RECENT ARTICLES
Video: Your Mental Health – 9 Things To Keep in Mind
As business owners we have a lot of stress in our day to day lives. Hiring, customers, sales, profits and more. In challenging times, like the times we're in, the stress and challenges are even more difficult. Hence the strain on our mental health. It's important that you ensure your mental health is strong, for...
Covid19 Business Resource Center Launches
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...
Invoice Fraud: Are You Paying Your Vendor or a Thief
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...
Video – Masterminds and Loneliness While Working from Home
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...
How to Prepare for the Unknown – Three Strategies from Mountain Biking
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...
Keeping Cybersecure During Tax Time. 7 Things to Know.
As small businesses work to get their taxes in order before April 15, they should also make sure their online financial information is secure from cyberattacks – after all, tax time is one of cybercriminals’ favorite times of the year. It’s crucial to protect this information from an attack: A recent survey of small...
How to Make Great Conversation at Networking Events
I love networking conversations -- said nobody, ever. Many entrepreneurs look at networking events as necessary evils. We need to attend them in order to move our businesses forward, but we dread the awkward silences and making small talk with strangers. What if you had some tools to improve the quality of your networking conversations? Maybe...
Tips for Success from G, of G Photography
Switching gears from chatting with folks on the Salesforce team, Ramon got a chance to talk with Gwendolyn Houston-Jack, (also known as G) from G Photography. Gwendolyn is a business owner who fully believes in technology and investing in yourself and your business. She’s been in business for seven years and during her short...
Catching up with Rosie Roca VP of Customer Success, SMB Essentials, at Salesforce
Ramon caught up with Rosie Roca, VP of Customer Success, SMB Essentials at Salesforce during the Dreamforce 2019 conference in San Francisco. Salesforce is CRM (customer relationship management) solution that many big businesses use to manage their prospects and customers and get a clear view of their pipeline, churn, and more. But Salesforce is...
Nick Dancer’s Advice to Biz Owners: “Just Show Up”
Nicholas Dancer is the owner and operator of Dancer Concrete Design and he chats with Ramon Ray about concrete, entrepreneurship, leadership, and his new book, Day In, Day Out: The Secret Power in Showing Up and Doing the Work. The Beginning of a Business Nick runs Dancer Concrete Design out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. They don’t...
A Bridal Boutique that Banks on Customer Experience
At Dreamforce 2019, Ramon Ray had the chance to chat with Nicole Staple is the co-founder and CEO of Brideside. Nicole and the team at Brideside are revolutionizing the bridal industry by making the boutique experience more convenient, stress-free and inspiring. Their unwavering commitment to providing a unique customer experience has rewarded them with...
Meaningful Communities: The Common Thread of Small Businesses That Thrive
Pick up any book for entrepreneurs and you’re bound to find a chapter on networking. It’s no secret networking is a vital force for small businesses, and it’s often handled with more gusto in the early years of business development. Referrals flow in, potholes are avoided thanks to key learnings from others, and we...