I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Tick Tock, TikTok
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If you're not on TikTok, you probably don't care too much about the bill that passed Congress last week calling on ByteDance to sell controlling shares to a US company and endorsing a ban of the app in US markets if this doesn't happen. But, here's why you should: Like it or not, TikTok is a (not insignificant) driver of the US economy supporting small and medium-sized businesses in particular. A recent study I read said that 15% of all product discovery begins on TikTok, which helps to level the playing field for smaller businesses competing against bigger players in the marketplace with deeper pockets for advertising. While I don't use TikTok in my business, I have learned a ton from the app and, yes, been entertained by pet videos, inspired by cooking videos, and brought up to speed on breaking news stories ahead of those stories appearing via the usual news outlets. A ban on TikTok doesn't just mean more than 116 million Americans will have to find news and entertainment on another app. It will adversely impact many people's livelihoods, advocacy reach, and sense of well-being. Plus, let's be honest, there really isn't a US-based tech company that isn't also in the business of capitalizing on our data, skirting data privacy laws, and spreading dis- and mis-information in ways that influence critical public opinion. Personally, I also don't completely trust a body of individuals who have consistently shown they really do not understand our modern digital age and the how the 'inter webs' and social media actually work. After all, these are the same folks who entrust these same tech firms to regulate and police themselves. Lately, I've heard there's less appetite in the Senate to pass the bill. But whichever side of the debate you support, I encourage you, if you're based in the States, toreach out to your Senators to make your opinion known. Sending a huge shout-out of thanks for all the well wishes sent to Mom on her new hearing aids. I'm really proud of how far she's come in such a short time and they've made a huge difference already. It's a great reminder that sometimes the only way to get over your fear is to go right through it to get to the other side. We both truly appreciate your support and encouragement! Until next time, PS - If you missed it, get inspired by Old Dogs, (learning) New Tricks. Your success is our strategy! No longer want to receive my newsletter but don't want to miss my special offers and announcements? Click here. |
Easily Said & Done
Why grow your business alone?
I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Hi Reader, Have you heard about this study conducted over 40 years ago that actually showed living like you're younger actually makes you physiologically younger? It's pretty wild. Here's how psychology professor Ellen Langer set up her experiment. She moved eight men aged 70+ and exhibiting various signs of aging into a time machine-like living space reminiscent of 1959 for 5 days. Langer didn't just want participants to talk about their youth but to actively live as they did twenty or so...
In honor of Financial Literacy Month I thought I'd share some helpful info from one of my favorite finance people, Tricia Taitt. Tricia is the CEO of FinCore as well as the author of Dancing With Numbers, a great book for those of us who don't consider ourselves 'numbers people.' What I see over and over again in the courses I teach and coaching I do is that far too many entrepreneurs avoid the financial side of their business until they can't afford to anymore. For some, it works out all...
This weekend I dedicated to one of my favorite hobbies—knitting. On Saturday, I attended my first meeting of the Big Apple Knitters Guild where Courtney Kelley, Co-Founder of Kelbourne Woolens, shared the story of the founding and building of her business. Like many entrepreneurs, Courtney and her partner Kate fell into their business without really knowing what they were getting themselves into. They both graduated art school and met while working in a yarn store. Neither had any idea how to...