Bay Area Mastermind: Entrepreneurship Archives

Why Your Industry is Getting in Your Way

By Jeremy B. Shapiro on January 8, 2010 11:54 AM | 0 Comments

Are you in active in your industry's trade organizations? Have you frowned upon business groups with members in unrelated industries?

We often hear from folks after exposing them to a successful strategy in a different industry the technique "won't work in my industry."

Earlier today I read an interesting article in the latest edition of Wired Magazine about The Science of Failure and they had an fascinating story about a group of lab scientists that I think you'll enjoy.

What do lab scientists have to do with your business? Read on...

Continue reading Why Your Industry is Getting in Your Way.

Year End Economic Review and What's in Store for 2010?

By Robert Estupinian on December 31, 2009 1:42 PM | 0 Comments

On this new year eve we are looking to celebrate not only the new year but the start of a new decade. This is a good time for us to take a look back and see what we have achieved these last 10 years, and also look forward to the next period in our lives.

In this post we will take a look at where we stand now economically speaking and what 2010 has in store for us given the current state of the economy. We will also take a brief look at the opportunities that are now present and some that will shortly be appearing. So let's jump right into it.

Continue reading Year End Economic Review and What's in Store for 2010?.

The Top Scams of 2009

By Robert Estupinian on December 29, 2009 3:10 PM | 0 Comments

As we come to the last days of this year we often take a moment to reflect back on w

hat occurred over the last year. Well, today the the St. Louis Better Business Bureau released its list of the 13 most common consumer rip-offs of 2009. I am sure that as you read these you will see some that came across your computer screen or are in your spam folder.

Continue reading The Top Scams of 2009.

How to Steal and Disseminate for Profit and Gain

By Robert Estupinian on November 12, 2009 4:36 PM | 0 Comments

Creativity is one of the best skills that any small business owner can do to increase their profitability and market share. At times just being able to find creative ways to sell products and services can make the difference between success and failure.

At Bay Area Mastermind we have always emphasized the power of taking an idea that is working in one business and then using that idea in our business. So let's take a look at one business that did just that.

Continue reading How to Steal and Disseminate for Profit and Gain.

Thinking Outside of the Box: Cash for Clunker Couches

By Jeremy B. Shapiro on October 27, 2009 4:24 PM | 0 Comments

Everyone always talks about "Thinking outside of the Box", but who's actually doing it?

Local Mastermind Member John Knight is. His furniture company, Rockridge Furtniture "zagged" while everyone else was "zigging" and he ran a marketing campaign for "Cash for Clunker Couches."

Most competitors would shudder at the thought of such a marketing stunt, but the result was more foot traffic, media coverage and increased sales.

Continue reading Thinking Outside of the Box: Cash for Clunker Couches.

5 Time Wasters of Busy Entrepreneurs

By Robert Estupinian on October 9, 2009 8:03 PM | 0 Comments

The most precious commodity in the universe is time. We all know that we only have 24 hours in a day. However, when you subtract sleeping, eating, and basic living necessities we actually only have between 12 and 16 hours each day. Making sure that we do not waste any of those precious hours is a task for anyone in this economy and especially for busy entrepreneurs. So in this post we are going to take a quick look at five time wasters that just steal your time. By being aware of these time vampires we all will be able to get more done and make more money.

Continue reading 5 Time Wasters of Busy Entrepreneurs.

Is There Really a Recovery Underway?

By Robert Estupinian on October 7, 2009 6:26 PM | 0 Comments

As we begin the final quarter of 2009 let's take a moment to see where the economy is. By most accounts December 2007 was official day that most economist recognize as the beginning of the great recession. On the positive side looking at just GDP we are now beginning to get out of the Great Recession.

Continue reading Is There Really a Recovery Underway?.

Why Having The Best Darn Widget Does Not Guarantee Success in Business

By Robert Estupinian on September 30, 2009 3:59 PM | 0 Comments

Many times I am asked by clients to review their business model
in an effort to help them with their marketing or business development.
There are many times that these same clients have actually developed a product that they feel is superior in performance and appearance.

When I ask them why anyone should prefer their product to any other similar products they always tell me that their product has one or more features that make it better. In this post we will look at the importance of innovation, the traps and the advantages and how to prosper from it.

Continue reading Why Having The Best Darn Widget Does Not Guarantee Success in Business.

3 Strategies to Help Anyone Who Has Bombed a Sales Call

By Robert Estupinian on September 29, 2009 1:37 PM | 0 Comments

Just about everyone in business is selling these days. The ability to sell and persuade customers is a skill that takes some time to develop and is among one of the highest paid activities any business owner can do.

Nevertheless, just about everyone that has sold something can relate to the sinking gut feeling you get when you have blown a presentation. I am talking about the situations where you know there is no chance that you are going to get the business. These are the times when the drive back from the presentation feels like an eternity and it is affecting your mood as well as your productivity. The more you think about it the more upset you become.

So what can you do when these situations occur and how can you get your game back?

Continue reading 3 Strategies to Help Anyone Who Has Bombed a Sales Call.

You Just Can't Beat Them Into Producing (Part 2)

By Robert Estupinian on September 15, 2009 12:43 PM | 0 Comments

In part one we introduced some of the problems companies face when simply demanding more from their salespeople these days.

In this second part we will look at where the hidden costs are for most companies and what can be done to overcome a non producing salesperson or sales team.

Although what is discussed here pertain to a mid to large sales organizations, the same issues also affect small companies with only one or two salespeople. By taking note of these common misconceptions and the practical solutions presented here companies can significantly improve their bottom line

Continue reading You Just Can't Beat Them Into Producing (Part 2).

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