaigns can swallow up a ton of time – from crafting the right content to making the design modern and attractive enough to encourage click- through rates, email marketing seems like an art in itself.

SendinBlue relates to those struggles and offers business owners simple SaaS marketing. With designer newsletter templates for all business occasions, automation workflow (campaigns based on clicks, purchase data, open rates, website visits, etc.), a landing page editor, SMS marketing (a tool that’s not readily available with competitors), and detailed reports, SendinBlue is the fresh alternative to MailChimp (which is still a classic thanks to its countless integrations).

5. SurveySparrow—the new word in customer feedback

SurveyMonkey, move over! Founded just over two years ago, SurveySparrow makes sending surveys to customers and employees nothing short of a joy.

The SurveySparrow startup story reflects a personal mission to revolutionize boring old surveys with an interactive/chat-like experience plus develop mobile-first surveys, prioritize mailing scheduling options and add simple social sharing. SurveySparrow’s great UI allows users with no tech knowledge to craft awesomely-designed surveys that customers actually love to engage with, helping you nail that sought-after feedback and gain real interaction with your audience.

You can try the free Basic plan (includes 100 responses per month, 10 questions per survey, advanced reports filters, and more) to get the hang of the process and upgrade when necessary.

6. Cyfe—business data organization

Wouldn’t it be terrific to monitor all your business data from various tools and apps on one or two dashboards? We’re talking all kinds of marketing, sales, SEO, CRM, and organizational channels you might be already using made visible in one Cloud service, with the ability to share the dashboards anytime with your team!

The Cyfe free plan gifts you with two fully functional dashboards that you can use to organize all your business data. The service integrates lots of services and is a great deal even with the free plan. If you need more dashboards (for example, your business grows, and you feel the need to organize data by departments) you can update your plan accordingly.

9. SEO Review Tools—optimized search engine ranking

Another important thing to consider is search engine optimization or SEO. If you plan to drive traffic via a blog or written content, you’ll appreciate the free Keyword Research Tool, Content Idea Generator, and SEO Writing Assistant from SEO Review Tools.

A step beyond that, SEO Review Tools Service also helps you analyze backlinks, domain authority, and the Google Rankings of your website. And those are just some of the things you can do to improve ranking through this freemium SEO tool. The whole list numbers 37 real-time SEO tools for your business, both free and paid.

10. Canva—everyone’s favorite design tool

Every business owner who’s got a website, online store, or business social media accounts has once racked their brains over design. Just how do you match all those stunning banners, promo posts, branding materials, etc. that competitors seem to be flashing at you, without crazy investment in time or money?

That’s how it was before Canva jumped onboard the freemium tools arena. Nowadays, Canva is the most user-friendly design tool imaginable. With its help, anyone can design their own social media posts, web banners, and you name it promotional materials without leaving the web browser.

Canva is one of the great freemium Cloud tools out there – a small catch to the free version is the smaller (but still impressive) library of stock images at your disposal.

11. Buffer—social media made simple

If you have a business social media account, you’ve no doubt noticed that engagement times vary by hour and day. Such observations are baked by stats: for example, the best time for B2B tweets is around 3 p.m. on weekdays while B2C posts do well during commute hours (especially Monday mornings).

Now that’s great, but you have your own workday to worry about, right? In this case, using SaaS tools to schedule social media posts for the entire day (or week) ahead sounds like a life-saver.

Buffer is a freemium social media tool that lets you publish to different social platforms without the hassle of doing it manually at different times throughout the day. You can let this free social media scheduling app automatically select the peak engagement times of day for you or choose your own.

12. HubSpot Suite CRM

Customer Relationship Management or CRM is an abbreviation seen all over the internet these days. On a basic level, Cloud CRM solutions let you organize your business contacts into one place and from there manage all interaction and communication, providing you with analytics on that communication process. On a deeper level, CRM stands for a very wide infrastructure of tools that encompass sales, analytics, customer service and marketing.

HubSpot CRM like other free CRM tools, provides a basic set of features in its free version. All of these features are centered around organizing, sorting through, and quickly communicating with your business contacts imported from various sources. This also includes analytics.

To get core benefits though, you will eventually want to look into the paid HubSpot tools – such as the Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub services (individually or included in the Growth Suite). These are growth-centered services specifically for growing businesses.

HubSpot CRM is free, while Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub are available starting at $50/month.

13. Trello—the fun part of productivity

Inspired by the legendary Kanban productivity boards developed by Toyota, Trello takes the idea and brings it into the Cloud and mobile apps, making it easy to share project boards with everyone on your team, wherever they are.

With Trello, you have an online project board with visually appealing lists that you can add up on the board. Each list can be a category, a step in a workflow, a to-do list, a bucket list, etc.  – it’s up to you. To these lists, you then add any number of cards where you write down the specific tasks needed to get the job done.

The most convenient part is that these lists and cards are visible to your whole team, and everyone can see who’s working on what! Result: less time spent on email, fewer meetings and increased individual productivity.

Trello has a great free plan that will suit most small business owners.

14. Zapier—automate tasks for peace of mind

All of the above freemium SaaS tools are designed for one purpose: making your life as a startup or small business easier. But sometimes, integrating all the technologies and having to manually do repetitive tasks with different tools is enough to kill hours on end.

That’s where Zapier steps in (ta-da)! Zapier is a SaaS automation tool that automates a chain of actions that you usually do manually in different apps. Instead of doing actions A+B manually, you can set up what’s called a “Zap” to automatically perform action B for every trigger A.

Let’s say you want to automate content sharing. Instead of manually copying and pasting post URLs into your Buffer queue or social media pages, set up a Zap to automatically share posts to any (or all) of your social media accounts via RSS feed.

Here are just a few other Zaps to mention: add transactions in Wave for new Stripe or Square sales; move MightyCall call history and client info to your CRM platform, Google Sheets or Slack; create SendinBlue/MailChimp subscribers from new Google Contacts; send automatic welcome letters to new subscribers; share new Shopify products with image tweets; add new Shopify orders to Salesforce as leads; and much more.

Check it out: MightyCall now integrates with Zapier

The free plan lets you automate up to 5 two-step Zaps (multi-step zaps are a premium feature) which for a small business is already a great time-saver.

15. eyezon—revolutionize your online live shopping experience

eyezon is a cutting-edge SaaS platform designed to transform your online shopping experience by connecting users with sales representatives and providing a live outlook into your business.

eyezon offers a suite of features, including customizable live shopping, live showrooms, live insights, ads, and streamerce with custom widgets tailored to various brands across all industries. By facilitating real-time interactions between customers and sales representatives, eyezon allows businesses to deliver personalized, interactive experiences that cater to individual needs and preferences.

Seamlessly integrating with popular content management systems and video hosting platforms, eyezon caters to businesses of all sizes. The platform offers a free plan that provides essential tools for enhancing your online shopping experience.

For businesses looking to maximize their online live shopping capabilities and unlock additional features, eyezon offers custom pricing plans. This comprehensive solution empowers businesses to revolutionize their customer engagement by providing an unparalleled online shopping experience tailored to the modern consumer.

Unlocking Potential with SaaS Products: Tailored Solutions for Small Business Success

SaaS products, specifically designed as small business SaaS, demonstrate that innovation need not be expensive, and ‘affordable’ doesn’t mean ‘inferior quality’. To choose the best SaaS for small business, collaborate with your business partners and team to identify your technology needs and priorities, and address the gaps in marketing, sales, and other areas.

The post 15 Best SaaS Tools Guaranteed to Rock Your Business first appeared on MightyCall.

Before we go on, the first thing to look for isn’t software, it’s what small businesses actually need.

What are Small Business Needs?

We’re focusing on a lot of new digital tech tools in this post, but don’t get it twisted—the needs of small businesses have been the same since time immemorial. It doesn’t matter what year, decade, or century you are in, there are a few things you have to do in order to be successful, aside from finding the best small business software.

1. Organization

Being properly organized means checking a lot of boxes—from time management to getting your paperwork where it needs to be to scheduling your employees correctly—but those boxes have got to be checked if you are going to have success when running your small business. And don’t you fret- we have plenty of suggestions for you on that front below.

2. Customer satisfaction

Likewise, garnering customer satisfaction has also always been key, whether it’s the Middle Ages and you’re hawking your wares or you’re trying to make posts on Facebook. If it’s 1206 AD and you’re trying to get people in town to buy your soup but they’ve heard bad things, they aren’t going to eat. It’s the same nowadays- which means controlling the narrative and getting your POV out there is key to being able to make it. The best defense is a good offense, after all-and so it goes for the armor which can provide protection for your small business.

3. Promotion

Self-promotion means getting your name out there, but having good feelings attached to that name is critical. As a small business, you will need to worry about promotion, not just marketing and PR. Promotion is also all the little things that make up the image of your business, even before a customer makes direct contact with it. Things that give the impetus to either deal with your business or go to a competitor.

So what are some small business software programs that can help with organization, customer satisfaction, and promotion? 

Best Business Software

MightyCall

MightyCall combines both organizational and customer service help into one. As a virtual phone system, MightyCall users can pick from two different plans: Business and Enterprise. Both plans come with at least two digital phone numbers, lite CRM (customer relationship management, for those not in the know) functionality, texting, auto attendants, and the ability to design your own call flow (which sends customers to where they need to go, be it either pre-recorded answers to the most common questions, a member of your sales team, or elsewhere).

There are a ton of other features, each giving you serious help in either helping your customers (including things like office hours and VIP caller options) or organizing your team. With the web panel, a central hub, you can leave messages for one another, edit your journal, and see all of the activity that has been going on. It’s one of the fully customizable best business softwares to run your business.

It’s also made for those who are on the go, with a highly functional mobile app and desktop-accessible webphone and softphones, meaning you can make calls from any internet-connected device, including tablets, phones (through which you can call over the app or over the phone itself), and computers.

Freshbooks

Screenshot via Freshbooks

Freshbooks helps you out with one of the things you will most want to have organized when running a small business: your bills and your money. It’s made for smaller companies who need help with invoicing, organizing your receipts and expenses, and want quicker ways of getting paid (and who doesn’t want to get paid quickly?). For smaller businesses which are a little bit larger and need to be concerned with things like this, they also have inventory tracking and provide for a space for your team to organize itself and dish out work more effectively.

The negatives for Freshbooks are relatively few. Their mobile app doesn’t do everything that their main site does; this admittedly can cause some difficulty if you’re on the go. The invoice options—though beautifully designed—can’t be customized all that much.

It’s also pretty inexpensive (which makes sense, as it’s targeted toward businesses on the smaller side of things). They have three price tiers: Lite ($4.50 a month), Plus ($7.50 a month), and Premium ($15.00). Nothing bank-breaking. They also have an option titled Select, for those who only want specific options (which means the price is calculated after you pick the features you’d like).

Xero

Screenshot via Xero

When it comes to managing your small business finances, efficiency and reliability are crucial. Xero, a cloud-based accounting software, offers a comprehensive solution tailored specifically for small business owners. With an intuitive interface and competitive pricing, Xero ensures your finances are in order, so you can focus on what matters most—growing your business.

Xero offers an extensive range of features designed to simplify your accounting, including seamless invoicing, easy expense tracking, and robust inventory management. Xero’s user-friendly dashboard gives you an instant overview of your financial health, while customizable reports allow you to dive deeper into your data when needed.

One of the standout features of Xero is its robust integration capabilities, making it easy to connect with over 800 popular business apps. From e-commerce platforms like Shopify to time tracking tools like TSheets, Xero’s seamless integrations enable you to streamline your workflow and manage all aspects of your business in one place.

Xero offers three flexible pricing plans to suit businesses of all sizes: Starter ($25 a month), Standard ($40 a month), and Premium ($54 a month). All plans come with a 30-day free trial, so you can explore Xero’s features and decide if it’s the right fit for your business.

Findymail

Screenshot via Findymail

In the modern business landscape, effective communication is crucial, and connecting with the right people can propel your business forward. Findymail, an innovative email finder software, offers a powerful solution for discovering professional email addresses with precision and ease. With a user-friendly interface and competitive pricing, Findymail empowers you to build lasting connections and drive business growth.

Findymail excels at simplifying the process of finding email addresses. By utilizing advanced search algorithms and data aggregation techniques, Findymail provides accurate results, even when minimal information is available. The software is perfect for sales, marketing, and networking efforts, ensuring you reach the right contacts every time.

They also offer sales pipeline management (helping you organize your sales process from start to finish), reporting and analytics (if you don’t think statistics are important to organization, think again), and email marketing (a big part of getting your name out there and controlling the narrative!). For efficient email marketing, you can integrate the third-party tool Findymail with their platform, which can help you find and verify the email addresses of your target audience.

Findymail offers flexible pricing plans to accommodate businesses of all sizes: Basic ($49 a month), Standard ($99 a month), and Premium ($249 a month). Test the waters with first 10 free emails to experience Findymail’s capabilities firsthand.

ClickFunnels

Screenshot via ClickFunnels

Whereas our last option was more focused on organization, ClickFunnels is more focused on name recognition and customer satisfaction. The idea of ClickFunnels is to help small businesses direct (or “funnel”) customers to the place they should be. ClickFunnels provides you (the small business owner) with a bunch of templates you can select from. These templates are effectively packaged website pages which are laid out in a way that is most optimal for you, and they’re all customizable.

The traditional model goes something like this: you have them start on the main page, and offer them selections (like say, some price tiers). Maybe you direct them to one particular price tier, but that one isn’t their style- they want something with more features, for example. The “funnel” would give them the option for something like that (perhaps to direct them to a higher price plan). If you want them to buy products, you can edit the template to throw a sales option into the page (so that they can purchase your product right there without needing to go to another page). Basically, it gives you the option to make an easily customizable website that requires no IT guys or outside help. It also helps you contact customers through social media, through emails, texts, and other methods.

One of the negatives, however, is that it’s not the cheapest. It costs around $100 a month for one of their plans, and just less than three hundred dollars a month if you want nine website domain names and unlimited funnels (the plans are “Starter” and “Platinum,” respectively). If you want to go with them, you’ll probably end up loving it- but you’ll have to build your business around using it, and it won’t come cheap.

Google Workspace

Screenshot via Google Workspace

If you think you haven’t heard of Google Workspace, you might know it by its former name: G-Suite. Google Workspace is basically a platform that helps your team organize itself in a way that is most conducive to your business. It’s designed to be flexible, so it can be used for small businesses (they even have options for if you’re the only one in your own employ!) up to having over 300 people working with you.

Workspace allows you to combine Google business software applications with one another. So while you probably have a Gmail account, you likely haven’t been able to realize its full potential. With Workspace, you can- and you get access to the full range of other Google programs, like Forms, Sites, Currents, Keep, and tons more. Plus Workspace fully integrates all of them, so it’s not clunky and doesn’t make you do the work when trying to cross-use different programs.

It’s got three plans, ranging from $6 a month to $18 a month- so nothing that will set you back significantly. The different plans offer varying amounts of cloud storage, differing caps on participants for video meetings, and different levels of security and management controls.

The downsides vary depending on the kind of business you want to run; mainly, it’s that you’ll be totally reliant on Google, a gigantic company which probably won’t have a ton of time for your specific needs and can change its mind on a whim (and frequently does).

Keap

Screenshot via Keap

Keap is nominally a CRM company, but it goes beyond that by also offering automated sales and marketing. Like MightyCall, it’s focused on putting a premium on customization. Like other CRM platforms, it also can be integrated into common tools which your business will end up using, including being able to create invoices and managing appointments (there are over 230 integrations, so you’ll probably have all of your bases covered).

They also offer sales pipeline management (helping you to organize your sales process from start to finish), reporting and analytics (if you don’t think statistics are important to organization, think again), and email marketing (a big part of getting your name out there and controlling the narrative!).

Pricing depends on how many contacts you have, but there are effectively three different plans- Lite, Pro, and Max, ranging from $56 a month to $140 a month. For the number of features they have, it’s pretty useful.

Choosing the Best Software for Business

Ultimately, you should come up with your own perfect set of business software and programs that cover the needs of your company. It will take some time to adjust and try them, but in the end, you will have a smoothly working, optimized system. This article is just the first step in finding the perfect software for business.

The post Best Software for Businesses Small & Big first appeared on MightyCall.

So to see what it really takes to become an entrepreneur, we decided to go the practical way. With access to thousands of successful entrepreneurs, we here at MightyCall posed a question to our community: “What should people know before they start their business?”

Below is the list of the most important things to consider when starting a business. Based on the advice of real entrepreneurs, they are designed to give you the knowledge you need to start your business off on the right foot.

8 Things to Know About Starting a Business

1. Manage your expectations

No matter how good your idea is, not everything will go as perfectly as it does in your head. Your business is not going to change the world in a month, or even a year. It’s entirely possible that you won’t see a profit (considering the money invested) for the first three years.

No matter what happens, it you want your business to succeed, you need to keep an even head, and the easiest way to do that is to manage expectations.

Had a lackluster month? That’s normal.

Not gaining traction on social media? Keep going.

Mistakes and disappointments are “par for the course”, so stay strong and don’t get pessimistic if things aren’t going the way you want them to.

2. Consult as many professionals as you can

This is a 2-in-1 point.

• Firstly, get all the information you can about the field you’re about to enter. The best way to do that is to consult people in that industry, whether they’re soon to be your competition or not. Scout out every inch of their website; sign up for their newsletter; try your hardest to get them alone to pick their brain. Everything you learn will help prepare you for the journey.

• Secondly, there are some essential people you’ll need to help you along the way: lawyers and accountants. Their roles will fluctuate based on how well your business is doing and what stage it is in, but the knowledge they have is a gift.

Accountants will help you manage your money and budget effectively.

Lawyers will teach you the laws and regulations you’ll need to work in your sphere. Without consulting one of these, you’re only making your fight harder.

Don’t trust Google or an app with information as specialized as this, go straight to a professional.

3. Know your target customer and why they’ll buy your product

This is marketing 101, but nearly every entrepreneur we asked noted this. If you don’t know who is likely to buy your product, you’re setting sail without a rudder.

Knowing as specific a target group as possible will help you focus on the details that make your product stand out to that group.

Standing out is essential too. No matter what the reason, there needs to be one why that ideal customer will come to you instead of a competitor. It can’t just be about the price either, because that rarely is a successful long-term strategy.

Whether it’s something about how your product is made, who your workers are, or what your brand image is, you’ll need a strong idea of this before opening your doors.

4. Watch your money like a hawk

This may not be fun, and hopefully, you’ll have an accountant to help out here, but no matter what your financial situation is, you should know every financial aspect of your business to the cent.

If you want to properly utilize the limited funding you have—and it will be limited—you need to weigh the pros and cons of every business-altering decision. Is it better to splurge on rent to get a better location, or use part of that money to hire someone to make the best website possible? You’ll probably face a conundrum like this at least once a week and being on top of your books will help you maximize your money.

Additionally, knowing the full extent of your finances will help you live your life. Aside from the money you spend on your business, you’ll need money for food, rent/mortgage payments, and everything else in your personal life.

5. Be an expert in your sphere

Often, many entrepreneurs will tell you that they learned most of what they know from hands-on experience. If your business succeeds, you will too. However, today there is simply too much competition in nearly every market imaginable to go into something blind or under-informed.

You don’t need to know more than the entrenched competition—although you should know everything possible about them—but you need to know more than all of the other people trying to break into your industry. The more you know, the better chance you have at making the best product/service possible.

6. Know that your business can succeed

A few people noted the idea of a “test run.” While depending on the specifics of your business plan, a practical test run may not be fully possible, it’s a great way to get an idea of both your potential place in the market and how to improve your product.

A big part of the test run boils down to personal and financial security. It’s essentially knowing when it’s time to give up your day job and commit to your business without having your finances crumble to the ground. Whether you can sell your product on weekends, attend an important conference or secure funding to give you the time you need to get your company going, you need to have some peace of mind that what you’re doing can put enough money in your pockets to make it a career.

7. Spread word everywhere you go

I once talked to an entrepreneur who told me she met a sponsor for her product while waiting in line for coffee. In fact, you’ll often hear business owners talking about the power of networking, but too often we think of networking in terms of specialized  networking events, meet-ups, or contacting people online. All of that is good, but always keep the coffee story in mind. Complete strangers and “unexpected” circumstances are often decisive factors behind pivoting moments. Among the key things to consider when starting a business is using any opportunity to spread the word about it, always having a business card with your business phone number at hand, and paying particular attention to growing your contacts in the “real world”.

8. Be ready to work, work, and work

If you’re starting a business, you have to be passionate about whatever it is you’re doing, because you’ll spend more time working than anything else, especially in the early years.

According to most of the entrepreneurs who answered, 50-hour weeks are about the minimum that you’ll be pulling for the first few years.

The situation with your family, your friends, and your finances, to name just a few, will all have to inform your decision to start a business. Can you handle a 60-hour work week? Can you handle seeing your friends half as much as you’d like? Think about how you’ll manage these aspects beforehand, so neither your business nor your personal life gets ruined.

One of the Key Things to Know Before Starting a Business: Do Not Be Afraid

Not all of the things we discussed above are pleasant. Some aspects of running a business can seem scary or intimidating. But too many aspiring entrepreneurs are surprised when these things pop up, and above we’ve talked about them because you too will need to firmly answer them if your business is to survive.

We know all this sounds tough, but with MightyCall, you can focus on the key aspects of entrepreneurship and not be afraid of automating other tasks. Every aspect of our system  — from local, toll-free, and vanity numbers, to auto-attendant,  working hours vs. off-hours, CRM integration, and 30+ phone system features have been designed to help SMBs and their owners.

So go ahead and start your dream business- we’ve got your back at every step of the way.

The post 8 Things to Know Before Starting a Business first appeared on MightyCall.

Measuring the value your marketing and advertising campaigns create is a challenge. We can now not only store and analyze data, but also create actionable data through the use of A/B testing.

In a nutshell, A/B testing (sometimes called split testing) is experimenting and comparing two types or variations of an online or offline campaign such as a landing page, ad text, a headline, call-to-action or just about any other element of a marketing campaign or ad.

By displaying two variations of your campaign, you can see which one attracts more interaction and conversions from your customers.

By being able to clearly see which campaign customer reacted to more, you will then be able to alter your strategy to create more appealing content to reel in your target customers.

Below are 12 ways A/B testing can help improve your business.

1. Improved Content Engagement

All you need for A/B testing is 2 phone numbers and some ideas for testing.

First of all, managing multiple phone numbers is easy with MightyCall’s ability to operate on multiple devices along with their call waiting, call back, call queues and other tools and widgets that make managing 2 or more phone numbers a breeze. Generating ideas is the harder part, but while you are in the process of idea generating for A/B testing you are forced to evaluate every aspect of the content you wish to create and test. This means that as you consider and create variables for your A/B tests, you also create lists of potential improvements. Consequently, the simple act of running A/B tests invariably makes your final versions better for your customers.

2. Reduced Bounce Rates

When you put a lot of time and effort into creating pages for your website, it can be disheartening when visitors just “bounce” from your site without spending any time reviewing your content or viewing other pages. If this is happening to you, it’s time to look into optimization via A/B testing. Whether it’s tweaking fonts, headlines or anything else on your pages, the direct comparison performed with A/B testing will help you find a winning combination of elements that keeps visitors on your site long enough to provide them with value from your content which may ultimately lead to a sale.

3. Increased Conversion Rates

A/B testing is the easiest, most effective way of creating content that converts more visitors into buyers. When you take the time to carefully craft two versions of your campaign, it’s relatively easy to see what works and what doesn’t. A/B testing two versions does take a little longer but — when done properly — will definitely help you convert more leads.

4. Higher Values

Not only does A/B testing help convert more site visitors into buyers, it also helps you achieve higher values for your products or services. Once you find a form/page design that seems to be converting, that doesn’t mean you should just leave it as is forever. After you find a design that is converting well for lower-end products or services, A/B test again with a more refined version to increase conversions for your higher-priced items and services. With just a little tweaking and some diligent A/B comparison testing, you might just find that customers are willing pay for more expensive options that offer more perceived value.

5. Multi-functional

It’s hard to know what your site visitors will and will not like when they visit your website and that’s why A/B testing is so important. When it comes to choosing things to A/B test on your site, though, many believe that the method applies only to forms, images, and actual text. However, you can A/B test just about any marketing and advertising campaign on and offline. Sometimes, it’s the smallest tweak that makes the most difference in finding a combination that engages readers and converts visitors.

6. Ease of Analysis

One of the best things about A/B testing is that it is so simple to analyze real, factual results. When analyzing data from an A/B test, it’s relatively easy to determine a “winner” and a “loser” based on simple, straightforward metrics (i.e. time spent on page, conversions, etc.)

Here’s an example of this: You create 2 business cards with a different marketing strategy and provide 2 separate phone numbers. The number that gets the most calls is the winning card.

7. Useful in Low Data Rate Testing

While more data is usually better for analyzing results, it’s not necessarily the case with A/B testing. Although you shouldn’t get misled by early results and throw in the towel too soon, you don’t need millions (or even thousands) of page views to see which versions are providing the best results. In fact, even if your site is new or produces only a few conversions a day (or per week/month,) you can still determine fairly quickly which version (A or B) your visitors and customers find most engaging. Even if you have a relatively small number of page visits, a quick look at the time on page, bounce rate (and conversions) can still help you determine a winner.

Test duration should be set based on a set of parameters. Use this split test calculator to help determine the duration your test should last.

8. Reduced Risks

In some cases, making major revisions to your site can result in considerable costs or significant strategy changes. A/B testing can help you examine visitor and customer behavior on your site before committing to major decisions and help you increase your chances of success. In short, A/B testing helps you avoid unnecessary risks by allowing you to target your resources for maximum effect and efficiency, which helps increase ROI whether it be based on short-term conversions, long-term customer loyalty or other important metrics.

External factors can affect the results of your test. Be sure to factor in holidays, force majeure and any other occurrences which can impact customer behavior when planning your campaigns and tests.

9. Reduced Cart Abandonment

One of the biggest problems many online and e-commerce companies face is cart abandonment (or the act of placing something in an online shopping cart and then not following through with checkout.) Many estimates state that cart abandonment rates range anywhere from 40% to 75%. There are many reasons for cart abandonment, but tweaking when and where shipping costs are displayed, check-out page text and even colors may help you find a suitable combination that helps reduce cart abandonment and encourage more visitors to complete the checkout process. A/B testing is the best way to eliminate the guesswork to find that perfect combination.

10. Increased Sales

We’re finally at the most important benefit A/B testing can provide for your business — increased sales! Fewer bounce rates, better customer engagement, more customer conversion, and other aforementioned benefits all lead to increased sale volume for your business.

In conclusion, MightyCall’s ability to easily have and manage multiple phone numbers can help your business generate more meaningful content for your customers through the use of tried and true A/B testing. Your business is unique and has special characteristics that make it irresistible to your target audience. Using A/B testing to experiment with marketing those characteristics to find the ideal combination for your customers not only provides them with better experiences, but it also breeds trust and confidence in your brand and company. When visitors begin to trust your company because of the value you provide, increased sales and loyal customers are a natural result.

11. Proven hypotheses

Product improvement is built around hypotheses that are then proven true or false. And the only sure way to know that you’re moving in the right direction is to have your customers test it out. A split testing mechanism is perfect for when you have several working hypotheses of developing or improving your product/service. Without any effort on your part, simply performing the test and analyzing the results will give you deeper insight into your audience. And the deductions you make will prove invaluable for fixing not only short-term issues but aligning your business vision with the times.

12. Quick Results

Generally, research and analysis take time. But the huge benefit of a/b testing is that you don’t need a lot of time to get the results you’re looking for – testing usually takes from 7-14 days. Moreover, you’ll see the results coming in immediately.  Of course, over time you’ll get to amass and compare the data but you can start seeing trends right away. This makes the test a perfect solution for issues that need rapid feedback.

Any Business Can Experience the Advantages of A/B Testing

Getting stuck in the analytics stage, with all those endless charts and tables, can seem daunting for a business. But split testing makes analytics simple. And as we’ve seen above, the importance of a/b testing is unquestionable, the benefits it brings are numerous, and the whole process is as simple as comparing and contrasting one solution with another.

The process doesn’t demand complicated software either. You can perform it with a business phone system like MightyCall, by tracking the performance of your communication campaigns. Use MightyCall’s 30+ built-in features like different busienss numbers, call logs, analytics, and more to compare lead strategies, sales and marketing initiatives, business texting campaigns, track calls, and more — all to grow and support your business with ease.

The post 12 Benefits of A/B Testing first appeared on MightyCall.

In this article your will learn about the following:

• Your Business Scalability
• Investors Acquisition
• Partnerships
• Marketing
• Automated Solutions
• Stable Base
• The Team
• Education
• Scalable Business Examples
• Business Scalability Your Way

We, at MightyCall, believe in your success and our partnership with you, so we have laid out some of the advantages of having a scalable business as well as some practical ideas to get your small business on track to capitalize on the success you work so hard to achieve.

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”
James Cash Penney, Founder of JCPenney

Whether you already own a company or are just taking the first steps towards the startup of your dream, you most likely imagine a bright future. Those who are ambitious always reach for the stars, and almost any small business idea can grow into a big enterprise.

Let’s be honest though, certain concepts have more capacity for scalability and expansion. Estimate your chances of real growth while considering the following points:

1. Your Business Scalability

Look at your current business. If the business is based on the owner’s particular skill or talent, then scaling is harder. It can only grow within the limits of the person’s capability and stamina.

Services provided by experts are almost non-scalable. The skill can be taught, but training and quality improvement take time and resources.

A truly scalable business is one that keeps low marginal costs while increasing revenue and works efficiently with less involvement from the business owner.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

MightyCall offers a number of modern solutions such as additional numbers, international numbers, call recording, voice to text and many others.

2. Investors Acquisition

For investors, the best small business ideas are scalable. Startups that have a high potential for growth obtain sponsors. The power players don’t trust mere talk. They believe in a valid business plan and financial model. High profits, minimum employees, and low support — these are crucial criteria of gaining investor’s attention.

How many locations can you market with the product? Investors bankroll startups that can go worldwide.

Match your business concept so that it is attractive to sponsors, and let us advise you on how to fund small business and find your investor.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

First of all, MightyCall helps lower your monthly phone bill so you don’t have to worry about running up your phone bill or calling long distances.

Additionally, with MightyCall you never have to worry about missing a call with call routing, after hours and call back widgets.

Finally, MightyCall offers international numbers so your business can grow with you.

3. Partnerships

Try to build a trusted business relationship with other market players.

Starting together as green implementers of small business ideas, you may share experience and discuss relevant issues. Collaboration and outsourcing reduce costs and make time for business development.

Even titans of the market chose to cooperate.

In 2006, Nike and Apple announced a partnership. Products of this union are fitness devices that connect to each other.

Making partners with existing market players is a forward-looking approach. It’s more advantageous than trying to outdistance them. In addition, franchising is one of the proven ways to scaling.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

MightyCall lets you add unlimited extensions to your plan so you can create as many partnerships as you want and not spend a dime more on your phone bill.

4. Marketing

Don’t delay an efficient marketing strategy if you want your small business to become a market leader.

A startup needs to be noticed immediately.

It’s not about local promos and advertising campaigns, which are useful to attract clients here and now, it is about joining a global market and getting access to business conferences as well as participating in workshops. These are places to network and make proper acquaintances in different fields.

Visit Meetup.com for relevant events near your location. LinkedIn is also a rich platform of information, communities and events.

Invest in your business brand. It is a valuable asset that demonstrates who you are, what your defining feature is. It should be simple but noticeable.

Marketing is a continual process. Keep updating your product line, so you can attract new clients and innovate. Ask customers for feedback and work with their replies. People buy from those they trust. Remember, “Without customers, you don’t have a business. You have a hobby.” (Don Peppers & Martha Rogers, Return on Customer).

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

It creates brand consistency by allowing you to always be available to your customers in whatever capacity you choose with personal greetings and hold music that helps your brand essence show.

Furthermore, it allows you to integrate your phone system with your Facebook and Twitter.

5. Automated Solutions

Appraise your business processes. There are always repeated steps and circular activities that can be automated. This frees time for focusing on business growth.

Business process management consultants say that reduction of staff work-hours is possible with proper automation. For example, instead of depending on manual data entry and setting appointments, invest in a system that simplifies the work process for employees. Newcomers can then be trained quickly and easily and join the workflow without delay.

Carla Martinez, former PM at HICKIES (sneakers store), shared a success story of scaling due to “automating everything”. HICKIES used Zapier’s software for workflow automation. Zapier transfers data between web apps automatically without additional coding. All processes became sped up.

A business that provides services is built on a number of experts, their workload, and efficiency. While considering the scaling of this kind of business, the entrepreneur should particularly focus on automation. It can result in additional revenue with fewer labor hours.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

Sometimes you need to be other places, doing other things. With MightyCall, you can easily reroute the numbers to an available team member or post after hours information. There’s a call queue feature as well as a VIP or block list feature all of which assist with automating the process and letting you decide what’s the most important thing for you to spend your time on in any given moment.

6. Stable Base

When a business is just launched it is the best time to invest in a solid foundation. Avoid cheap and quick software solutions; it’s not powerful enough for a growing entity.

The best software is one that is suited to a small business idea and can support it while growing, and maintain a huge enterprise while using regular updates.

Effective ERP system, e-commerce software, or communication platforms provide automation for most business processes. This is core for business scalability.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

It’s a customized communication solution for any size and type of business. A cloud-based unified platform that provides reliable management of calls, e-mails, social media, and to-do lists, while many useful features (conference calls, activity queue) can be used and added.

Another example is a Xero accounting system.

The vendor offers a free trial for small businesses. Cashflow, invoicing, payments, pay runs — up-to-date financial data that’s easy to compare, maintain and review is what’s essential for each growing company.

Outsourcing of the business support services to professionals is worthwhile. You can concentrate on the core business.

7. The Team

No doubt you’ve put your heart in the realization of your small business idea, but the truth is that a large business can be overwhelming for an owner. You can’t control everything and be everywhere. Scalable business means you are less involved in its processes; your role transforms more and more into high-level supervision.

Build a strong team to do what they do best. Hire the right people so you can manage a scaled business without making every slightest decision.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

It’s a customized communication solution for any size and type of business. A cloud-based unified platform that provides reliable management of calls, e-mails, social media, and to-do lists, while many useful features (conference calls, activity queue) can be used and added.

Another example is a Xero accounting system.

The vendor offers a free trial for small businesses. Cashflow, invoicing, payments, pay runs — up-to-date financial data that’s easy to compare, maintain and review is what’s essential for each growing company.

Outsourcing of the business support services to professionals is worthwhile. You can concentrate on the core business.

The best company structure is streamlined so that trusted people have leading positions. As head of the company, a business owner needs to focus on their main strengths and landmark issues.

8. Education

Investing into your and your team’s education is one of the most powerful strategies a business owner can implement to become more scalable.

“The greatest asset of a company is its people.” – Jorge Paulo Lemann, a Brazilian billionaire investment banker and businessman

Developing this asset by sending your team members to various workshops, courses, or even universities, will eventually result a team of devoted specialists who will apply their new skills and knowledge directly to your business. Your team will feel like it is growing and developing in the direction that interests them, which will make them want to stay and do more for the company.

Scalable Business Examples

• Software — a classic and obvious sample of a scalable business. Once the product is ready, additional copies are released with much lower costs.
• E-commerce — any product or service provided via the internet is scalable. Information business, webinars, some kinds of consulting services can be delivered to the mass of people using only a Skype camera and microphone.
• Replicated products — are similar to the previous bullet. Today online stores compete favorably with shopping malls. Extension of delivery regions and product variety are just two points to consider for scaling opportunity.
• Social media — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. It seems like any new platform for sharing photos and impressions is welcomed. As recently as 2015, Periscope (a worldwide video-sharing source) and The League (a dating application for the “elite”) appeared.
• Downloads — music, books, games, applications are similar to a software’s scalability. The once launched app can be downloaded thousands of times a day.
• Line production and franchising — most processes of line commodity production are automated. The net cost is relatively low, but always keep an eye on the quality. Never let down clients’ expectations, it forms loyalty. When a person comes to McDonald’s, they want almost the same Big Mac they had the previous time. Ray Kroc set a standard of the smallest specifications including weight, sauce amount and fat content in every burger.

Business Scalability Your Way

On the path to scale your business, don’t let failures break you down. Instead, make it work for you and learn your lesson. Dream big and let no one unsettle you on your way and let MightyCall partner with you as you continue to grow your business.

The post 8 Tips to Make Your Business Scalable first appeared on MightyCall.

This National Women’s Small Business Month, we talked to the femalepreneurs who learned how to effectively combine these three staples of well-being and build them into a balanced personal life. Their lessons didn’t come easy, either in life or business— either because of an initial failure or because they had to push through a wall of challenge. Yet in complete defiance, these women took their métier from scratch to thriving while fighting more than one battle. Fighting and winning.

Here’s how all of us, regardless of gender and entrepreneurial experience can celebrate the courage of women entrepreneurs and get inspired by their leap of faith.

Renee Powers: When one door closes, another opens

When we imagine our life going a certain way and think we’ve got all the details filled in — never relax. Quite unapologetically, that may be exactly the moment when the Universe gives us a kick you-know-where, and in a totally different direction than we sought. How it does this is usually brutal: snapping a door shut right in front of our face. For Renee Powers, founder of Feminist Book Club, the “aha” moment coincided precisely with a snapped door — and a window that opened into another reality.

“I didn’t start off as an entrepreneur. I was planning on finishing my Ph.D. and pursuing a career as a professor and researcher,” Powers says. “But after 8 years in grad school, I failed my dissertation proposal three times. I finally dropped out of my Ph.D. program and funnelled everything I had learned into a successful business.”

Currently, Powers runs the Feminist Book Club, one of the most popular book subscription boxes recognized by Oprah Daily, Marie Claire, the Tory Burch Foundation, and Readers Digest, among others. The club has just announced its exclusive collaboration with actress Gabrielle Union.

“I definitely think I failed up, not down”, Powers laughs. But at the heart of that statement is what she earnestly credits as rudimentary to entrepreneurial success: the patience to see through closed doors.

“I truly think that success as an entrepreneur, especially in the digital age, requires a great idea, a deep understanding of your niche, integrity, consistency, and time. There are very few overnight successes. Sometimes patience is the most necessary skill.”

Inspiration

“Dr. Brene Brown is my role model for countless reasons. Like my own background, her career began in academia and everything she does is rooted in her rigorous research. But what I admire most is her humility and generosity of spirit as she continues to build upon her success.”

Nicole Johnson: There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all

Business is one of the greatest grounds for metamorphosis, transformation — secondary, perhaps, only to fairy tales. We know how awesome products are born out of an untapped market need and an ability to fill in that need. But sometimes, to close a market gap, you don’t need breakthrough ideas. Like Nicole, you may just have to zoom in on a problem, and the humble pumpkin will transform into a magic carriage.

Nicole Johnson was a sleep-deprived first-time mama when her business, The Baby Sleep Site sprang out of a personal quest for motherhood peace. From researching sleep methods and baby developmental needs to scheduling routines, Nicole went to extreme lengths to figure things out — just for herself. What she didn’t realize is that this would be just the “pep talk” before helping thousands of women.

“What I didn’t like about all the books out there is that they contradicted one another and didn’t fit my parenting style,” Nicole says. “So, I overcame my son’s sleeping issues in a way that matched my own parenting style, and knew it was my mission to help other tired parents ‘find their child’s sleep’”.

“I started to help other parents on a message board over 12 years ago and after enough people told me that I should write my own book, I started thinking maybe they were right. I started a blog and using my technical background as a computer programmer, a Sleep Helpdesk where I help fix other parents’ sleep problems faster than I could fix my own. I started the website in 2008 two months after the birth of my second son and it grew faster than I imagined. Now, The Baby Sleep Site gets over 500,000–1 million visitors to the website each month.”

Managing a bustling business comes with its own challenges — and in order to not be (ironically) sleep-deprived the second time around, Nicole had to learn again. This time, not just technology to delegate work effectively between her team, but psychological balance to scale back in order to go forward.

“One of my main business challenges has been not trying to help everyone I can. With so many website visitors, you want to help everyone who is having problems but that leads to long hours and burnout. I love to help families personally but also need to watch my own work/life balance. Hiring an assistant and other sleep consultants has been the best decision I’ve made. Not only can I comfortably take a vacation once or twice a year knowing the business will function well in my absence but I’ve also given other moms the ability to work from home (even before it was considered more normal) while also raising their own families. This has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my life: helping parents with their problems while also providing employment for other moms.”

Inspiration

“My main motto is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach that works for every baby and we need a unique approach for each unique baby. Their age, temperament, and personality will all come into play. You can use this same motto for [business and] many things in life as well. What’s right for you might not be right for me and vice versa. And, that’s OK! There’s no right or wrong, only what’s right for each individual.”

Donna Ralston: Do good to as many people as you can

When Donna Ralston opened up non-profit organization South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet, she dreamt of more than launching a business. She was fulfilling a personal mission to meet the needs of the most vulnerable part of her community — people in need of medical rehabilitation equipment who couldn’t afford the expenses.

However, at one point her own business needed help. In business since 2016, the Denver-based NPO faced troubling times in spring 2020 when COVID-19 forced it to close its doors for several months. Far from breaking its spirit, however, the pandemic eventually brought several adjustments to the organization’s operations.

“I was an executive director for several non-profit organizations for over 20 years and used the skills I had to establish and operate this organization,” Donna says. “So I was able to organize the activity, the paperwork, the insurance, the legal stuff, and coordinate the training of volunteers so everyone has a good idea of what they’re supposed to do.”

NPOs function differently from regular businesses since people power is literally their fuel. It was this “togetherness” and groundedness in her own faith and values that kept Donna going throughout the pandemic.

“[When running an NPO] you have to recognize volunteers for their effort, their skills, and the time and effort they put into assisting the organization. Our volunteers are very faithful and dedicated, and they really like doing the jobs they’ve chosen to do.”

Donna reminds women who aspire to open up nonprofits that business skills and innovative technologies (like the business phone system used by this NPO) run hand in hand with deep personal values. The way you make an NPO work is by “using the skills of your people and building on them” while using the networking opportunities, especially word of mouth, within your community to grow.

Inspiration

“Being a Christian, I really believe you should do good for as many people as you can, in as many ways as you can, as often as you can, for as long as you can. That’s been my motto. I’ve had a lot of mission trips overseas and mission projects locally. South Metro Medical Loan Closet evolved out of my passion and the mission to help people.”

Eden Cheng: You are who you surround yourself with

When we start a business, it’s easy to get caught up in the anticipation and enthusiasm. A first-timer entrepreneur’s vision feels unbounded and we entrust it to others hoping that everyone has our best interests at heart — often enough, without taking account of the people and circumstances. But just like hearts, business plans can get cracked with the wrong people.

Eden Cheng, co-founder of software company PeopleFinderFree, is one entrepreneur who’s learned to be selective through the tough lessons of initial failure.

“When I launched my first software company a few years ago, I just wanted to get the business up and running and I made bad decisions about who I recruited,” she says. “At the time I was so filled with over-eagerness and excitement that I wasn’t always careful to have the right people around me.

As a result, Eden faced a problem that leads to the crash of many startups: her team wasn’t a team of visionaries but just people who’ve “come along for the ride”. “It was inevitable that we suffered extended project delays, which ended up costing me a significant amount of money in the process, and ultimately, stalled the project so much that we had to shut things down permanently,” she says.

Now well into her second and successful startup, Eden holds the lessons from that initial failure as “hard but valuable”.

“Now, I make sure to take my time to hire people that are genuinely interested in my success and understand what we do here,” she says. “They have to be highly skilled at their given specialties and be able to pull their own weight, while I focus on handling on my own. Anything less than that is not acceptable. And as harsh as that may sound, I have learned to be okay with that because I can attest to the fact that the quality of your team really can make or break you.”

As a female founder who has experienced most of the struggles of femalepreneurship, Eden says she’s often battled the urge to call it quits. What helped he through was a strong support network of family, friends, partners, and coworkers in line with her company vision.

“A founder’s strength doesn’t start in the workplace, it starts at home, with your personal life. And, on the professional side of things, this also involves making sure that you always hire the right people for your business, not just based on skills and qualifications, but on personality and character, as well.”

Inspiration

“Jessica Alba is more well-known for her work in film [but] over the past few years she has transformed herself from being a Hollywood starlet … to becoming the co-founder of a billion-dollar company, whose mission of selling chemical-free diapers, wipes, cleaning products, and more placed her in business magazines and lifted her into the world of successful startups. What impresses me the most is the fact that she built a purpose-driven business that does well to deliver the eco-friendly products that their customers needed all under one roof by staying true to environmentally sound practices.”

Christina Kaye: Rule out insecurity and fear

We live in a culture that is entrepreneurship-hungry. Among the younger generation, 63% plan to start a business at some point in their lives, 99% of all businesses are SMBs, and digital businesses take as little as a few hundred dollars to launch. All this makes aspiring business owners pretty confident — until their first brush with reality.

Christina Kaye is a former trial and litigation paralegal who made a pure “leap of faith” with her digital coaching business, Write Your Best Book. In 2019, challenges kept on piling as Christina’s law firm — and with it, her steady 22-year law career — found itself on the verge of shutdown, her difficult marriage ended, and she found herself on the brink of unemployment with two teenage daughters. She was certain that her plan would find support.

“I decided to at least try to turn my 10-year side hustle as an author coach, book editor, and writing instructor into a full-on business,” Christina says. “[But] when I shared this decision with my circle of friends and family, the reaction I received in response was NOT what I had hoped for. Most stood strangely quiet and never offered much of a convincing “go get ‘em,” but more than one person made their opinions known, loud and clear.”

Instead of a warm word of encouragement she hoped for, Christina met with a wall of skepticism. “[I was told things like], “No one who ever starts a business is successful the first time around’, ‘What are you going to do when it fails and you can’t support yourself, let alone the girls?’, “You’ve never run a business before. How can you possibly expect that to work?’ And my all-time favorite, ‘Why don’t you find a nice, steady job at the grocery store?’”

Add to that a global pandemic launching almost in line with her new business, and the circumstances would’ve been enough for most people to give up, but not Christina.

“Despite the not-so-favorable circumstances under which I started what I call my ‘Act Two,’ and in direct defiance of those who couldn’t be bothered to even feign support, I had earned my first 6-figures before the end of Y1Q3! Now, year two (my second 6-figure plus revenue year) is closing soon, and to date, I’ve helped over 300 authors successfully write and launch their books, I’ve gone “viral” on Tik Tok, I’ve gathered over 100,000 followers and subscribers, and I’ve been featured almost monthly on every website for authors, as well as other media outlets, blogs, and podcasts.”

What Christina credits her uphill business success with is the strength to face, accept, and love herself. “Dig deep and find that part of you, no matter how deeply buried, that knows your worth and knows exactly what you are capable of, push past the insecurity and fear, and put yourself out there for the world to see, warts and all. […] The first time I recorded a live event and somehow stumbled into the topic of my recent divorce and subsequent trauma, the replay and repost of that video not only received hundreds of thousands of views and likes … I went “viral,” something that would never have happened to the insecure, unconfident woman I once was.”

Inspiration

“Had the two of us ever met, we’d have had hardly a thing in common. Yet I have always cited Ruth Bader Ginsburg as my role model for one simple reason. [She] is one of the most famous women in history who achieved the highest level of success possible in her chosen career path by being steadfast in her personal opinions and speaking out against opinions she firmly disagreed with. [I admire how] she voiced her opinions and her dissent quietly but powerfully and with class.”

Final thoughts

One of Christina Kaye’s favorite quotes is by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” That’s exactly what these femalepreneurs did to succeed. No matter the view people had of them, personal insecurities, lack of funding, or the circumstances life threw their way, they held their flag high. They won and they keep winning because, in business, fighting and winning is a daily endeavor.

What all of us, regardless of gender, can do to empower more women in business is to provide a safe space around their physical, mental, and professional wellbeing that we celebrate this month. Thank you to everyone who helps bring this reality closer, and to all femalepreneurs out there — Happy National Women’s Entrepreneurship Month!

The post How 5 Femalepreneurs Defied Failure to Start Their Hustle first appeared on MightyCall.

Soft skills make up a whole set of leadership, teamwork and character traits chiseled out to perform under pressure. Among the benefits of soft skills training are increased ROI and a highly productive working environment. According to a study from Boston College, Harvard University, and the University of Michigan, on the job soft skills training delivered a 256 percent return on investment due to boosted productivity and employee retention.

How does a small business get the same kind of ROI and precisely what soft skills are needed to take your business to the next level? We asked several successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, and small business founders to share the top soft skills vital to their daily work. Here are their years of experience gathered in 8 essential points for you to learn from and implement today.

1. Communication

Communication is the chief intersection in your business journey, the daily meeting ground of the business leader, their team, and clients. If there’s a “jam” at any point, it’s bound to create friction throughout the whole business journey.

Mark Webster, Co-Founder of Authority Hacker, notes the importance of cultivating communication in distributed teams. “Even though we’re an online business, we still set aside time slots to chat with our team and discuss what’s going on,” Mark says. “Every morning we have a daily standup call where we can discuss what everyone has planned for the day and the things which may get in their way — that way we can all discuss what each individual can do to help them proceed.”

An open environment doesn’t just communicate ideas better — it leads to better problem-solving. ”When it comes to failures, instead of simply proposing a solution for them, we’ll dig into what exactly caused the failure and how we can work together to fix it,” Mark adds. “This leads to a much more open and communicative dialogue rather than a simple one-way management structure…This has had a huge impact on the business as it gets our team to really think about what they’re contributing to the business.”

Mark notes that it’s the ideas sparked by out of the box thinking that really boost his team’s productivity. To make sure none of those ideas are lost, prioritize communication within your team. To help keep track of all his team’s tasks, ideas, and keep communication flowing, Mark uses a time-management tool like Asana.  The daily reporting feature helps him instantly understand what’s on the team’s agenda.

2. Negotiation

Negotiation may be the least favorite skill a business owner has to learn, but one of the most critical. As Victoria Pynchon writes, “Negotiation is a conversation whose goal is to reach an agreement with someone whose interests are not perfectly aligned with yours.”

Lewis Goldstein, President of Blue Wind Marketing, identifies the importance of negotiation skills that can take any conversation past the paralysis of an initial “no”. “The importance of negotiating can’t be underestimated,” Lewis shares. “It’s all about learning how to communicate effectively so both parties get what they want. In order to be highly effective in negotiating, you need to understand where someone is coming from. To do that, you need to ask calibrated questions and labels.”

Lewis notes that an essential complementary skill to negotiation is understanding both your own and the speaker’s body language. “Body language oftentimes matters more than the words in a conversation,” Lewis says. “When you use positive and open body language you’re portraying yourself as confident and influential. On the flip side, when you can read the body language of others well, it empowers you to understand the variety of signals that people use – both consciously and subconsciously.”

Negotiation skills may look hard to nail, but you’ll quickly catch on by analyzing past experiences. Lewis suggests recording and listening back to business calls to understand ways you can improve customer negotiations. When listening back to recordings, look for what you did well and what you can do better next time. Read all about U.S./Canada recording laws and auto call recorder apps and you’re good to go!

3. Positive mindset

In a tough business environment, few skills are more universally acclaimed than an optimistic and positive mindset. Make no mistake: positivity isn’t about the number of smiley faces you attach to an email. Neither is it the failure to spot problems. It’s about the kind of resilience and character your team brings into solving problems that makes it stand out.

Positivity is the top skill that Kimberly Rath, Co-Founder and President of Talent Plus, an assessment provider with a 30+ year history of success, looks for in new employees. “From the beginning, we have taken the selection of each colleague very seriously,” Kimberly says, “and one of the things we select for is positivity/optimism. This always needs to stay front and center as you build a sustainable culture. Your organization gets better or worse with each hire.”

The reason positivity should be one of the key traits you scan new employees for isn’t just a healthy workplace environment. As Kimberly shares, “Most important for leaders, it’s essential to create a culture where change is embraced, accepted and celebrated.” When such change occurs, it’s the “individuals who have grit along with flexibility, resourcefulness, and optimism” that “can take on change, adapting to what’s happening around them and to them as the workplace changes.”

Positive problem-solving abilities are one of your team’s greatest assets. When hiring new employees, look for both skills that are “mission critical” (e.g. hard skills and knowledge) and the character traits that make for long-time players (e.g. positive attitude towards the job, ability to keep up and change with the times, adaptability to the workplace culture and new tasks).

4. Active listening

Remember how as a kid, you could always tell whether your parents are “ active listeners” (fully involved in the problem you’re communicating to them) or “passive listeners” (murmuring “aha” while staring at the newspaper)?

Stefan Chekanov, CEO and co-founder of Brosix, notes the importance of being the “good parent” to your team and clients. “It takes both skill and discipline to take the time to truly listen to a team member, customer, manager, etc.,” Stefan says. “So often people begin reacting based on partial information or inferences they make, rather than trying to understand what the other side is really saying.”

Active listening is a vital skill for getting constructive feedback from clients. “When a customer calls with an issue, we have a script of questions we ask in order to try to understand all aspects of the situation, and we train our support staff in active listening techniques,” Stefan shares. “In this way, we avoid misunderstandings and mistakes that come when you react to partial information, and our customers feel that they matter to us.”

Free online learning platforms like Coursera can be of great help in honing soft skills, including active listening.  Consider scheduling weekly study sessions or follow-up discussions with your team. These will make it fun to grow your knowledge together whilst helping each other out and bonding the team.

5. Discipline

Just like talent, business isn’t all passion and enthusiasm. The backbone of successful leadership is the unwavering discipline that humbly does its job through both the ups and downs.

Silicon Valley’s longest-serving CEO, entrepreneur and inventor Ray Zinn, has been at the forefront of the tech industry since 1978. His secret? As Ray puts it, “Discipline is doing what you don’t like doing and doing it well—having the determination, no matter how difficult a task is, to do it correctly.”

This disciplined approach, which Ray expanded on in his book, “Tough Things First” allowed him to run a business through times when nearly everyone else would’ve given up. “When Micrel [i.e. Ray’s company] was in the middle of our IPO, I suddenly became legally blind,” Ray shares.  “I had to have the discipline to not only finish the IPO but return home and face my condition; it was not reversible. I went on to convince a skeptical BOD that I could continue to run Micrel without being fully sighted by learning to navigate the world in an entirely new way. Because I was so determined and disciplined, I was able to convince the BOD and went on to run Micrel for 37 years, only one that was not profitable.”

With discipline, you can achieve absolutely anything you want. Every single hard and soft skill gains from a disciplined approach. As Ray suggests, never leave things to take care of themselves. If you can’t be there to talk an issue out in person, use software like video conferencing and/or a virtual phone system to connect to your colleagues without putting problems (however small) on hold.

6. Transparency

For an online business with a distributed team of freelancers, things can get messy and out of control if the leader lacks strong skills in giving clear instructions.

Running his own digital business, Sam Zuo, CEO of PassiveAirbnb, doesn’t waste a second of his (or his teams) time. What helps him is a concise and transparent team management approach.  “Clear instructions [are] really important because most of my freelancers are in different timezones, so the default mode of communication is always in written text. “ Sam says.

To help freelancers understand his management style and expectations, Sam has come up with a “user’s manual” that projects his business mindset in a nutshell. This is an informal two-page text that in transparent terms covers topics like problem-solving, team expectations and preferred methods of communication. For example, instead of complaining about problems, Sam instructs his team, “If there’s a problem and you want me to decide, always come with 2 solutions.”

Outline your business practices and expectations in simple, written form to all new employees. Skip the managerial jargon and simply connect to your team in human terms. Your work is sure to get more organized and mindful. To stay mindful and patient in the midst of a hectic workday, Sam also suggests practicing daily meditation on your own or with a mindfulness app like Headspace.

7. Facing discomfort

You’ve heard it before: if you want to do business, you’ve got to be ready to step out of comfort zones. Handling discomfort teaches entrepreneurs the importance of analytical but fearless decisionmaking. It also helps strong leaders break existing rules in order to create their own.

The ability to put yourself out there and push through discomfort is an acquired skill that any aspiring entrepreneur should cultivate. As Kayla Pendleton, Founder of Women’s co-working space Make Her Mark says, “It’s very tempting to back off the first few times you push yourself out of the comfort zone because it’s uncomfortable. But…every time I do some new, hard thing, it builds my confidence and I get more and more skilled at navigating myself to get past my boundaries of what I think I can do!”

Handling discomfort isn’t just about courageous decisions. It’s also about feeling OK with asking for help and teaching others to do so with your example. “I’ve grown my membership and expanded my services greatly because I’ve learned to ask for help and find great resources such as grants and mentors,” Kayla shares. “[Another] less obvious benefit is that I have become an inspiration for my members…many of whom are in business for the first time and are looking for encouragement and leadership.”

If you’re new to the business journey or need help at any stage, don’t be afraid to ask for guidance from a community of fellow entrepreneurs, femalepreneurs, freelancers, or telecommuters. You’ll gain many a helping hand in the process. Kayla also suggests learning to think on the fly and studying new things to inspire yourself and your team.

8. Integrity

Every entrepreneur is essentially a one-man orchestra that juggles countless tasks throughout the day. When you’re multitasking all the time, it feels easy to slip into “autopilot” mode and have your interactions with colleagues and clients turn generic.

Robyn Flint, an insurance specialist at ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and founding owner of real-estate rehab company Property Wise, LLC, notes the importance of putting other people first in the midst of your busiest workday. “In order to run three businesses while also working as a freelance writer and author, I must employ a set of soft skills to make it all come together,” Robyn says. ”My number one soft skill is my strong work ethic. …I believe in making [my clients’] experience with me the best possible so they walk away feeling like their needs were met and they would refer my services to others.”

For a local business, giving clients special care and treating their business as your top priority can work wonders. ”I receive repeat clients, referrals, and have actually had a client cry when our time together was done,” Robyn shares. “As a full-time real estate agent…treating clients as if their transaction involves the largest financial investment they will likely make in their lifetime has made me a five star professional.”

As a business owner, you may possess lots of inner integrity — but your clients need actions, not words to see that for themselves. For example, Robyn has a 32-touch yearly campaign strategy in place with all clients. That means making contact in one fashion at least 32 times per year via holiday/birthday/anniversary cards and client appreciation events. A warm, human touch such as a card sent via post creates a lasting connection that spreads the caring message of your business.

Final word

Each business success story looks kind of magical and spontaneous from the perspective of time. Behind each success story though, lie a great number of leadership, communication, and other soft skills honed until they become second nature.

With each soft skill you learn and cultivate today, remember that it all goes into shaping your future tomorrow.  In just a couple of months, you’ll be forever grateful for how far you’ve come. As for the technologies essential for every entrepreneur, check out our super simple guide to digital transformation for small business.

The post 8 Top Soft Skills For Successful Entrepreneurs first appeared on MightyCall.

Apart from closing the self-isolation gap during COVID19, online business communities have become the safe haven where business connections are nurtured, resources are gathered, and experience is freely shared. If you’re a hands-on type of person, such experience exchange will be your best way to learn entrepreneurship. Moreover, you’ll feel that you’re not alone in the tough world of business, that your aspirations are backed, supported, and motivated by people just like you.

So if you’re still a loner in the world of business or are looking for an online entrepreneur community that’s perfect for your industry, this is the guide for you.

Bookmark these best online communities for entrepreneurs, startups, women-owned businesses, Black and minority-owned businesses, and marketing professionals —  as recommended by business owners themselves.

Navigate:

• Online communities for entrepreneurs (general)
• Online communities for startups
• Online communities for women in business
• Online communities for Black business leaders
• Online community for Asian business leaders
• Online communities for digital marketers and SEO experts

Online communities for entrepreneurs (general business resources)

BizSugar

Recommended by

Janice Wald, Founder, Mostly Blogging

Who’s it for? Entrepreneurs looking for resources and content  to grow their business, plus a community of fellow-minded business people. BizSugar includes the Mastermind Group forum for discussing business, free business resources, self-guided courses, monthly challenges, and online events.

Why join? “BizSugar is a place for serious entrepreneurs. My Top Comments get featured, BizSugar shares my posts on Twitter, SmallBizTrends picks up BizSugar articles. SmallBizTrends is a top blog, so when they include a link to my post, my SEO gets a boost. The contacts I’ve made at BizSugar led to friendships. One of my contacts interviewed me on his podcast where my brand got more exposure.”

Janice’s tip: “At BizSugar, you’ll find content about a variety of entrepreneur-related topics. Support each other. Share and upvote each other’s content.”

Guild Groups

Recommended by

Joe Friedlein, Founder and MD,  Browser Media

Who’s it for? Guild is a business messaging platform where entrepreneurs can create professional groups and communities.

Why join? “I have found Guild to be a refreshing change to the noise of LinkedIn and it has been fantastic getting to know other agency owners who are all sharing similar challenges thanks to Covid. Whilst we are all ultimately in competition with each other, the group has shown that a Dunkirk spirit can create an amazing community of like-minded individuals who are more than happy to help each other out.”

Joe’s tip: “Remember the cliche about having two ears and one mouth – it is the same online. Be sensitive to the nature of dialogue and engage only when you have something to offer that will benefit others. If you are able to help others by sharing your experiences and offering advice, you are far more likely to be welcomed and will benefit from help in return.”

Concept to Career #C2C 

Recommended by

Cory A. Rusin, Transformational Coach, Founder, The Purpose Development Accelerator

Who’s it for? Entrepreneurs looking for free resources and educational materials to grow their business. Topics include personal development, marketing, wellness, entrepreneurship, productivity, and building business.

Why join? “[C2C is] the most well-rounded group I have ever been a part of and provides the most in-depth, free value for both aspiring AND full-time entrepreneurs. #C2C actually builds community… it’s not a spammy online space where people post promotions constantly. Entrepreneurship is being done and taught from the heart in a way that, if implemented, gets you real results.”

Cory’s tip: “Show up live to trainings, engage with the community, find an accountability buddy within the group, implement what you learn, and give feedback to the group. The more feedback you give, the more personalized support you receive.”

Coworking days

Recommended by

George Chilton, co-owner and Creative Director, Hubbub Labs

Who’s it for? Freelancers and entrepreneurs working from home or leading a digital nomad lifestyle. Coworking Days is both an online group and an offline coworking community. For offline meetups, see if it’s available in your city.

Why join? “Coworking Days, the brainchild of Simon Lewis, is an international community of entrepreneurs who regularly visit coworking spaces in their cities to socialize, take part in activities and work together. People also use the online Facebook group to chat, share ideas and get to know each other. I’ve found the Barcelona Coworking Days community to be a fun way to get to know new people, network and have great conversations during the week.”

George’s tip: “If you want to get involved in an online community like this, try to find one that’s local to you. Introduce yourself (without being spammy) and do your best to give as much as you take, that way you’ll be fully integrated and will make the most out of your experience.”

Rising Tide Society

Recommended by

Meghan Cox, Owner & Creative Director, Mil Besos

Who’s it for? A community for creative entrepreneurs, from hobbyist to professional. Rising Tide Society offers free online educational resources and local chapter meetings in over 400 cities across the world.

Why join? “I enjoy taking part in this community as I can contribute to others who may benefit from my experiences, I can cheer on those celebrating accomplishments, share ideas, and I can learn from others’ accomplishments and missteps.”

Meghan’s tip: “I suggest …both sharing and soaking up knowledge where you can. If you find you are in a group that has a lot of arguments and drama, I would suggest leaving and finding a group such as Rising Tide that fosters a more supportive environment.”

MakersKitchen

Recommended by

Siddhartha Gunti,  Co-founder, Adaface

Who’s it for? A Slack Community For Makers, Product Creators, and independent developers

Why join? “The community is very warm, closely-knit, and tries to help out with product pitches, online reach outs, and feedback. Since most of the members are indie developers and do not necessarily have a team of their own, they are very active in the community and very willing to help out fellow members.”

Siddhartha’s tip: “Be active. Give more. Ask less.”

Marie Forleo

Recommended by

Maryna Shkvorets, Owner, Marsandstarsbaby

Who’s it for? A community built around entrepreneur Marie Forleo, where other business owners share in the conversation and discussions.

Why join? “As an entrepreneur, I find myself drawn to other business owners, and the one that brings me the most inspiration is Marie Forleo. Alongside each video or audio episode, there’s a forum for business owners like me to chime in with our thoughts and questions. It’s so uplifting and inspiring, and I always get good ideas from other people’s questions and responses.”

Maryna’s tip: “When you join an entrepreneur community, don’t use it as a platform to promote yourself. People are smarter than that. Use it to learn and to connect as well as to inspire others.”

Lead Marketplace

Recommended by

Dane Kolbaba, Owner, WatchdogPestControl

Who’s it for? A Facebook group for online lead generators and lead buyers.

Why join? “Lead Marketplace is an invaluable resource that hardly anyone knows about. Let’s say you were doing carpet cleaning in Pittsburgh but have a hard time getting the phones to ring. You could easily join this group and post about needing carpet cleaning leads in Pittsburgh. Within a few minutes, you would have a few messages from lead generators in Pittsburgh who either have leads already or that can get them. I happen to be in pest control and there is always someone out there in my target city that has the capability of forwarding me phone calls or contact forms. It’s been great!”

Dane’s tip: “Online entrepreneur communities can be super helpful and somewhat damaging to morale at times. Not everyone … has your best interests in mind. Before commenting in [online] groups, I find it useful to check it out first and see who you respect and [who] seems to have good advice. Maybe it might even be a good idea to message that person privately to make sure you are getting the advice you need.”

Online Communities for Startups

StartupNation

Recommended by

Michael Hammelburger, CEO, Expense Reduction Group

Who’s it for? An online community for entrepreneurs and media platform with lots of business resources for startups and entrepreneurs building their business.

Why join: “I love how community members share their expertise in marketing and personal growth in particular. The insights I’ve learned from fellow startup entrepreneurs are absolutely very informative and educational at the same time. What makes it unique is that it has created niche forums and groups so it’s easier to find like-minded entrepreneurs whether you’re a work-from-home CEO or a co-working space professional.”

StartupGrind 

Recommended by

James Pearson, CEO, eVenturing

Who’s it for? A global community for startup owners and entrepreneurs. Includes local and virtual events, networking, and exclusive resources.

Why join? “The community became my support system as I went through the trial and error phase of starting up. You will be able to learn, connect and share your wins and losses with other entrepreneurs through an online platform. Also, you will be able to access exclusive resources and virtual mentoring sessions with business experts who will guide you through your journey. However, it doesn’t stop there. For me, the best part of this community is the most anticipated conferences gathering all entrepreneurs in one event.”

James’ tip: “Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. It will be uncomfortable at the start. Since you will be mingling with other entrepreneurs who might seem to be more successful or ahead of you. It’s fine, nobody starts at the top. Instead, seize the opportunity to learn from them. Aspire to become better and you will get there.”

The Fast Lane Forum

Recommended by

Skyler Reeves, President & CEO, Ardent Growth

Who’s it for: An online discussion forum for business leaders based on the C.E.N.T.S. Framework as described in best-selling books by MJ DeMarco.

Why join? “I’ve learned so much from my peers at The Fast Lane to Millions. It’s a business forum for entrepreneurs like me where we can share our experiences in growing our respective businesses (whether good or bad, it doesn’t matter since there’s always a lesson to learn!). I’ve noticed that the participants are very eager to help one another and share their perspectives in business growth, development and even personal progress.”

Online Communities for Women in Business

Powerful Ladies Thrive Collective

Recommended by

Natasha Dressler, Founder & Publicist, Natasha Dressler PR & Marketing

Who’s it for? A platform for femalepreneurs and aspiring women in business. Includes monthly programs, weekly group coaching, workshops, courses, women in business community and networking.

Why join? “The Powerful Ladies Thrive Collective is filled with a diverse group of women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, different countries, and an array of skill sets. These women help me collaborate and brainstorm through different situations, and oftentimes we hire within our community when we need help!”

Natasha’s tip: “Make time for [online communities]. Block time out on your calendar and really give yourself that time to honor your continued education and commitment to yourself.”

Hera Hub

Recommended by

Tamina Madsen, Community Director, HeraHub

Who’s it for? An international co-working project for women and an online platform that supports its members by providing mentoring, education, and a strong femalepreneur community.

Why join? In addition to a host of virtual weekly events, we focus on connecting members with each other to learn, share, and collaborate. Because Hera Hub has always been community first, the organization has also been instrumental in curing the isolation caused by the pandemic that is so widespread among solopreneurs.

Tamina’s tip: “Don’t bother investing in an online community unless you are committed to taking advantage of it. Incorporate involvement or participation into your weekly routine so you can make the most of everything the community has to offer. Also, find your people. Your community should be full of people to fit the niche that you subscribe to.”

Sisters in SEO

Recommended by

Tori Reid, Owner, Shift Copy Co.

Who’s it for? Women entrepreneurs or women in SEO who’re using SEO to build their brand. The only group for women in the male-dominated field of SEO.

Why join? “I feel more supported in this group compared to larger male-dominated SEO Groups. It’s helped me find tools and resources to get the word out to a larger crowd about my business on a smaller budget. The best part is that Kari and Stephanie (the owners) are both active and happy to help you build connections in addition to skills. They highlight the members, which helps build clientele (we hire each other all the time).”

Tori’s tip: “You’ll get to know the members naturally because they’re happy to step up and answer. Before you know it, you’ll feel confident answering questions too, and through that mutual exchange, you’ll start building bonds with women in the group that are invaluable both professionally and personally.”

Digital Nomad Girls

Recommended by

Cepee Tabibian, Founder, She Hit Refresh

Who’s it for? A Facebook group for women who’ve embraced or are exploring the digital nomad lifestyle. Includes a digital nomad course to get started with a mobile lifestyle, a virtual coworking community, online socializing, and fun events.

Why join? “Stumbling upon this group of inspiring women who have taken (or want to take) the unconventional path in life was a eureka moment for me. Just by seeing an abundance of women who had quit their jobs to create their own businesses, work remotely and travel, made that dream I had to do the same feel possible.”

Cepee’s Tip: “You never know what opportunity lies behind each connection. I have used the group as a resource to ask questions and connect with other members throughout my own journey from full-time employee to freelancer to online business owner. I’ve made virtual friends in the group who have played a significant role in my success, and through the Digital Nomad Girl retreats I’ve been able to meet some of these friends in-person.”

Freelancing Females

Recommended by

Michelle Beauregard, Founder, Quietly

Who’s it for? A Facebook group for women on the freelancing and solopreneurship journey

Why join? “I used this group to get leads when I used to freelance and build websites. Now that I’ve pivoted and launched my business Quietly this year, I use this group to find and hire people for contract work that I might have, like graphic design. It’s also a good way to get feedback on your business. For example, I saw one lady post photos of a dog bed she was launching, she asked the group which colour did people prefer, and she had dozens of comments – so it can be a way to discreetly self promote, without getting kicked out of a group.”

Michelle’s tip: “Get started and participate in online communities – no matter what stage you’re at in your business. Be vulnerable, share your business idea, ask questions, and leave comments in community groups. You’ll never know who you could meet, answers you’ll find, and discoveries you’ll make if you don’t try.”

Online Communities for Black Business Leaders

Black Men Talk Tech

Recommended by

Boris Moyston, Co-Founder, Black Men Talk Tech

Who’s it for? Black entrepreneurs in the tech field who’re building “unicorn” startups. It is also the host of the Unicorn Ambition Conference.

Why join? “Black Men Talk Tech welcomes Black men, entrepreneurs, and other practitioners in the tech ecosystem to gain insights, develop and share their ideas with like-minded entrepreneurs while delivering high-quality content that benefits people of color in particular. In addition to the upcoming Unicorn Ambition Conference, Black Men Talk Tech has hosted a number of virtual events and fireside chats with leaders in the industry.”

Blackconnect

Recommended by

Angela Majette, Founder, Blackconnect

Who’s it for? An international business community for Black business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs that promotes the socioeconomic growth and empowerment of the Black Community.

Why join? “The most comprehensive Black-owned business and social networking platform with members across the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom.”

Angela’s tip: “To provide additional resources and support to Black entrepreneurs and business owners, I also founded Black Connect, Inc., a national non-profit organization dedicated solely to eliminating the racial wealth gap in America by increasing the number and success rate of Black-owned businesses.”

Online Community for Asian Business Leaders

Asian Hustle Network Group

Recommended by

Thomas Hong, Serial Entrepreneur, Owner,  Vegky

Who’s it for? A group for Asian entrepreneurs and aspiring hustlers to share their experience and learn from each other.

Why join? “Many entrepreneurs post stories of their success and this is inspiring. Also, it is a support group for those young business owners who are looking for advice and networking contacts.”

Thomas’ tip: “Participate! Be a giver, not a taker. Trust me, it comes back to you. Answers questions in the group (even if it’s not your specialty) and even if may not know the answer and have to google. Post your story and testimony in the group. Don’t be afraid to ask for help… Asking a question could answer the question for 10 other people who were afraid to ask but if you ask, it not only helps you but helps others indirectly.”

Online Communities for Digital Marketers and SEO

Builder Society

Recommended by

James Major, Owner and Founder, Insurance Panda

Who’s it for: An internet marketing forum for digital strategy specialists and entrepreneurs. Topics include marketing, SEO, DevOps, Audio and Video production, and a digital strategy crash course.

Why join? “Unlike other popular internet marketing forums such as Warrior Forum and Black Hat World, Builder Society is very highly moderated for quality, and therefore attracts higher quality members and content. The community has helped me think of some off-beat ways to market my website when other traditional methods had failed me. There are countless threads at BS with marketing secrets you won’t find anywhere else.”

James’ tip: “Be active and outgoing, yet be humble. Be willing to take suggestions from other senior community members without challenging them, and always express gratitude whenever somebody helps you.”

Digital Point

Recommended by

Malte Scholz, CEO and Co-Founder, Airfocus

Who’s it for? An online community for digital marketing entrepreneurs and discussion forum for online marketers and SEO specialists.

Why join? “Since I run an online business, I need to invest a lot into marketing which is why I refer to Digital Point quite often for expert opinion. I appreciate everybody’s openness to sharing tips and strategies with the rest of the community online…You don’t need to be a marketing guru to understand most of the answers.”

Malte’s tip: “Be ready to interact with people in the community and offer your expertise as well. If you feel uncomfortable starting a topic on your own, you can simply comment on certain posts and engage in the conversation.”

Online Geniuses

Recommended by

Jennifer Willy, Editor, Etia.com

Who’s it for? A Slack community for SEO specialists and Digital Marketers

Why join? “A digital marketing community that was founded in 2015 by David Markovich. It is currently the largest marketing community on Slack. It is also one of the most engaged private marketing communities on the web.”

Jennifer’s tip: “Being an entrepreneur can be challenging along with the feeling of disconnect and loneliness. But there are many communities [you can join] where entrepreneurs can connect with each other.”

Discover more

Have you picked your favorite online community for entrepreneurs yet?

If that’s a yes, save and complement this guide with these Best Online Networking Tips from Entrepreneurs to establish online connections in a meaningful, lasting way.

And check out our out-of-this-world fast, mobile, and budget-friendly phone system for small business. We’ll help your team talk anytime, anywhere, and about anything, at a stunning price.

The post 22 Online Communities for Entrepreneurs You’ll Be Thrilled to Join first appeared on MightyCall.

Over two hundred years later, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, women may have no trouble getting a patent, but we are still fighting to make our voice heard in the male-dominated leadership arena. The ice is broken. But we are still fighting for the chance to propel our inventions, business ideas, and creations from a place of equal opportunity.

As women leaders and founders, what can we do today, to help one another beat the odds regardless of social, gender, and racial privilege?

I talked to seven award-winning female leaders and founders, including MightyCall’s award-winning product manager Anna Miranchuk, to find out.

1.Back yourself up with a support network

The problem with women leaders, founders, and executives, is that more often than not, they find themselves in roles and companies that make them the only woman in the room. Placed within such constraints, women leaders often miss out on the mentorship and support network allocated to their male colleagues.

Helen Norris has served as the Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Chapman University in Orange, California since June 2014. With a computer programming background and a 20-year experience in Higher Education Information Technology, Helen’s life is centered around technology. Leaning back on her own struggles, she is actively engaged in empowering women in tech through organizations like Women in Technology International and Advancing Women in Technology.

“From early in my career I have often been the only woman on the team or the only woman in the room. That can lead to a sense of isolation in the workplace. The number of women in leadership roles in technology is still pretty small, with some studies showing that while there has been some improvement, fewer than 20% of CIOs are women. One of my techniques for dealing with isolation is to build a strong network outside of my own organization. I think it is critical for women in IT to develop and maintain networks for many reasons, including career growth, support, and keeping current with trends in the industry. It’s also a great way to pay it forward – to be there for others who might need mentoring or advice in their own careers.”

Success tip: Mentorship and online communities for entrepreneurs remain the fastest and safest business propellers, regardless of gender, age, and race. Jessica Alderson, co-creator and CEO of Syncd, a dating app that matches compatible Myers-Briggs personality types and a top 10 female entrepreneur according to Yahoo Finance, says, “One of the biggest challenges I have faced as a woman is the lack of female role models in tech. The ones I have met are intelligent, supportive, and just all-around amazing people, but are few and far between. I recently took on a new role as the UK lead for Women in Tech which has opened up a whole world of amazing, supportive female role models. I would suggest finding a close-knit community of women to anyone facing a similar challenge.”

2.Get comfortable asking for help and learn to set boundaries

For women leaders, multi-tasking is a habit we quickly fall into and are reluctant to let go of. Women leaders often heap responsibilities upon themselves and feel distraught asking for help, both when it comes to “traditional” female responsibilities and work chores. Asking for help makes women leaders feel week and vulnerable but it shouldn’t, says 2021 Forbes Next 1000 nominee, Indy Maven CEO and co-founder Leslie Bailey.

“The biggest challenge I’ve faced in my career journey as a woman is getting in my own way. Sure, there were plenty of times that men underestimated me or passed me over but that really becomes a problem when you allow people to treat you a certain way. But what I mostly mean by getting in my own way is how I made sacrifices too easily sometimes. I always felt that I had to say yes to get ahead. Though my husband and I both work from home and are parents, for the longest time I took on the traditionally female tasks of making dinner, leaving work early to pick up kids, starting work late because I was doing things around the house. The moment I started looking at us as equals (despite who makes more money – shocker, it’s him) I stopped taking everything on myself and have been able to focus more on my business and career. I also learned to say no to tasks, requests, and other asks that don’t serve my needs and goals.”

Success Tip: Both at home and at work, learn to say no to things that aren’t vital at the moment. Ask for help and partnership. This act does not make you seem weak or incapable of fulfilling your task. On the contrary, dividing responsibilities is the mark of a mature and respectful leader, regardless of gender. You’d be surprised how often the people around us, from family members to colleagues would love to help and to know their input is worthy and needed!

3. Focus on hard work and soft skills

What do you think counts more on your CV — hard skills per se, or soft skills? When asked, 97% of employers said that soft skills are on a par with or even more important than hard skills. Judging by the fact that all leaders and founders display uncanny soft skills, this is barely surprising.

Crisis management, a key soft skills for any leader, is something that Toni Harrison — gold medalist in crisis management at The American Business Awards (The Stevies”), multicultural agency founder with two decades of industry experience, and CMO at fintech startup Fair — is familiar with not just in business, but in life too.

“As a young Black girl, I was frequently reminded I had to be twice as good to get half as far since I am Black. I suspect that fueled my ambition and helped me ascend to senior positions more quickly. In tech, fewer than 2% of executive leaders are Black. In marketing/PR only about 5% of the entire workforce is Black. In marketing and communication, we have to sell ideas to connect with consumers.

“My journey into tech is paved with purpose and passion. The racial disparities in health that were exposed and widely reported as the pandemic grew are equally concerning and alarming in finance. Fintech has the power to quickly transform the systems and practices that contribute to the racial inequities in finance, such the wealth gap which shows Blacks and Latinx pay more than twice the amount in bank fees, even though the average whites have 8x the wealth and far less debt. This brought me to a new path as Chief Marketing Officer for Fair, a fintech startup aimed at reducing racial wealth and opportunity gaps. As Fair CMO, I’m a crusader for closing racial wealth and opportunity gaps.”

Success Tip: We’re used to the fact that in business, it’s hard work, not only talent and brilliant ideas, that is the breadwinner. But for women leaders coming from a minority or underprivileged background, the amount of hard work, perseverance, and dedication are twice or thrice that of a standard white male from an average background. Especially in the “man’s world” of fields like fintech, women are under a lot of stress to make their achievements count. If you’re a woman who is passionate about a field that has a lot of piled-up misogyny, your best weapons are psychological preparedness (don’t underestimate the amount of challenge so you’re not crushed by it), professional growth, and investment in important soft skills like crisis management, negotiation, and communication.

4.Learn the art of funding (and crowdfunding)

Female. immigrant. tech. founder. For most people, just one of those nouns in their CV would’ve been enough to give up on their goals. But not for Elnaz Sarraf, Founder & CEO of ROYBI Robot  — the world’s first AI-powered smart toy to teach children language and STEM skills.

These days, her product has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions in Education, on the 2019 CNBC Upstart 100 list as one of the world’s most promising startups and on Fast Company’s 2019 World-Changing Ideas. But times weren’t always happy for Elnaz, an Iranian immigrant recently named Entrepreneur of The Year in Silicon Valley.

“When I was raising funds for the Roybi seed round, I heard so many rejections that often, I thought to myself if what I am doing is right. There were plenty of people who told me I should just stop trying or try other future ideas. Some said that it is not worth losing all my money over this idea and just finding a 9-5 job and then working on something else in the future. All these comments were quite discouraging. It got even a lot more difficult when I ran out of money and had to call my friends and ask for help. However, I firmly believed in ROYBI. Fast forward, I was able to eventually raise $4.2M financing in our seed round in 2019 without even a fully functioning prototype.”

Success tip: Fundraising is one of the toughest aspects of growing a startup. Experts agree that in order to successfully raise funds, you should send the message about your product/service far and wide. Connect to all the people in your network you haven’t spoken to in a while and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You may also want to look into crowdfunding. As Sukhi Jutla, a female entrepreneur who raised £439,840 for her startup, MarketOrders, via crowdfunding says, “Don’t make assumptions about whether people have money to invest! I learned quickly that there were many people who were willing to invest large amounts but I hadn’t been telling them I was raising so I assumed they were not likely to invest.”

5.Focus on achievements. Results will follow.

As women in business, we know a lot about the infamous gender gap. Many of us either struggle with it still or have felt its burden upon us. But to paraphrase poet Robert Frost, the best way out of the gender gap is through it. This is something Anna Miranchuk, Product Manager at MightyCall and Network Products Guide IT World Awards, Women in IT silver medalist is keen to point out.

“The more varied an ecosystem is, the more stable it is. This is vital not just in biological terms, but in professional terms as well! I am confident that gender plays no ultimate role in a woman’s career as long as she is a professional in her field. Surely, there are certain aspects and management styles that vary when it comes to men and women leaders. Women are naturally good communicators, and this can be very helpful in leadership roles. But the main secret is to do work that captivates and transforms you – in that case, you can become successful in any field! At MightyCall, we have people from diverse backgrounds, both men and women, who’re passionate about what they’re doing.”

Success tip: If you’re a woman leader or founder, creating a diverse ecosystem around your team is an important aspect not just of diversity, but team productivity. The more diverse the voices representing and speaking up for your company, the more productive your mutual work will be. However, if you’re in a situation where you’re the only woman in the room, focusing on your professional skills and disregarding “well-meaning advisors”  who recommend you to go back to the kitchen counter is the safest bet when it comes to eliminating gender bias.

Final word

Society at large still has a way to go before accepting, prizing, and encouraging the full input that women leaders, founders, and inventors can make in the world. But today, as ever, our best weapon is our togetherness.

“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.”

Time to own the battle, girls.

The post 5 Success Strategies For Women Leaders and Founders first appeared on MightyCall.

But what does that mean, exactly? How do small business owners and entrepreneurs re-start their long-stalled engines and reopen their businesses after COVID?  It’s a tough and tricky situation, especially seeing as the virus isn’t leaving uniformly- nor are the cumbersome and frankly burdensome corona regulations that small business owners have had to deal with.

To help you with what’s frankly going to be a bananas task, we put together a list of the common questions and subjects that small business owners around the nation have been concerned about when it comes to re-opening after the coronavirus.

“Cleanliness is next to managerliness”- Spongebob Squarepants

via GIPHY

Disinfectant. It’s been our friend for over a year now, and the odds are it will continue to be our friend for a good while to come. But how much do you need? How much is too much? How little is too little? If you want a huge amount of detail, click here for a CDC report on the whole shebang (that’s the US government’s Center for Disease Control). If you want the skinny, here are a few of the biggest questions regarding a very un-sanitized subject.

Do I need to disinfect my workplace if it has been unoccupied for 7 days?

Good news! The virus may have lasted a long time in our minds, but on surfaces, it hasn’t been shown to last more than seven days. You should still clean, because…it’s gross if you don’t? But when it comes to the coronavirus, if you haven’t been to your workplace for 7 days and no one else has been—in other words, it’s been closed that whole time—then you don’t have to worry especially about dirty surfaces giving you the ‘rona.

How many times should offices be cleaned or disinfected to prevent COVID-19?

This one is up to you. Maybe you’re an Adrian Monk-type and even outside of pandemic life you still need to clean your doorknobs and surfaces every five minutes.

Well, the good news is that you don’t need to do that even in a pandemic- but you shouldn’t do it once a day either. The CDC urges business owners, who clearly know best how much traffic they’re getting through their stores or places of business, to come up with their own plans- but then to stick with it, and update/evaluate as much as necessary.

Likewise, if you create a bleach/water solution, make sure to make a new batch every twenty-four hours, which is the time period that the CDC says most bleach solutions will be effective for.

Navigating Coronavirus Rules and Regulations

via GIPHY

So now this is a pretty dicey situation, especially for small business owners in the United States- they have to pay attention to federal, state, and local rules, the violation of which can lead to hefty fines.

What’s made more difficult is that plenty of times these rules seem to change on the fly, to the degree that one could assume it’s almost sort of guesswork. But either way, rules are rules, and they must be followed to avoid losing even more cash than coronavirus has probably already cost your business.

How do I follow federal coronavirus regulations?

Well, truth be told, the federal government *is* putting out regulations- but mostly for itself. Due to the states having so much power in the US, the federal government can’t regulate most small businesses when it comes to the coronavirus. Truth be told, it probably doesn’t even want to regulate them- the United States is frankly, an immense country, and coronavirus is ravaging different regions at sometimes vastly different rates.

How do I follow state or local coronavirus regulations?

There is no federal website which has constant updates on all of the constantly changing state and local coronavirus regulations. Your best bet? Check out your local Chamber of Commerce. They’re built around helping small businesses, which means the odds are that they’ll be able to clue you in on what your small business is supposed to be doing, and what you don’t have to worry about doing.

But when in doubt, contact your state or local government! There’s no reason not to. Picking up your phone and placing a call (or sending an email, if things aren’t time-sensitive) are the best way to get up-to-date information about when you can re-open your small business after COVID.

What are the biggest mistakes small businesses make when re-opening after coronavirus?

via GIPHY

This one is pretty important, which is why it’s getting its own section. After a year of on and off closures, it’s understandable that you’ll be chomping at the bit to get back in action.

But here’s the thing- before you do anything, take a deep breath and pause. Lots of people are still incredibly nervous about catching the coronavirus and will probably continue to be so even after it is no longer rational to be afraid to go to businesses. Some businesses have even found that opening up immediately was not inherently profitable. So take some time to calculate, to figure out exactly how much you’ll need to take in, and to figure out how much you’ll be spending by being open.

Speaking of being open – don’t be afraid to mess around with your hours. Obviously, when running a small business some consistency is necessary; in an ordinary situation, changing your hours on a whim would only serve to lose you customers and hurt your reputation. But this isn’t a normal situation; people are going to be understanding if your hours have suddenly changed and you are only open from 9 to 12, or not at all on Wednesdays.

For those businesses which have been able to stay open in the pandemic- don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. If something was working, be it a switch to digital or some other shift, maybe try to keep it going in the future?

What should businesses do during the disease pandemic?

via GIPHY

What happens if the lockdowns come back? Well now that’s the fear, isn’t it? What happens if we start coming back, the vaccines are flowing, and them BLAM, some random variant comes out of who knows where and we’re suddenly back to square one?

This is where that “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” comes back into play. Keep the strategies you were using if you stayed open during the pandemic.

And if you didn’t stay open? Well, think proactively. Much as snowstorms in Texas probably have made a lot of folks think twice about making fun of their friend who keeps a week’s supply of potable water at home, why not get ahead of the next variant closures by building your business into a more flexible model? At the aforementioned US Chamber of Commerce, they’re on it, with a handy pros and cons list of permanently shifting your business to a more virtual-oriented setup.

Taking your business digital

Taking your business into the digital realm takes consideration; there are a lot of moving pieces (literally and metaphorically) when transitioning to an all-digital business, so, as we said above, don’t’ rush into anything. One of the biggest things to keep in mind, however, is communication. With an all-digital small business, you won’t end up with a single hub from which to have all of your employees.

Fortunately, there’s a way to turn that seeming negative into a huge positive: going with a virtual phone number from MightyCall. MightyCall’s virtual phone number gives you access to a plethora of features, including a digital “headquarters” — an online web panel and Mobile App for iOS/Android. This makes it simple for your employees to make calls with unlimited extensions, assign and distribute calling tasks, get mini-CRM functionality built into their phone, send business texts, and a whole ton of other stuff.

Importantly, your staff (and, naturally, you) can make and receive phone calls with any internet-connected and sound-capable device, making it even easier to complete your physical-to-digital transition. Take a look at our amazing features or learn more about how VoIP works!

We’re almost over the COVID mountaintop…

…and we can see the beautiful, virus-free town below. But there’s still a mountain to climb down from; so while you’re doing so, make sure to follow our above steps, try not to dangerously rush down the slopes, and before you know it, this’ll all be a thing of the past. But your small business won’t be —  because you prepared.

Learn more:

Save and complement this guide with our laptop lifestyle guide for small business owners wishing to manage business on the go, then follow up with tips from entrepreneurs on business growth during COVID and an expert look at what the business future will look like post-crisis.

The post Reopening Your Business After COVID: How to Get Back Up After Your Business Was Locked Down first appeared on MightyCall.

Often enough, “luck” is the collective term for the things we don’t talk about, the things we shush. The elusive “luck” is in many ways, “uncomfortable” things like privilege, background, family, connections, etc.

For Black entrepreneurs, the above kind of “luck” has been so minimal — or even nonexistent — that they went on to defy it and create their own. We can only admire the courage of the people who beat the odds of life and became not just successful entrepreneurs but role models far beyond their communities.

Today, I’d like to give an ear to their stories — the stories of the Black entrepreneurs next door who made it when all the odds were against them. They “beat the odds”. So can you.

1. Antonio Wells: “Never let someone who lacks vision stop yours”

Today, Antonio Wells is the owner of Chicago-based brand growth and marketing agency NAMYNOT Inc.

Helping businesses from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies grow their brand, Antonio is a serial entrepreneur who started a tech review company back in 2009. Back then, launching on a “shoestring budget”, Antonio was able to grow the company organically into a global leader in the app review industry, and successfully sell it.

“In 2009, I started a popular mobile app review site called AndroidTapp.com. With great content, a mastery of SEO, and good ole fashion journalism. The company never received funding and was able to grow exponentially by reinvesting,” Antonio says. “The greatest challenge I faced was lack of funding [and] lack of knowledge in finding alternative ways of gaining funding. However, I turned this lack into execution by working with what I had and continually reinvesting (oftentimes 100%) until I hit a point of profitability.”

For Antonio, the most important thing in life has been to never give in when others fail to believe in you or your business. Even such a critical aspect as lack of funding for business isn’t enough reason to give up on your goal.

Business tip

Antonio’s business journey shows that strategic financial planning is vital to any startup or growing business. But on top of that, his motto is to never let even well-meaning advisors (of which there’ll be plenty) to interfere with your vision. Whatever the financial hardship, there’s a way to adapt the means to your goals. Some of the best ways to cut back on business costs are reinvesting in the business, studying profit margins, and building a simple financial model for your business.

2. Jamie R.Wright: “It’s not that I’ve always known who I would be, it was just very clear to me who I wouldn’t be.”

Starting or growing a business during a pandemic is an immense challenge in itself. Starting a business as a victim of domestic violence in the middle of a pandemic, while fighting for your safety at a women’s shelter around Houston, TX, is something that takes unprecedented courage.

Jamie Wright is one such amazing woman. Fighting not just for her life, but for the life of women in similar circumstances as she, she became a trauma & self-love advocate, author, motivational speaker and ambassador for women subjected to domestic abuse. Jamie’s story and practical advice has already been shared on BBC News, CBS, Fox 26, 60 Minutes Quibi and more.

“As a survivor of domestic violence, I share my story of triumph in a way that inspires others,” Jamie says “I also provide practical ‘how-to’ tips and tools in an effort to help others radically transform their lives. The greatest business challenge I faced overcoming my self-doubt and disempowering thoughts by realizing that all that I needed was within me. I may have been victimized, but I AM NOT a victim. Adversity is an opportunity to remind/show myself how strong and resilient I am.”

Business tip

A survivor of domestic violence that has accomplished everything through her faith and courage, Jamie’s motto is a paraphrase of Oprah’s quote, “It’s not that I’ve always known who I would be, it was just very clear to me who I wouldn’t be.” Whatever life situation you’re currently in, Jamie reminds you to find a community that will guide and support you, like an online business community for Black entrepreneurs.  Seeking help isn’t about a lack of courage. It’s about real, hands-on courage. When we are backed by people who understand our experiences, we can move mountains — even in times of a pandemic and personal trauma.

3. Vid Lamonte’ Buggs Jr.: “To persevere and overcome the odds, have a warrior mindset and live a warrior lifestyle”

People often call Vid Buggs the “modern Renaissance man”, i.e., a man of many talents. He is owner of an entrepreneur, bestselling author, athlete, public speaker — and that’s just a part of his accomplishments.

But throughout his childhood, it seemed the odds were turned against Vid. Born with a medical condition that made doctors believe he wouldn’t be able to walk or run normally, and facing academic challenges in school, he went on to graduate with the highest honors, obtain multiple degrees, engage in sports, and find his life’s purpose in a hidden talent.

“It was 2013–2014 and I just was waived by an NBDL team,” Vid says. “My girlfriend and I were expecting a baby girl. [We were] in Florida without any family to help during one of the most challenging times in my life. However, due to this crossroads, I decided to pursue some goals I had put on the backburner. Those goals were starting a Publishing Company, starting an Enterprise, Publish a book, and Public Speak on a national level. Through basketball training and money I had saved up, I was able to publish my book, “You Ain’t Hungry Until I’m Starving”, with the help of Marci Wise. I also was able to start both of my companies.”

Business tip

As Vid says, “No matter what we want to do or who we want to be in life, we will go through challenges. People will doubt us, and tell us what odds are against us. In order, to persevere, overcome the odds and be successful, a person must have a warrior mindset and live a warrior lifestyle.”  In other words, if you want to change your life, start with changing your mindset and acquiring key business skills like communication, networking, sales negotiation, and digital skills.

4. “Michele Davis: “Take the time to discover what makes you happy and fulfilled in every aspect of your life.”

One day in 2016, Michele took the leap of faith many would’ve considered improbable. At 45 years of age, she became a first-time entrepreneur with no prior experience. Back then, she launched Marketing Gem Solutions, a website design, branding, and SMM company supporting female entrepreneurs.

Through her active learning and perseverance, Michele’s business story soon took off. But only three years later, personal tragedy struck. Michele’s son died, leaving her heartbroken after the greatest challenge a human being can face. Surprisingly, one day she found the courage and fearlessness to rise up and even reinvent her business.

“After I felt emotionally able to return to the world […] I decided to contact clients just to check in on their progress in their business. The more I spoke to the women, the more I realized they needed business mentorship. That’s when I decided to provide [them with] a step-by-step blueprint. My focus with Phenomenal Boss Academy is helping women launch a profitable and sustainable business in 90-days or less.”

Business tip

For many people, starting a business after 40, or even starting a business after 50 with no experience to boot, sounds frightening. But for Michele, it has become more than a plan B, but an unexpected support that helped her come back to life through helping others. This is why she’s an advocate of the spiritual, mindful approach to business concepts. “I always advise people to take the time to discover what makes you happy and fulfilled in every aspect of your life. Evaluate what you need spiritually, emotionally, financially, and so forth to make you feel happy and fulfilled.” When your business is about more than “work”, your success becomes a link between other people. To paraphrase Vernon Jordan, standing on the shoulders of others, you lend your own shoulder to those following you.

5. Jen Ngozi: “Cancel Perfectionism!”

Jen Ngozi grew up in a first-generation African immigrant family who came to the U.S. with nothing but $10 in their pockets. Growing up in a minority community, she had no corporate-American parents, birth privilege, or business role models to emulate.

Set on working hard and giving back, Jen fought for and forged her own path in business and went on to found NetWerk, a global woman in leadership movement and organization helping everyday women worldwide build the community, confidence, and skills needed to become leaders. Jen’s movement has met with worldwide acclaim and partnered up with brands like Teen Vogue and the United Nations Foundation. Her secret? Letting go of perfectionism in favor of lifelong learning.

“It’s important to embrace the entire process of building an organization, including mistakes,” Jen says. “Throughout my business journey, I learned how detrimental perfectionism is to growth. And I’ve decided that we never really make mistakes, we only get better aligned to our original purpose. [You could say that] mistakes made my vision clearer.”

Business tip

Cutting out perfectionism aka the “all or nothing mindset” is what Jen considers the biggest asset in business and life. If perfectionism is your roadblock, don’t stop doing what you’re doing. Keep on doing it while you learn more. Jen says that it’s been mentorship that propelled her business forward drastically. She relies on SCORE, the SBA’s volunteer mentor organization from/to small business owners where anyone can connect to a business mentor for free, or sign up to mentor others. If you’re starting a business, learning practical financial practices, strategies to cut back on business costs, and filling inevitable gaps in your business, sales, or marketing knowledge is a shortcut through mentorship.

Final word

Black History Month isn’t just a celebration of roots, courage, and overcoming. It’s also an important lesson for every single community, minority group, and underprivileged society. A lesson about creating our own “luck” — and fate.

Like African American film director Spike Lee said, “I believe in destiny. But I also believe that you can’t just sit back and let destiny happen.”

Don’t wait for destiny to happen. If that’s what you’ve been dreaming about, become an entrepreneur. Beat all the odds.

The post 5 Inspiring Stories of Black Entrepreneurs Who Started from Scratch first appeared on MightyCall.

If you’re over 50, it may feel like you’re late for the entrepreneurship party reserved for Millennials and GenZ. But there’s nothing further from the truth.

54% of America’s small business owners are over 50 years of age. Out of those, 33% are 50–59, and 17% are 60–69 years of age, according to statistics.

Moreover, business owners over 50 are also considered twice as likely to succeed in starting a business compared to 30-somethings. (All that life experience doesn’t go poof on you, right?)

If you’ve been working someone else’s American Dream for most of your life and think you’re too old to start your own business, think again. Here’s how.

Navigate the steps:

1. Figure out your retirement finances
2. Identify a need in the market
3. Reuse your life experiences
4. Get a free business mentor
5. Network before you launch
6. Ask family and friends for digital help
7. Hire out the tech stuff you don’t want to learn

1.Figure out your retirement finances

Starting a business is always about mapping your budget and evaluating costs. But when you start a business after fifty, your business startup costs will be irrevocably bound to your retirement savings.

Kathy Kristof is an entrepreneur who started her online business, SideHussl, at age 58. One of the first things she recommends in order to escape your finances going poof on you right when you need them most is comparing your retirement plan to your business plan.

“Your first order of business is to figure out if you have enough [funds] assuming that you never make another dime AND spend whatever your maximum budget is for your business.”

And what about online businesses? You may have heard about the cost-saving benefits of opening an online business compared to a local business. But like school-teacher-gone-blogger Janice Wald reminds us (and yes, you CAN become a blogger after 50), “It takes money to make money”.

Success tip: Don’t assume that just because your business is online, it will fund itself. Depending on your niche, you will need to invest in marketing, SEO, indispensable digital tools, and/or e-commerce platforms to nail those precious first and ongoing customers. Importantly, you need to figure out how much those business startup costs will draw out of your retirement fund (if anything), and how that will influence your future finances. The best way is to create a business plan or financial model of your business.

2.Identify a need in the market and go for it

Think of some famous brands and services — from Campbell’s Soup to Facebook to Macy’s. Each one became a household name because it became deeply associated with a unique service or product this brand excelled at.

Today’s market is already overflowing to the brim with generalized goods. If you plan to add to that heap, unless you’re opening a franchise, it may drain your finances and bring little results. On the other hand, niche products (think handmade goods, unique gifts, and products targeted to specific audiences and ages) are the “it” of today’s small business.

Dawn LaFontaine is a 56-year-old, former stay-at-home mom and creator of whimsical cardboard box playhouses for cats that she called “Cat in the Box”. The reason for Dawn’s success is that she had a “Eureka moment” and made the leap of faith despite gaps in business and tech experience.

“Don’t think you have to know everything first. This is an agile, ever-changing world, and the longer you wait, the more things shift around you. You’ll never be able to see mile 26 of the marathon from the starting gate, so don’t try. You’ll figure things out as you go.”

Success tip: When your product fills a niche need, it’s more likely to market organically both in SEO results and on social media — today’s ‘word of mouth’. As a result, you will need to invest less in paid ads, marketing, and promotion. Good ideas to brainstorm are products that you find lacking in the market (something you’d like to have but can’t find), products for specific age groups or categories of people (e.g.: new moms, retirees, empty nesters, etc.)

3. (Re)use and revisit your life experiences

Another great option for starting a business after 50 is to find an area that you’ve gained expertise in throughout your life. In other words, monetize your lifelong career, hobby, or skills.

When Paul A. Dillon retired from the Chicago office of the McGladrey accounting firm in 2006 on the eve of his 61st birthday, he fully “reinvented” himself by starting a business concept devoted to helping veterans who want to start their own business.

As former U.S. Army Reserve 1st Lieutenant and Vietnam War veteran, Paul went on to create the concept for a business incubator in Chicago that eventually became Bunker Labs. Surprisingly, however, drawing on his own life experience was not Paul’s first choice.

“I started out thinking that I was going to provide project management and business development services to companies in the service industry. But, that didn’t work out. I had to “pivot” several times before I found a niche that worked.”

Success tip: See how Paul started with rather a generalized business idea? It’s only when he drew on his life experiences and adjusted the business concept to address a particular category of customers (veterans) that he could relate to and vice-versa, that his idea took off.

4.Get a free business mentor

We think of mentors as someone young people get to find their way in life. Someone over 50 coaching a 20-something. In reality, a mentor is essentially your guide at any stage of life when you want to try something new and can’t afford the mistakes.

Right before turning 50, Colleen Kochannek got thrown into entrepreneurship unexpectedly and with no digital experience to boot. Today a successful online business owner coaching other “typewriter generation” aspiring entrepreneurs at The Scrappy Frontier, she knows the importance of finding early guidance.

“SCORE [is] a great organization part of the Small Business Administration offering [volunteer mentorship] services. You can also find business coaches and mentors online. Ask in Facebook Groups you participate in. Referrals are often your best bet.”

If you’re on the lookout for mentorship and networking online, check out this full list of online entrepreneur communities, recommended by small business owners of every trade.

Success tip: A business mentor can be younger than you — don’t let this intimidate you! A younger mentor will teach you a lot about modern business and share their enthusiasm balanced by your wisdom. Getting a professional business mentor doesn’t have to cost you a lot — or in fact, any — money. Organizations like SCORE and online business communities are a great way to connect, learn, and network with other business owners for free.

5.Network before you launch

The most successful startups are those that first build a network and then launch. Unfortunately, most business owners do the opposite: they get their product out and think the audience will come. When that doesn’t work out, they get frustrated.

If you’re just planning to start a business and are in the brainstorming stages, now is your best time to start reaching out to everyone you know. And yes, everyone means everyone.

Harvard graduate Kelly Christiano worked for Corporate America for most of her life before getting involved with IGI Enterprises. She knows a thing or two about not only having a large contact base but productively drawing on it.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to former colleagues, old friends, and contacts even if you haven’t been in touch for years. Most people love to help and provide their advice. You’d also be surprised how many of these connections can lead to real business opportunities.”

New to online networking? Check out these online networking tips from entrepreneurs.

Success tip: You’ve probably heard of the 6 degrees of separation rule. The one that demonstrates how you can reach any person in the world (think literally any celebrity) through six “friends of friends”. Whenever you think of it as irrelevant or uncomfortable to contact someone you’ve been out of touch with, just remember that they can be the missing piece of the puzzle for your business.

6.Ask family and friends for digital help

Let’s be honest. As a new business owner over fifty, you’ll feel a lot more challenged in launching a business, especially an online one, than a GenZ who’s had an iPad hanging in their crib. More often than not, you’ll also feel rather embarrassed to ask your family for help in digital matters. Don’t be!

Anna Makani is a 61-year-old retired florist who recently launched her own handcrafted artistry shop on Etsy. Her secret to starting that e-commerce business and sailing around digital and tech challenges, moreover in pandemic times? Not being afraid to ask her family for help.

“My daughter runs a boutique PR firm, and she has been an amazing resource in establishing my business. My sons-in-law are great photographers, and they’ve helped me with my product shots. I was always nervous about asking for him because everyone is so busy, but I found when I made the ask, the people around me were happy to help.”

Success tip: As a small business owner over 50, you may have the privilege most younger business owners don’t: that of a supportive family. Even if your family doesn’t include professional photographers or marketers, they know things about social media that will make you go “wow”. And if your adult kids are busy, try school-age or teenage grandkids or family members! They will love helping you out with social media, and you’ll get the benefit of fun family time.

7.Hire out any ‘tech stuff’ you don’t want to learn

In running a business after 50, you’ll stumble upon some “tech stuff” that will be impossible to avoid. But that doesn’t mean you have to become a tech guru to become a successful entrepreneur.

To achieve harmony in your workday, Colleen Kochannek advises to separate essential tasks you’ll need to do yourself vs. things you can delegate.

“Learn the basics. [If needed], pay someone to teach you the tech systems you do need to know. [But] hire out any ‘tech stuff’ you don’t want to learn. Fiverr and Upwork are good places to start. You [can] also hire people from these sites to teach you how to do specific tasks.”

Here’s an example of the digital essentials you’ll need to start a business:

• Business phone number — for communicating with clients from a business number as opposed to a personal cell number, which looks unprofessional, you will need a business phone number. We suggest a business phone system like MightyCall, targeted specifically at small business needs.
• Business website — essential for getting your online business out into the world. Building a website is totally simple with DIY website builders.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform — for managing your client base. This can be a simple platform that’s already integrated into your business phone like MightyCall’s or a bigger CRM platform like Hubspot for when you have many clients.
• Accounting and financial software —  accounting software like this will save you a lot of money on an accountant.
• Social media tools — tools like Hootsuite for instantly publishing your news on several social media platforms save time on publishing social updates to multiple platforms simultaneously and scheduling posts in advance.
• PR tools — Reaching out to journalists and getting the word out about your business is useful and free on platforms like HARO which connect small business owners to journalists and B2B blogs that can spread the word about their business.

Success tip: For a small business, things you need to do yourself are usually client communication and team communication. Also, knowing the basics of CRM tools, as well as social media will be a huge bonus. Things like PR and even getting your website set up can be outsourced to freelancers.

Last but not least…

Entrepreneurship in your 50s is not only possible — it will give new meaning to your life.

Instead of a time that may seem dull or boring, you can make your retirement a time when that American dream you once had will finally come true and bring you deep joy.

There’s only one catch. As Kathy Kristof puts it, “Be prepared to work like back in your 20s!”

Want to learn more about savings as a small business owner? Complement this guide with our out-of-this-world fast, mobile, and budget-friendly phone system for small business. We’ll help your team talk anytime, anywhere, and about anything, at a stunning price.

Take a look at MightyCall’s business phone features or learn more about how VoIP works!

The post How to Start a Business After 50 in Seven Steps first appeared on MightyCall.