Inger Stapleton is the entrepreneur behind Inga’s Lingua, a company that offers online Spanish classes for folks whose busy corporate schedules tend to get in the way of higher learning. I recently had a chance to speak to Inger about her journey from her own corporate career to the exciting life of an entrepreneur,...
Several of our past Smart Hustle interview guests have spoken on the topic of developing a niche – not trying to be everything to everybody and instead focusing in on that one special thing that only you can offer. Of course, developing your one-of-a-kind brand is challenging, so I’m excited to share my recent...
What kind of introduction do you give a man whose client list includes NASA, State Farm and several boards of education on the East Coast? Dr. Alvin Perry is a veritable renaissance man. He’s earned his DBA and his MBA. He also has 10 years of entrepreneurial experience, 20 years of consulting experience and...
I met my latest interview guest in the green room at MSNBC, and I was drawn to her confidence and high energy. As it turns out, Dawn Dickson, the founder and CEO of Flat Out of Heels and Solutions Vending International, exhibits many of the characteristics I see in successful hustlers: namely, she is...
Getting a product-based business off the ground has unique challenges compared to service-based businesses. Not only do you have to deal with marketing, branding, finding leads, and growing customers, but you also have to handle the designing and manufacturing of a physical product. Not knowing how to convert the idea into a mass-produced product...
If there is one thing that my Smart Hustle interview series proves, it’s that entrepreneurs can come from all walks of life. Can an artist be an entrepreneur? Yes! Can a personal finance expert be an entrepreneur? Yes! Can a nurse be an entrepreneur? Yes! For proof on that last point, let me introduce you to my...
Growing up, most of us heard from our parents, “go to college and get a good job!” Sounds like a good plan, right? However, have you ever wondered if there was a better way? Alternatively, have you been curious how the greats like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or Mark Zuckerberg created their empires –...
Recently, our local boiler company came by to do preventive maintenance on our boiler. There was nothing wrong with the boiler; it works just fine. And the reason our boiler works fine is because of preventive maintenance. The boiler company comes by each year to change parts and tune up the system, and these...
There's nothing worse than running out of something you need for your office and having to stop what you're doing and heading to the store to get it (or shopping for it online). Staples feels your pain and developed a new featured in their app - an interactive store map - to help you...
For most people in the creative industries, business doesn’t come naturally. Their passion lies in their artwork, whether it is a beautiful painting, a stunning sculpture or a piece of decorative jewelry. That said, for artists to make it in today’s competitive environment, they must be able to create and run a successful business....
