When your company is growing as fast as ours, you often find yourself short-staffed. We feel as though we are constantly in catch up mode, yet somehow we deliver for our clients and continue to produce work of a high standard.
Behind the scenes it's a different matter. Not only are there demands to create strong marketing plans for our clients, there is the demand to do the same for ourselves. The need to find staff that are nimble, creative and deliver is imperative.
I am a strong believer in culture and finding the right fit. I'm lucky, because I started the Dallas office utilizing Marketing Eye staff that was already established and bringing on board a few people who I had worked with in the past. I knew everyone could deliver and I knew what strengths they brought to the team. Now, as I continue to build my team, I will need to find people who are not so familiar, but are a good fit.
Behind the scenes it's a different matter. Not only are there demands to create strong marketing plans for our clients, there is the demand to do the same for ourselves. The need to find staff that are nimble, creative and deliver is imperative.
I am a strong believer in culture and finding the right fit. I'm lucky, because I started the Dallas office utilizing Marketing Eye staff that was already established and bringing on board a few people who I had worked with in the past. I knew everyone could deliver and I knew what strengths they brought to the team. Now, as I continue to build my team, I will need to find people who are not so familiar, but are a good fit.
We often get so caught up in our lives that we forget to stop and evaluate where we are and where we are going on our life journey. This week was big for me, I ran 10 miles (stopping only to fill up my water bottle), I reorganized my office, I had a positive sales call which I feel confident will turn into a sale, and I sold a business I have owned for over seven years.
The week came with a flood of emotions from proud, to relieved, to sad, to excited. It also made me stop and think about what is important in life and how I really want to shape my journey ahead.
The week came with a flood of emotions from proud, to relieved, to sad, to excited. It also made me stop and think about what is important in life and how I really want to shape my journey ahead.
At this most frightful time of year, is there anything more scary than owning a business? I always meet people who say they will, or they could own their own business, but they don't. Is it fear that keeps them from chasing their dreams?
Let's face it, starting and owning a small business is filled with things to be afraid of. Big fears are real, and they can be hard to deal with, but a big part of being an entrepreneur is finding a way to overcome those fears.
Here are five fears of entrepreneurship and how to overcome those fear.:
Let's face it, starting and owning a small business is filled with things to be afraid of. Big fears are real, and they can be hard to deal with, but a big part of being an entrepreneur is finding a way to overcome those fears.
Here are five fears of entrepreneurship and how to overcome those fear.:
3 Quick Tips for Running A Business while Keeping Your Family Happy
Published in Small Business Marketing
I had outlined this blog and began to fill in the content, when both of my kids ran in my office and ask if we could all go outside to throw the ball or skate and enjoy the beautiful evening. The irony of the timing, made me really stop and think what was the most important use of my time at that moment.
I had finished my client work, it was a beautiful day, and the requests to hang out with mom are becoming less and less. The request to go outside and 'play' came just as I began writing about the balancing act of growing a business while nurturing a family. So here I am, a day later and just now writing my blog.
I know many entrepreneurs struggle with how to make time for family or a partner while giving it all to a growing your business. Deciding where to give your attention can be a real struggle and a stress. It will never be perfect, but here are a few ways to find a little more balance.
I had finished my client work, it was a beautiful day, and the requests to hang out with mom are becoming less and less. The request to go outside and 'play' came just as I began writing about the balancing act of growing a business while nurturing a family. So here I am, a day later and just now writing my blog.
I know many entrepreneurs struggle with how to make time for family or a partner while giving it all to a growing your business. Deciding where to give your attention can be a real struggle and a stress. It will never be perfect, but here are a few ways to find a little more balance.
The business world is changing and how we search and consume information has drastically changed in the last five to ten years. Possibly no other business disciple has changed more dramatically than that of marketing and staying on top of current trends is becoming increasingly more difficult.
As a company, Marketing Eye invests and trains its people to stay abreast of current trends impacting the market. We find for many of our clients, what has worked in the past as effective marketing and sales, no longer works. We understand that when operating a business, staying on-top of the ever-changing marketing landscape is not only challenging, but time consuming and in some cases just not possible.
At Marketing Eye Dallas, we have not only owned our own businesses, but we have helped many entrepreneurs who struggle with the new sales funnels, automations, and digital communication landscape.
Deciding to outsource your marketing function is something business owners don't take lightly. Here are the advantages and disadvanges of deciding to hire someone to manage your business' marketing.
As a company, Marketing Eye invests and trains its people to stay abreast of current trends impacting the market. We find for many of our clients, what has worked in the past as effective marketing and sales, no longer works. We understand that when operating a business, staying on-top of the ever-changing marketing landscape is not only challenging, but time consuming and in some cases just not possible.
At Marketing Eye Dallas, we have not only owned our own businesses, but we have helped many entrepreneurs who struggle with the new sales funnels, automations, and digital communication landscape.
Deciding to outsource your marketing function is something business owners don't take lightly. Here are the advantages and disadvanges of deciding to hire someone to manage your business' marketing.
Let's face it, we are all busy. Keeping up with the ever changing landscape of marketing, entrepreneurship, social media can be a challenge with an already full schedule. A tool that I have found that is both educational and entertaining is podcasts. When stuck in traffic or sitting at an hour and half swim team practice, I really enjoy listening to others experiences in business. Not only is it a distraction from the parking lot of Dallas rush-hour traffic, I usually learn something that I can apply to my own business and life.
A good podcast is more than educational, it is entertaining. The more you listen, the more you really get to know and enjoy the host. While the podcasts I listen to all have a business, entrepreneur or marketing spin, they also have a personal side. Think more along the lines of "This American Life", and less like an economics college lecture.
Here are my top ten picks:
A good podcast is more than educational, it is entertaining. The more you listen, the more you really get to know and enjoy the host. While the podcasts I listen to all have a business, entrepreneur or marketing spin, they also have a personal side. Think more along the lines of "This American Life", and less like an economics college lecture.
Here are my top ten picks:
There's just something good about Friday. Most people see it as the second best day of the week (next to Saturdays). But, Fridays can be the best day of the week for an entrepreneur. Monday through Thursday is reserved for working like crazy in your business, but Fridays is the day to work on your business. For me, Monday through Thursday is spent marketing my clients' businesses, meeting with prospects, attending events and writing marketing strategies for my customers. I reserve Friday to reenergize my business and myself. This is when I put together marketing plans for my own business, I set goals and budgets, write blogs, engage in activities that inspire my creativity, and connect with mentors, friends and others in my field.
Growing up my dad went to work at 6:50 and returned from work at 4:50. Work was work and when he changed from his office clothes, work was over. There was no computer, cell phone, email, texting Skyping, tweeting, or linking. It was just over till the next day.
Today, my work starts when I wake and ends when I close my eyes. I often office from home, so there is no end of day, no leaving the office. Even when I office outside the home, the computer, tablet and phone come with me.
I know it's not just me, it seems that everyone I talk to tells me how busy they are. Is it technology, demands to be over- productive at work, the need to always appear to be the perfect parent, friend or spouse, or the feeling that you always need to be 'on'?
Whatever the reason may be, it doesn't look like life will be slowing down any time soon. So if you can't change the busy world we live in, you will need to change the way you react to it. The key just may be finding some balance in and unbalanced world.
Today, my work starts when I wake and ends when I close my eyes. I often office from home, so there is no end of day, no leaving the office. Even when I office outside the home, the computer, tablet and phone come with me.
I know it's not just me, it seems that everyone I talk to tells me how busy they are. Is it technology, demands to be over- productive at work, the need to always appear to be the perfect parent, friend or spouse, or the feeling that you always need to be 'on'?
Whatever the reason may be, it doesn't look like life will be slowing down any time soon. So if you can't change the busy world we live in, you will need to change the way you react to it. The key just may be finding some balance in and unbalanced world.
What It Feels Like to Fail
Published in Small Business Marketing
No regrets. It's not just what I say, it's what most people would say, even you, had you not been so afraid to take the risk.
I often have people tell me about the things they would or could do, but don't. They even ask for advice about following their dreams, but move no further than the idea stage. The reason, most often, is fear of failure.
Fear and insecurities are the single biggest threat to you becoming successful. It ties you up not just for hours, but perhaps years or a lifetime.
I often have people tell me about the things they would or could do, but don't. They even ask for advice about following their dreams, but move no further than the idea stage. The reason, most often, is fear of failure.
Fear and insecurities are the single biggest threat to you becoming successful. It ties you up not just for hours, but perhaps years or a lifetime.
Starting a business is a bit like having a baby. It's harder work than you image, it costs more, it's more time consuming, you don't get much sleep, but you're still happy you made the leap (at least most days).
There are probably as many books out there on how to start a business as there are on how to survive the first year as a parent. Good advice only goes so far, there is no way to get around buckling down and giving a lot of attention and love to this treasure you are rearing and growing.
With two kids and two businesses, I'll skip my parenting advice and offer a few things that I have found have helped me (or I wish I would have known) during the first year of growing a business.
There are probably as many books out there on how to start a business as there are on how to survive the first year as a parent. Good advice only goes so far, there is no way to get around buckling down and giving a lot of attention and love to this treasure you are rearing and growing.
With two kids and two businesses, I'll skip my parenting advice and offer a few things that I have found have helped me (or I wish I would have known) during the first year of growing a business.
