By Hazel on Jul 20, 2009 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 0 Comments
The loss of over 6 million net jobs is a huge problem for the US. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm, private sector employment peaked at 115.8 million in December 2007 then fell to 109.5 million by May 2009.
At this time, job losses from mass layoffs added up to 3.6 million, up 66 percent over the preceding 18 months.
Since many people who have not been able to find a job, we are seeing an unprecedented number of people choosing to go into business for themselves. Historically small business’ job creation will…
By Hazel on Jul 10, 2009 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 2 Comments
So far I have covered two of the four mindsets I believe are deadly in today’s new marketplace.
The first was the Status Quo Mindset and the second was the Arrogance Mentality Mindset.
Today I will cover the third mindset I find very noted for the season we are currently in.
It is the Business Suicide Mentality #3: The “Hunker Down” Mindset.
The reference to hunker down means two things: One is preparation for some type of pressure you’re anticipating. The other relates to hiding.
With the jobless rates soaring, consumer spending way down and the incredible…
By Hazel on Jul 8, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured | 4 Comments

I, like most Americans have grown so weary of the unbelievably bad customer service in the everyday marketplace both online and off in this country.
Until recently, we as consumers did not have a very easy and effective way to share with the masses our experiences nor were we very successful in getting attention to our plight regarding bad service and products from the very companies we had the conflict with. The old “on hold forever 800 number” was many times the only recourse we could take against these offending businesses.
That was until technology put the tools in…
By Hazel on Jun 11, 2009 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 1 Comment
Well…here we are about halfway through what has so far been an incredibly challenging and difficult year for many of us in business, from the giants like GM to the local auto detail shop.
Some have survived, and sadly some have not. Some have reinvented themselves and some are still doing the same things they have always done…resistant to any changes.
So what does the rest of 2009 hold for the marketplace here in the U.S.?
It depends on who you are listening to and what your mindset is. It really does not matter…
By Hazel on May 27, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured | 1 Comment
Fired up my Twitter this morning and checked what the hot topics of the day were and my goodness…#unfollowdiddy was really buzzing!
So I decided to check out what was going on and lo and behold, many fellow tweets were voicing their not so nice things about P Diddy (Sean “Diddy” Combs).
See for yourself…
#unfollowdiddy is trending so I read his tweets. He’s less of a jerk than I expected, but arrogant as he**. Twitters taking him down a peg.
#unfollowdiddy FOLLOW ME FOR A FREE #unfollowdiddy T SHIRT -ONE WINNER EVERY HOUR SM L XL
Good
…
By Hazel on May 9, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 0 Comments
Well that day that all mothers long for, Mother’s Day…a day of recognition especially made for those of us who have contributed to one of life’s mysteries and wonders…Motherhood is close to showing up on the scene.
If your anything like me, it represents a “check out” moment from the hustle and bustle of life to reflect on the joys of beings mom (and the sorrows), how far you have come and how far your family has come.
Most of us our adorned with flowers, a gift, or dinner out and those are all such wonderful tokens of love from…
By Hazel on May 2, 2009 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 0 Comments
Good post by Seth Godin which is simple but true regarding promoting and spreading the word about your business in today’s economy.
By Hazel on Apr 30, 2009 in Featured, Take Charge of Your Website and Prosper! | 0 Comments
A recent research report which was aimed at determining the state of small business website and online advertising spending points out…
America’s 14.6 million small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) were responsible for more than $6.7 billion in locally generated, locally targeted interactive advertising in 2008 – more than half of the US total, according to a recently released report from Borrell Associates, which predicts these numbers will grow significantly as activities continue to shift online.
Here is the kicker, many Marketers don’t understand about small businesses though. The report also indicated more than two-thirds…
By Hazel on Apr 29, 2009 in Featured | 0 Comments
STRATEGY ONE – Strategy is King…Status Quo is Dead!
Of all the things that entrepreneurs and small business owners fail to do, one of the most serious is strategic marketing planning. Strategic marketing planning in today’s marketplace IS the most important thing you should do. A Strategic Marketing Plan is a management tool that determines which steps to follow, and the methodologies and times to reach certain objectives. Gone are the days where marketing planning is an isolated activity! It has to be perfectly linked to the rest of the business functions (First contacts, billing, assistants/virtual, production, personnel, etc.)
STRATEGY…
By Hazel on Apr 28, 2009 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 0 Comments
Lately I have been hearing all over the web ‘marketing is conversation‘ and you better be on board with social media or you are not marketing.
I say that’s hog wash (I get it! Like pigs wash!).
I am not going to be arrogant enough to say I have the total explanation of what marketing means or what it is because I believe it encompasses really everything you do in your business.
But I will say I know it is about a whole lot more than conversation. No doubt, conversation is one of the “tools’ or methods we can use…