The Girls' Guide to Building a Million-Dollar Business
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We've all been told that nice girls don't get the corner office. And they certainly don't strike out on their own to start a million-dollar company. . . Fortunately, we all know better. As the head of the highly successful SBTV.com (Small Business Television), author Susan Wilson Solovic is an authority on making money and building a thriving business. Now in The Girls' Guide to Building a Million-Dollar Business, she shows women how to gain the confidence and knowledge they need to become successful entrepreneurs. Featuring interviews with daring, powerhouse women like Gayle Martz, President & CEO, Sherpa's Pet Trading Company, and Taryn Rose of Taryn Rose International, Solovic offers frank advice and hard-won lessons including: –Taking emotions out of the workplace. –Make business decisions based on what is best for the company, not on your personal feelings. –Thinking big and bold. –Believe that you can be successful and be willing to announce your intentions to the world. –Managing for growth. –Hire the right people and discover the best ways to keep them. –Never being afraid to take a chance. –Boost profits by taking financial risks. Inspiring and unflinching, The Girls' Guide to Building a Million-Dollar Business shows women that not only do they have the power to earn more money and control their financial destinies - they deserve to. Publishers Weekly Only 3% of women-owned businesses in the U.S. gross a million dollars or more in revenue. It doesn't have to be that way, according to Solovic (The Girls' Guide to Power and Success), CEO of SBTV.com. Women face deeply ingrained challenges on their way to wealth, from a discomfort with talking about money to a fear of success, but are also more inclined to create flexible working environments that cater to the needs of their employees as well as to the bottom line. Solovic lays out the steps to success: chutzpah, determination, managing changing relationships, keeping employees and customers happy, getting and maintaining credit, overcoming gender bias and creating a successful business plan and a solid brand. Though her cheery, can-do outlook is infectious, the lessons bog down in a plethora of quotes and personal stories from women (and a surprising number of men) who have made their financial mark. Nonetheless, this is a useful and encouraging guide, providing solid advice and resources to help women achieve and sustain entrepreneurial success. (Nov.)Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information
Foreword Michael E. Gerber xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xvIntroduction xviiLaying the Groundwork for a Million-Dollar BusinessStart the Million-Dollar Journey 3You Look Like a Million 3Revealing a Well-Kept Secret: Knowing Where to Look 4If You Don't Believe in You, No One Else Can 8You've Seen and Conquered Before 12Grit Your Teeth and Go for It 16Think Big and Bold 19Shout It Out 20Mind Over Money 22Bigger Can Be Better 26Take Action: Make It Happen 27If at First You Don't Succeed... 29Get Ready, Get Set, Grow 33Get Your House in Order 33Relationships May Change: Be Prepared 37Create a Peer Support Network 41Mentors Can Guide Your Growth 43Using the Four Strategic Keys to Growing Your BusinessCreate the Vision 49Define the Vision of Your Company 49Articulate Your Mission 51Communicate the Core Values 52Create the Right Business Plan 55Focus, Focus, Focus 59Invest in Professional Resources and Advisors 60Step Up to the Role of CEO 63Build an Advisory Board 65Develop the Right Team 69Let Go to Grow 70Take Action Every Day 72Hire the Right People 73Hire the Best Candidate, Not the Best Job Seeker 75Invest in Retention: Get Started on the Right Foot 77Identify Your Company's Pink Cadillac 79Attract the Best and the Brightest Through Innovation and Creativity 82Take Emotions Out of the Workplace 83Tap into Hidden Talents 85Create Systems to Ensure Consistent Results 86Learn from Resignations to Help You Grow 87Implement Key Marketing Strategies 91Create a Killer Brand 91Shake Things Up: Create a Unique Value Proposition 94Cultivate and Connect with Customers and Clients 97Create a Customer Advisory Board 99Know Your Competition 100Touch Your Customers in Unique Ways 102Become a Media Maven 106Apply for Awards 109Enjoy the Rewards of Networking 112Go for the Gold 114Bag the Big Business Deals 116Don't Put All Your Eggs into One Basket 120Fund Your Business Growth 123Obtain the Funding 126Begin the Money Hunt 128Get Credit When You Don't Need It 131Get to Know People in the Investment Community 132Perfect Your Pitch 134Angel Investors 136Venture Capital 137Overcome Gender Bias 140Develop an Exit Strategy 144Leave a Legacy 147Accelerating Your Business GrowthDevelop Growth Strategies 153Control the Growth 153Build Together Through Strategic Alliances 155Develop Smart Partnerships 156Think Globally for Growth 159Think Franchising for Fast Growth 162Reap the Benefits of Direct Sales 164The Rest of the Story 169You've Gotta Love It 170Define Success for Yourself 170Stay True to Yourself 172Cherish Yourself 173Pay Yourself What You Are Worth 176Be an Unintentional Mentor 178Choose Your Battles Wisely 179Expect the Unexpected 181Reap the Ultimate Reward: Giving Back 183You Can Do It 187Great Resources 189Celebrating Our Successes 197Notes 203Index 205
