How to sell online is what Jackson Cunningham of JJ Suspenders does best. He believes in not letting imperfection slow him down and in building something and getting it better and better. Often times, it’s waiting for perfection and fear of critique that keep people back. Listen to the interview on the Smart Hustle podcast and read about it below. Sign up for the Smart Hustle Podccast on iTunes or Stitcher. JJ Suspenders is an online store selling high quality suspenders and other men’s fashion. Before we dived into how to sell online, we talked a bit about the challenges […]

The Covid19 Business Resource Center launches. Developed by HelloAlice the resource center is a curated index of the best resources for small business owners. Ramon Ray, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at HelloAlice previewed it live on FB. The center contains 10 key categories of information, which include: Emergency Grant – HelloAlice is providing up to $10,000 in grants to small business owners, affected by the Coronavirus. Financial aid, of a variety of sources, is also being offered to business owners. This assistance takes the forms of grants from private companies, aid from the government and assistance from non-profit organizations. Beyond financial aid, being […]

Fraud is everywhere. It seems in challenging times, such as this period of time with Corona, criminal activity only increases, especially with digital crimes. I spoke with Brandon Spear, President of MSTS , which helps companies with B2B credit and accounts receivable management. He shared with us one aspect of fraud, invoice fraud, and what we can do to prevent it. Because of “chip and pin” features of credit cards, credit card fraud has been slowed down. It’s now much tougher for criminals to use credit card data, so they’re turning to (or increasing) other methods. A criminal will send you […]

Pick my brain – it’s a phrase we hate. We all want to help and have an attitude of generosity yet feeling that there is value for out time. Also during these challenging times we all are strapped for cash and want to earn money for our families. How do you turn “pick my brain” calls into money. Here’s a strategy you can use to turn those calls that come from family, friends and associates, into cash for your business. Pick my brain strategy Put everyone into buckets. There’s very close friends and family, who you’ll probably never charge. Then […]

Many people are for the first time “working from home”. Of course for many of my friends like Adrian Miller of Adrian’s Network or Vik Rajan of Video Socials, it’s not new for us, it’s how we live. Beyond just a casual video conference with friends or business colleagues you can also use LIVE video to host online events and keep in touch with your customers and more. I know there’s some of you who are going OUT OF BUSINESS. The burden of having no customers is crushing. My heart’s with you. Many of you are in survival mode and […]

We’re all going through a terrible terrible challenge at this time but we must prepare for the future. Be sure to not just look at the immediate things happening to us today. It’s also  important to remember that one day this will be over. One day we will be in recovery and rebuilding mode. One day our customers will be back to spending “as usual” to one degree or another. Use this time, after you take care of your family. To focus on your business. Look at the Covid-19 resources we’ve compiled here. I posted about the need to focus […]

When times are good and all is going well, we want the government out of our lives. The government should be a “hidden” and minimal part of our day to day lives. Something we, in the public, shouldn’t have to see, but know it’s working behind the scenes. In times of national disaster, it is only the federal government (plus state and local governments) that can humanly help us. At this time there’s corona virus small business help from the government and brands. You have to look for it and find it. Surely, in our local communities it’s neighbors helping […]

Working from home is new for some of us and not so new for others. I’ve been working from home for years. But if you’re not used to working from home it can be lonely and unhealthy. Maybe you’re used to working at a co-working space, going to a small office or even going to a local coffee shop. Now you can’t do that. Every Wednesday, at 4pm EST, I host a HelloAlice Facebook Live video. This weeks video was all about working from home. Self Mastermind I’m sure there’s a much fancier term for this, but I call it […]

Business, from time to time, is about dealing with the unexpected. Most of the time business runs smooth. We make a product or service and the customer buys it. We serve them, run the day to day operations of our business and go on.  However, what happens if the unexpected happens, like the corona virus we’re all experiencing now? I spoke with the authors of the Titanic Effect: Successfully Navigating the Uncertainties that Sink Most Startups, speakers and business professors, Dr. Todd Saxton and Dr. Kim Saxton They explained some simple principles that just about every business owner can use […]

Alex Judd, host of the EntreLeadership Podcast talks with James Clear, New York Times bestselling author, about how to get into a great mindset that will help you to form unbreakable mindsets and habits. If you want to change your behavior, you have to start with your whole identity. James Clear explains it in this way, “Like, it’s one thing to say, ‘I’m the type of person who wants this’. But it’s something very different to say, ‘I’m the type of person who is this’.” When you set goals or habits for yourself, you can become who you want to […]