Lets face it, many inventors just starting out have to bootstrap to get their product to the market. Before you can go all of the way, you’ll want to test your product on the people you are hoping will buy it!
My latest article for the American Chronicle covers the topic of choosing a product test group and some ideas to help you get started.
So, you have created a new product and have a limited number of samples to work with. You feel it is innovative and there is no …

By "us" I mean all of the entrepreneurs and small business owners of the world.
Did you know that the first Labor Day was on September 5th in 1882 in New York City? It was in 1884 that President Grover Cleveland turned it into an official holiday.
Now that covers all of the employees in the US and Canada, what about us? I think it is about time we create a holiday for those of us that work hard at creating our own businesses!
Of course Jim Blasingame has his own theory, …

Besides the obvious message, there is an added message that many people don’t think about.  Your signature.  The email signature is an important tool for entrepreneurs.  That signature will remind the person you are emailing about your business, how to find you, and alternative ways to contact you.  Even if you only recruit one new customer, you have done yourself a service by simply making sure every person you contact has the information they need to learn more about you and your business.
Email signatures do much more than just generate …

I couldn’t tell you how much time I spend each week sending out interview requests, just to see if maybe the owner would be willing to answer a few questions about their products, business opportunity, or services.
Around 98% of the people who respond turn out to be some of the friendliest people I’ve e-met.  That is a lot of friendly, and they make the whole interview (by email, in my case) process a positive experience.
The last 2% are usually made up of people who have been burned a lot by …

If starting a business is your area of interest then you should know that now is the time to get started.
While it is no surprise to me, a recent study from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation shows that the negative impact on business startups during a recession is slim.  Furthermore, many of the businesses featured in the 2009 Fortune 500 and 2008 Inc. lists are businesses that launched during a recession.
For those of you that launched your business when times were good and find yourself trying to stay afloat, …

I have loved It’s Happy Bunny since the first sticker I ever received.  I’m sure you are aware of those vending machines that sit in view as you walk into a store, some of them hold a trove of stickers.  From the moment It’s Happy Bunny hit those machines, they started spreading like a virus.  I’m sure I personally supported quite a few vending owners with my love of the sticker.
They are funny, they are rude, and if you followed their advice your business would sink.
Each day I remove yet …

Every so often I have an idea that expands from the business world and opens itself up for everyone. This is one of those moments.
A question that I always seem to ask is, “How do you manage to balance your business life with your family life?” The response I receive from that question is generally met with a resounding, “I don’t.” No matter how hard someone may try to keep a perfect balance between what they do for a living and the rest of their life, nothing …