Entrepreneurship

Whether you are thinking about starting a business, already in business, or responsible for encouraging and facilitating entrepreneurship, my objective is to provide you with a real-world, in-the-trenches view of the subject.  And, perhaps more importantly, thoughts on how to succeed.   No cliches.  No sugar coating.  No academic theories.  Just practical advice born from years of personal experience living the life of an entrepreneur, and as a business consultant, advisor, mentor, and confidant to many other entrepreneurs.

Seed-to-CEO Newsletter

Following are links to the Seed-to-CEO newsletter – a practical guide for entrepreneurial people and organizations.   The newsletter is published by MediaSpark.  I have been chief editor of the newsletter and writer of most of the articles.  I have also received help and article contributions from others within MediaSpark, including Kim Walters and Scott Purdie.  As of Issue 15 , the newsletter is utilizing a different design format.  To subscribe to the newsletter visit www.mediaspark.com

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Issue One
  • Business Website - Everything You Need to Know to Get an Effective Website the First Time!
  • Winning at Tradeshows
  • Has Your Credit Card Been Stolen?
  • 60 Seconds to Brief and Focused Meetings
  • Sales Prospecting - Know the Color of Their Underwear!
Issue Two
  • Secrets to Great Customer Service
  • Shaking the Money Tree — The Search for Financing
  • Your Identity Says a Lot About Your Business
  • Protecting Your Intellectual Property
  • Ask MediaSpark - Telephone Systems
Issue Three
  • Present With Pizzazz
  • Attracting a Big Partner
  • When to Press Your Printing Needs
  • Ask MediaSpark - New website not generating sales
Issue Four
  • Promoting Your Website
  • Business Intelligence - Get the goods on your customers, partners, and competitors
  • Are You Investment Ready?
  • Ask MediaSpark - Tradeshow display options
Issue Five
  • Getting to Know Your Customers
  • Save Money When Travelling!
  • Shoestring Marketing: UsingInvoices to Sell
  • Website Statistics: Facts and Fallacies
  • Kit Folders: Professional and Versatile
  • Ask MediaSpark - Save money on marketing materials
Issue Six
  • Ready to Print? Understanding the Lingo
  • Search Engine Techniques: Find it Fast
  • Shoestring Marketing: Ask for Referrals
  • Careful:Your Words May Say More Than You Think
  • Ask MediaSpark - Doing business with friends.
Issue Seven
  • Technology Can Improve Your Business -All at Once or a Little at a Time
  • Adding E-commerce - Easier Than You Might Think
  • Shoestring Marketing: 15-Second Introduction
  • Creating a Tag Line
  • Will Your Business Survive When You Lose Data?
  • Ask MediaSpark - Proper etiquette at a business dinner
Issue Eight
  • Make Your Sales Pitch a Hit
  • Why DoesMy Photo Print So Badly?
  • Shoestring Marketing:Business Cards
  • The Myth of Limited Liability
  • How to Write Attention-Grabbing Headlines
  • Ask MediaSpark - Learning about prospects without asking personal questions
Issue Nine
  • Good to Great (Book review)
  • Making Headlines
  • Ask MediaSpark - Networking skills
Issue Ten
  • How to Spin a Great Business Story (by Dawn Henwood)
  • Should You Publish an Email Newsletter?
  • Shoestring Marketing: Mini Case Studies
  • Ask MediaSpark - How to hire a service company
Issue Eleven
  • Six Myths of Creativity
  • Not All InternetSearch Engines are Created Equal
  • Most CommonWebsite Design Problems
  • Ask MediaSpark - Considerations when making a donation or sponsorship
Issue Twelve
  • Internet Advertising with Google Adwords
    (Note: Google has slightly changed Adwords since this article was written, but the concepts remain the same).
  • Email Options and Settings Guide
  • CopywritingTips for Marketing
  • Ask MediaSpark - Email doesn't work when out of office
Issue Thirteen
  • A Practical View on Mission and Vision Statements
  • Tracking Your Organization’s Media Coverage
  • Phishing and Email Scams
  • Ask MediaSpark - Registering a Domain Name

Speaking/Seminar Slides

If you are looking for slides from my speaking engagements or seminars, please visit the website provided during the session or contact me.