Best Small Business Advice – Interview with Beth Schneider

Until March 31, I’m running the Best Business Advice Ever interview series featuring successful entrepreneurs. I’ve asked each of them what’s worked, which mistakes they learned from the most, and the one piece of advice they have to share with you.

Beth Schneider, President and CEO of Process Prodigy, is a highly sought after, internationally known Systems expert. Beth works with small business owners, showing them how to squeeze two to three times the results from their existing business so they can work less, make more money and create Outrageously Effective Systems in their businesses. Her client list reads like a Who’s Who of the small business world because of the results produced by her work. Process Prodigy clients have seen remarkable growth; often adding six figures or more to their bottom line and increasing productivity by as much as 600%. Because of her work, Beth has had the privilege of being invited to partner on projects with world-class entrepreneur, Michael Gerber. Gerber, who is touted as the world’s #1 small business guru, is best known as the author of the E-myth Revisited. Beth is the featured Systems Expert in Michael Port’s bestselling book Beyond Booked Solid and you’ll find her chapter “Lions and Tigers and Process…Oh My” in the book Inspiration to Realization.

Beth Schneider, a corporate employee who quit to start her own dream business, and instead developed a million-dollar business consulting with other entrepreneurs (it wasn’t the business she intended to start). Listen to the interview to find out:

• What she overlooked about herself that became the core of her business (and how you can do this for yourself)
• The letter she wrote to herself at 17 and what it said
• Why it’s so important to be willing to test the waters and how to make choices wisely
• The worst thing you can do in your own business
• What to do after eating chicken at networking events

To get a complimentary download of this and other Best Business Advice Series interviews, enter your name and email here (it’s free and there are no sales pitches or upsells in these presentations – enter your phone number if you’d also like to get early notice of upcoming events). You will also receive a subscription to popular articles published by Corporate Fugitive and Sherri Garrity.

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Five tips from online business

Many aspiring business owners, as well as entrepreneurs who have been at it for a while, are lured by the promise of an online business model. After all, with all the talk of a four-hour work week, orders rolling in while you sleep, and hobnobbing with other high income internet business owners at five star resorts, again while making money, what’s not to like? Making a ton of cash with little output sounds almost good to be true, doesn’t it?

Before you whip out your credit card and sign up for every program you can get your hands on, let me burst your dream bubble (or at least poke it a little bit). It takes a lot of work to have a successful internet based business. In my experience, and based on meeting many other internet business owners who have done very well, there is no such thing as an overnight success.

Having said that, there are lots of elements that can be borrowed from the internet business model that work REALLY well for many types of service based small businesses. Here are five secrets of success that internet marketers master. See how many you can apply to your business!

More than one stream of income. Savvy and thriving online business owners have more than one main source of revenue. Even if they have a service business, they have built a business model that allows them to deliver a core service in multiple ways. There are at least 12 potential revenue streams that I recommend – you might be surprised at how many would work for your business!

A leveraged business model. Systems and the power of “one to many” make it possible for a solo business owner to create a financially lucrative business that doesn’t tie her down. There are many ways to add leverage: duplication of systems and processes, packaged services or products, passive product or virtual services, and power partners are all means of adding this secret weapon to your bottom line.

Consistent action and followup. Internet marketers are the masters of communicating a clear call to action, and following up persistently with potential and past clients. The low hanging fruit that ALL business owners should have are a simple website, a way to collect email addresses or otherwise keep track of website visitors, and automated email and electronic newsletter follow ups. If you’re not doing this, you are missing out!

Strong and focused brand. From the initial impression on their webpages, to their social media posts on Facebook, Twitter and so on, successful internet marketers have a clearly focused offer and message that is laser pointed at a very specific potential and ideal customer. Even if they offer multiple services to multiple audiences, they have a separate and distinctly personalized message to each target group (such as having multiple websites that are slightly different to attract the separate markets).

Technology adopters. Web savvy internet entrepreneurs embrace technology and are quick to try new (and ever changing) services and products. These tools make their jobs easier, and make it possible to take leverage and automation to new heights!

Whether you are a retail, service or product based business, online or off, use these tips to add more prosperity and freedom to your business.