Synopses & Reviews
Review
“…a useful and encouraging guide, providing solid advice and resources to help women achieve and sustain entrepreneurial success.” - Publishers Weekly
Review
“Solovic…is a terrific tutor on such business basics such as core values, angel investors and exit strategy."
-Sky (Delta’s inflight magazine), January 2008
Synopsis
Head of the successful Small Business Television company, Solovic is an authority on making money and building a thriving business. Now, she shows women how to gain the confidence and knowledge they need to become successful entrepreneurs.
Synopsis
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 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 Training 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 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.
Synopsis
Susan Wilson Solovic (St. Louis, MO) is CEO and Chairman of SBTV.com and a respected consultant, columnist, and public speaker. She serves on advisory boards for the John Cook School of Business Entrepreneurial Studies at Saint Louis University and the Women Presidents’ Organization. Solovic is a popular guest on radio and television programs across the country, including CNN News and Early Today . She is a small business contributor on ABC America This Morning and is the author of The Girls’ Guide to Power and Success (978-0-8144-7227-9).
Video
About the Author
“…a useful and encouraging guide, providing solid advice and resources to help women achieve and sustain entrepreneurial success.” - Publishers Weekly
“Solovic…is a terrific tutor on such business basics such as core values, angel investors and exit strategy."
-Sky (Delta’s inflight magazine), January 2008
Table of Contents
CONTENTS
Foreword by Michael E. Gerber xi
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction xvii
PART ONE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A MILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS
1 Start the Million-Dollar Journey 3
You Look Like a Million 3
Revealing a Well-Kept Secret: Knowing Where to Look 4
If You Don’t Believe in You, No One Else Can 8
You’ve Seen and Conquered Before 12
Grit Your Teeth and Go for It 16
2 Think Big and Bold 19
Shout It Out 20
Mind Over Money 22
Bigger Can Be Better 26
Take Action: Make It Happen 27
If at First You Don’t Succeed. . . 29
3 Get Ready, Get Set, Grow 33
Get Your House in Order 33
Relationships May Change: Be Prepared 37
Create a Peer Support Network 41
Mentors Can Guide Your Growth 43
PART TWO USING THE FOUR STRATEGIC KEYS TO GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
4 Create the Vision 49
Define the Vision of Your Company 49
Articulate Your Mission 51
Communicate the Core Values 52
Create the Right Business Plan 55
Focus, Focus, Focus 59
Invest in Professional Resources and Advisors 60
Step Up to the Role of CEO 63
Build an Advisory Board 65
5 Develop the Right Team 69
Let Go to Grow 70
Take Action Every Day 72
Hire the Right People 73
Hire the Best Candidate, Not the Best Job Seeker 75
Invest in Retention: Get Started on the Right Foot 77
Identify Your Company’s Pink Cadillac 79
Attract the Best and the Brightest
Through Innovation and Creativity 82
Take Emotions Out of the Workplace 83
Tap into Hidden Talents 85
Create Systems to Ensure Consistent Results 86
Learn from Resignations to Help You Grow 87
6 Implement Key Marketing Strategies 91
Create a Killer Brand 91
Shake Things Up: Create a Unique Value Proposition 94
Cultivate and Connect with Customers and Clients 97
Create a Customer Advisory Board 99
Know Your Competition 100
Touch Your Customers in Unique Ways 102
Become a Media Maven 106
Apply for Awards 109
Enjoy the Rewards of Networking 112
Go for the Gold 114
Bag the Big Business Deals 116
Don’t Put All Your Eggs into One Basket 120
7 Fund Your Business Growth 123
Obtain the Funding 126
Begin the Money Hunt 128
Get Credit When You Don’t Need It 131
Get to Know People in the Investment Community 132
Perfect Your Pitch 134
Angel Investors 136
Venture Capital 137
Overcome Gender Bias 140
Develop an Exit Strategy 144
Leave a Legacy 147
PART THREE ACCELERATING YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH
8 Develop Growth Strategies 153
Control the Growth 153
Build Together Through Strategic Alliances 155
Develop Smart Partnerships 156
Think Globally for Growth 159
Think Franchising for Fast Growth 162
Reap the Benefits of Direct Sales 164
9 The Rest of the Story 169
You’ve Gotta Love It 170
Define Success for Yourself 170
Stay True to Yourself 172
Cherish Yourself 173
Pay Yourself What You Are Worth 176
Be an Unintentional Mentor 178
Choose Your Battles Wisely 179
Expect the Unexpected 181
Reap the Ultimate Reward: Giving Back 183
You Can Do It 187
10 Great Resources 189
Appendix: Celebrating Our Successes 197
Notes 203
Index 205