Some of you who are newer to Sage Wedding Pros may not have read all of the posts from our earlier days. There’s some great info on here, if I may say so myself. Weekly, I’ll have a little round-up of the week’s posts from one year ago.
A year ago this week, we began a series on special business circumstances. We also featured a GREAT interview with Susan Shapiro, owner of Bravo Bride. We are all at different stages in our entrepreneurialism… and I thought it’d be fun to write a post for different situations, including:
The Plateau – If you’re at a Flat Point in your Business
What is a plateau?
A business that has stopped growing (no changes in profit) has reached a plateau. This is a business that has “maxed out” its market and its ability, but profits continue to remain the same. In my observation, a business in the wedding industry that is flat for 3 years has reached a plateau.
The Shy One – If Your Own Ambition Scares You
Everyone who has ever been in business can tell you that fear is a completely natural part of all of it. In fact, the minute you stop fearing what you are doing is probably the minute you’ve stopped taking risks and stopped growing your business. Being a business owner is like riding a roller-coaster. It’s scary but thrilling, so we get on for more. So, here are my tips for getting beyond the shyness, getting beyond the fear.
The Side Business – If You Have a Job, But Want To Do Your Biz
We have all been there! (Well, most of us have.) We have all had a day job and wanted to start our business. We have all tried to figure out how we would make that happen. We have all tried to balance the job and the start of the business (whether it was “on the side” or “on the brain”).
The Jack of All Trades – If You Have Niche-Focus Issues
Wait – what is that you do again?
If your customer has to ask that question of your business, you may be having “niche focus issues”. I like to call this business “The Jack of All Trades”. The mistake that some business owners make is that they want to be everything to everyone. They want to turn away no customer, so they offer a wide selection of options. The problem with this is that customers have a hard time understanding your business. They can’t define what you sell. They can’t determine if you have a specialization that will fit their need.
Insider to Insider: Susan Alexander Shapiro, Owner of Bravo Bride
I met Susan Alexander Shapiro through Business Networking International. She has a phenomenal design business, Susabella, that specializes in web sites, e-newsletters, logos, stationery, corporate branding, brochures, advertisements, promotional materials and much more. Last year I was amazed when this smart woman launched Bravo Bride, a website where brides can buy pre-owned wedding items. Not only do brides get great deals on things that were often used for a few hours, but also customers get the satisfaction that they are doing good for the environment by reusing, recycling, and reducing. And, we like that! BRAVO, SUSAN! BRAVO!
by Michelle Loretta
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