The Business of Being Monique

Welcome to the Real World, Class

2011-12-30T14:30:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Jim Fister and I were having a conversation over lunch earlier this year about the time we've been spending individually on college campuses, at high schools, and in one-on-one meetings at work advising young people about their careers and their lives. It turns out that we have been focusing on a lot of the same themes and decided that it was a good idea to put our thoughts together and write an article that shares honest, straightforward insight for young people as they start their career journeys. Here it is.

For those of you approaching graduation from high school or college or have recently walked across that stage, this is for you. Right now, you’re likely occupied with the final celebrations of the holiday season, or maybe you’re planning your next Spring Break getaway. But first and foremost, you’re thinking that life is coming at you faster than it did before and that means it’s time to focus on the real world.

There’s nothing like the inevitability of a looming deadline to clarify your intentions for your life once the last notes of Pomp and Circumstance have sounded, the celebrations have ended, and you embark on your journey into adulthood. In so many ways, we cannot wait for you to get out here as many organizations across the business world and non-profit sector are eager for your fresh ideas and skills, unique perspectives, and openness to new, creative ways of solving tough, challenging problems. After all, much has been written about Generation Y, a 70-million-plus strong population of young, optimistic, and goal-oriented men and women who have embraced collaboration and multitasking, are on the leading edge of emerging technology trends, and want meaningful work/life balance.

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
At the same time, however, in our visits to high schools and colleges around the country, where we have the opportunity to listen to young people and advise them about their academic and career choices, we’re observing firsthand that many of you are not ready for this new world. A lot of you lack a clear understanding of what it’s going to take for you to succeed in the 21st Century marketplace. In this case what you don’t know can hurt you.

We’ve seen for ourselves what can hurt. We bring a wealth of practical experience, knowledge, and insight. Both of us have worked in high-technology developing business strategies, creating product plans, promoting new products and technologies, and all that time pursuing entrepreneurial ventures and being active members of our community. The point is we actually care about the next generation and the lives and careers you undertake. We’re here to support you with four key tenets to get your nascent career on track that go beyond what you’ll learn in the classroom or in your immediate social circles. These are developing good professional habits, learning how to network, understanding influence, and living and exploring life. This is the real deal, and your success will mean the future success of your community, your nation, and your world.

Professional “Hygiene”: Develop Good Habits
Did someone ever tell you that your face would freeze that way if you keep that funny look on it? In some ways, that person was right. While your underlying personality is what will carry you through life, your habits will make that journey either easier or harder. Habits are easy to pick up, and unfortunately, they’re also easier to drop. And clearly some habits can be bad.

If you want one area where you should develop good habits, work on communication. Speaking and writing clearly are a must in a world where you want people to believe in your ideas. As a practical example, how many of you take the time to write a complete sentence or a thoughtful e-mail reply? As professionals in a connected world, you’ll spend a lot of time putting your thoughts into clear, coherent messages intended for the receiver to take action. While it’s fine to “LOL” or “OMG” with your friends, it won’t always go over well when you’re introducing yourself in a professional context. Last year, Jim worked with a local student who was a summer intern at the company. The intern went out of her way to write complete, well-formed sentences and to use proper punctuation and capitalization. The impression was stunning, especially in comparison to the young “professionals” who otherwise filled the day. That’s a person worth remembering, for she landed a strong ally who helped her look for her next job. When asked about it, she merely said that she didn’t want to be like all the other kids who couldn’t think or talk. So she made it a habit to write well.

Another great habit is showing up on time. A good friend of ours who should know a lot better consistently shows up late to meetings. As a consequence, he extends the meeting to make up for the missed time, which makes him late for the next meeting. It’s a crazy cycle that’s cost him on occasion when he shows up late to a meeting where an executive is none too pleased to have been kept waiting. As we say, it’s “results, not excuses.” Take care of all the little things, and people will be convinced you can do something big.

Learn the Art of Networking – It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who They Are
We can’t say enough about developing a strong network. A good idea is one thing. A good idea properly placed in front of the right decision-maker with a strong endorsement is entirely another.

No doubt, the first question that comes to your mind is, “How do I get myself in front of those decision-makers when I’m just starting my career?” It’s a lot easier than you think. The first step is to think about your network – that is, who you know. We like to describe this as bringing people in the “background” of your life into the “foreground” at the right time. You very likely have many people in the background of your life – friends, family, professors, part-time job supervisors and co-workers, teachers, counselors, advisors – who you already know and can assist with a problem or opportunity you’re facing. In our travels to college campuses, a question we like to pose to students is how many of them really know their fellow students with whom they sit in classes every day. We try to impress upon the students that they could be sitting next to someone whose parents own a small business or work for a company in the field they’re majoring in and could be potential avenues to a summer internship or that coveted first job out of college. You cannot find out this information if you’re not taking the time to network with your classmates with that purpose in mind.

With the advent of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other social networking sites, you have the distinct advantages of real-time communication and instantaneous connections that many in prior generations did not have. We strongly encourage you to use that advantage as you move into the business world. But tread carefully, for you must clearly differentiate your business and personal networks over time. It’s one thing to tell your pals what you did over the weekend, but it’s an entirely different thing to provide that to your customers. And remember what Monique calls the “Grandma Standard”: If you think your grandmother would be appalled or ashamed to read what you’ve written or to see you in a questionable pose in a photo, it’s probably best to not post it. In other words, be passionate but don’t be impetuous when you share information about yourself online because it will live in some shape or form forever. Doing something embarrassing now seems cute until it results in an opportunity lost years down the road.

Understand Your Influence
No matter your vantage point in life or in an organization, you have the power and ability to influence others to follow your lead. Terry Bacon, the author of Elements of Power and Elements of Influence, defines influence as the power you apply in order to accomplish a goal, with your success depending on a number of factors which you may or may not control. According to Bacon, your influence is comprised of the technique you choose, the skill with which you use that technique, your power sources within your organization, and your personal power sources.

In short, an effective influencer needs the right technique coupled with sufficient power sources and good skills – communication, assertiveness, interpersonal, and interaction – to make things happen. Take the case of a high school student who recently decided to organize a technology camp for young women. Being smart, she first asked her teacher who she should contact for help. He provided her with a list of people she needed to meet, including Jim. She diligently followed up with everyone and used that network to influence their networks to generate all the donations necessary to put on the program. She also found many volunteers to help in the process. Many of these adults now are on the watch for how to help her in her next endeavor. That simple influence point started with the teacher and extended to a new network and an enthusiasm about women in technology that will endure.

Live Your Life and Explore
Lots of people will tell you in the next few months and years that you’re young and you have time to figure things out. Everyone’s situation will be different, but whether you decide to go straight into the workforce or take some time off before your first job, you should live your life and explore and experiment before you settle down into a particular career path or make lifestyle choices that will have an impact on your priorities and time down the road.

Monique recently advised a recent grad of Oregon State University who studied computer science. An aspiring software developer, this young man does not know at this point if he wants to work in a traditional corporate environment or if he should pursue a start-up company. Either way, he knows that he wants to travel the world and expose himself to different cultures and people. Monique encouraged him to jump on the opportunity to travel right after graduation if he could afford it because it will only get harder to find the time as his life begins to take shape and he becomes a “responsible adult.” Also, she gave him a third option of being an independent software developer, which he wasn’t even considering. She suggested that if he starts his career as an independent software developer doing project work, that could give him the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world as long as he meets his commitments to his clients. At the end of the day, he desires the flexibility to choose the career route that best aligns with his interests and passions right now.

Yes, your life is coming at you fast. By developing good habits, learning how to build your personal and professional network, understanding how to influence, and living a full life, you will be prepared to succeed in an ever-changing, complex, and interconnecting world. We are waiting on you!

Guest Post: Even Small Businesses Should Strive to be Great Places to Work

2011-11-17T17:26:00.001-08:00

It may seem a little cliché, but if you’re going to spend the majority of your waking hours running your business, it should be one that brings you personal joy, satisfaction, and reward. And when it comes to the workplace itself, your responsibility as the owner of the business is to ensure that you promote trust and respect among your employees and create a culture that values their contribution.

In this post, Elaine Hirsch, a writer who describes herself as a “jack-of-all-interests from education and history to medicine and video games,” describes how workplace trends point toward the desire among employees for deeper engagement and greater stakes the success of their companies. She also provides examples of successful programs in large enterprises and lessons and insights that small business owners and entrepreneurs can apply in their own ventures.

The days of a company being just the place a worker spends eight hours during the day have passed. More businesses are finding that when they make the workplace engaging and fulfilling for employees, they can reap great benefits. The trend of making the work beneficial to the employee beyond drawing a paycheck has grown stronger in recent years, with a host of new ideas and flexible benefit programs for employees. This has shown positive results in terms of increased performance at companies rated among the best places to work.

One doesn't have to earn a human resource management PhD online to know the cornerstone of all great workplaces is trust, both between employees and management on a personal level and trust in management’s strategic decisions. Part of this entails creating a culture that values employees and their contributions. Many companies on the lists of top workplaces offer benefits beyond the traditional time off and health insurance. Several extend insurance coverage to domestic partnerships. Many others have joined the trend of workplace wellness programs, made even easier by the growing number of health care companies offering these services. Companies are even hiring their own wellness coordinators, a dedicated position that improves employee health through initiatives like in-office nurse visits for basic physicals, wellness events like walks and workouts, and classes on stress management. These investments can also have a cumulative effect, as healthier employees cost the company less in insurance payments and time off, and yield greater productivity.

You might be thinking that as a small business owner, you may not have the resources or your operation may not lend itself to implementing sophisticated wellness programs or beyond-the-basics health coverage. However, you can create unusual perks tailored for your business that can pay for themselves, too. For instance, you might ask your employees for ideas to save the company money. Employees could be placed in pairs or small groups and asked to come up with as many ideas as possible. The team with the most total ideas and the team with the most implementable ideas could both receive cash prizes, a day off, etc. You stand to find significant savings through employees' suggestions and your employees will appreciate just being asked for their input. This kind of exercise also helps build the level of trust needed to create a great workplace.

Some ideas about great workplaces take a more extreme approach. Jody Thompson, an author and human resources expert, came up with an idea she dubs the "Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE)." This approach abandons the convention of a set workday or even a physical workplace, instead letting employees complete their work how and when they see fit. The approach has brought positive results to companies that have implemented it so far. Thompson reports that companies with a ROWE increase productivity by 35 percent and see voluntary turnover rates drop 90 percent.

ROWE may not be for everyone as it could be difficult to implement for many types of businesses. But it serves as inspiration to spark unconventional, out-of-the-box ideas that could potentially benefit your small business. Take the idea of telecommuting, which has grown more popular as gas prices rise and new technologies make it easier to connect workers to the workplace. Though researchers have found that pinpointing the exact number of people who work primarily from home is difficult, the U.S. Census has found the number has increased steadily in the last five years. The Telework Research Network, an independent research advisory firm dedicated to studying and advocating for telecommuting, found several benefits to companies that let workers report from home. Employee satisfaction is higher, attrition lower, and unexcused absences drop when employees can work from home. Companies taking this approach also see a rise in productivity.

An example of innovative HR in a small-business setting can be found in the Motley Fool's benefits package and company culture. Located in Alexandria, Virginia, Motley Fool is an online investment advisory service. At the Fool, employees get benefits, including:

Unlimited paid time off
Cheap health insurance
Company outings
Child consultants for parents
Monthly peanut and butter jelly sandwich days with over 25 varieties to choose from
Basketball, soccer, yoga, and tai chi
Financial support for new parents
In-office gym

Although this may seem excessive (and easily taken advantage of), Lee Burbage, Senior VP of HR at the Fool, says that his company spends 22 percent of salary expenses on these perks (compared to the industry average of 30 percent). Furthermore, these perks are essentially investments in the long-term health of the Fool's employees. As a company which values the creativity of its employees, providing an environment which facilitates sound minds and sound bodies seems like the obvious thing to do.

For companies looking to improve productivity and make the workplace better, the right benefits can make the difference. However, this doesn't have to mean putting in new and expensive programs. For many companies on the best workplaces lists, it was small initiatives like ice cream days or employee recognition awards that went a long way in creating a positive office culture.

Latest Interview at Business Info Guide

2011-08-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Business Info Guide recently interviewed me about my book and my experience as a woman entrepreneur. Check it out at this link: http://businessinfoguide.com/interview-monique-hayward-author-of-divas-doing-business-what-the-guidebooks-dont-tell-you-about-being-a-woman-entrepreneur/.

Next Venture: Cerise Noire Software and Puppy Kisses App

2011-06-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Many people have been asking me, "What's Next?" after I closed Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar in July 2009. Well, I'm excited to say that I can finally start to talk publicly about my latest venture, Cerise Noire Software.

As John Williams described in his guest post, I decided to take some time to figure out a new business that wouldn’t require the significant upfront capital investment and on-going cash-flow challenges that I experienced with the restaurant. Also, this time around, I decided to go into business with a partner to share the burden and the rewards of starting a new company.

The result is Cerise Noire Software, a company that specializes in family-friendly mobile software applications. As my partner and I looked at the landscape, we identified a great opportunity to help people discover new ways to enjoy their mobile devices.

Our first product is Puppy Kisses, a cute app for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that allows you to add images and sound effects to photos to create animations that you can share via email and popular social networking sites. For $.99, it’s a no-brainer.

So spread the word about the Puppy Kisses app far and wide. Also, please become a fan at our Facebook page. Cerise Noire Software is a company that’s bringing more fun and entertainment to the world.

OPEN Forum by American Express: Contributed Article

2011-06-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

My first post to American Express' OPEN Forum community hit this week, and I'm really excited about it. A go-to site for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, OPEN Forum provides lots of great information about owning and managing a business.

My article covers how to stay motivated through the good and the bad times that you'll experience as an entrepreneur. Check it out here and spread the word so AMEX will invite me to contribute more articles in the future.

http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-to-stay-motivated-through-the-good-and-bad-times

Guest Post: No Money? No Problem: Debunking the Myth that Entrepreneurs Need a Lot of Startup Capital to Launch a New Business

2011-06-11T17:56:00.001-07:00

Having been the proud owner of a restaurant business that I built from scratch, I know that you can spend a lot of money bringing your entrepreneurial dream to life. At the same time, there are plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs to launch their business ideas without breaking the bank, and that’s exactly what I’ve done with my second venture, Cerise Noire Software. In this guest post, John Williams, owner of Logo Garden, provides strategies for entrepreneurs to get creative when it comes to funding their businesses. John has been helping startups with constructing a business image for over 15 years and has published extensively on the subject of branding and the importance of a well-designed logo. In addition to his 25 years in advertising, John is an avid golfer and fisherman and enjoys both those activities with his teenage son.

Think you need tons of cash to start a new business? Think again. Case in point: Mark Zuckerberg. The billionaire founder of Facebook conceived the idea for his company in his college dorm room. Not only did he not have a lot of capital investment in the beginning, but he also had virtually no money. But what he did have was a good idea.

If you have a business idea with promise, but you don't have the cash to make it a reality, you should start thinking outside the box. Sure, those embarking on many traditional business opportunities may face a great deal of upfront costs (e.g., Monique’s case with her restaurant venture). However, with a little creativity and a lot of passion, you just might be able to turn your vision into a reality without spending a lot of money on the front end. These tips may help you get started without having to dig up a lot of cash at first.

Don't Quit Your Day Job
If you're fortunate enough to have gainful employment in these tough economic times, don't recklessly give up your job to chase your dream. Instead, if at all possible, retain your current employment and work on your startup at night and on the weekends. Typically, new businesses don't have immediate success after launching. Instead, particularly with unusual, risky or really innovative ideas, it may take some time for them to catch on. Easing into the new venture and funding it with your existing salary will help avoid a premature demise. Many people who have embraced this gradual process have been grateful for that decision, particularly when things don’t work out with the new business. Every idea won't succeed, and if your venture becomes a casualty, you'll be thankful that you didn't give up your current job.

Forgo the Fancy Stuff
Just because you have a new business doesn't mean that you have to rent extravagant office space. Instead, for as long as you can, work from home. Forgoing commercial office space will free up much needed cash that can be spent elsewhere. And, by working from home, you'll likely realize other cost savings, including lower gasoline bills as a result of eliminating a commute from your daily routine. In addition, don't waste a lot of money initially on expensive office supplies. Instead, consider shopping for discount, and even used, supplies.

Barter
Starting out with little or no upfront capital may mean delaying things that could help your business grow, like a nice website. However, if you have a potential client or customer who has web design experience, propose that you swap services initially. Exchanging services in this way can help you cut certain startup costs, but it can also help you develop a lasting working relationship with a client.

Market Yourself
Even if you don't have the funds to get an impressive website going initially, don't overlook the available free methods of marketing your business. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In, are a great starting point. But also consider hitting the pavement. Depending on your community, it may be appropriate and well received if you personally visit other local businesses to discuss your concept. And a friendly visit won't cost you a dime.

Go with the Flow
If you're passionate about your project, chances are you've outlined in your head exactly how the business should operate. Unfortunately, no matter how prepared we may be, things often go awry in business. Therefore, particularly if you're working solo in a venture with little or no cash on hand, you have to be flexible and roll with the punches. Adapting to the circumstances may be the difference between success and failure.

Avoid Get-Rich-Quick Schemes
If your goal in starting a new company is instant riches, then perhaps you should reexamine your business plan. Even great new ideas that are well funded usually don't translate into immediate financial rewards. Therefore, someone who starts out penniless shouldn't expect to become a billionaire overnight. The internet is full of get-rich-quick schemes that promise would-be entrepreneurs immediate financial gratification. Unfortunately, most of those are scams. So, unless you have an idea that you really believe in and are ready to work hard for, reconsider whether starting a new business is right for you. And if you find yourself jumping from one great idea to the next in your quest to make a fortune, stop putting so much pressure on yourself and wait until you have a viable idea that you're committed to.

If Money is an Issue
If you need some cash to get started, keep in mind that getting bank financing these days can be extremely difficult. Banks and other lenders carefully scrutinize borrowers' ability to pay back loans. So if your business isn't already well established, you may have better luck elsewhere. Consider sharing your idea with friends and family who may be in a position to invest. And be prepared to provide anyone who will listen with a written business plan that explains your concept and how you intend to make it work. Presenting yourself as professional as possible is imperative if you want to be taken seriously.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO - Woman to Watch

2011-05-20T15:11:00.001-07:00

Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook, and I've been following her career closely for a few years now. She's one of my role models for successful women in business.

If you haven't seen her TED talk, you must check it out at the TED site. She provides a great perspective and valuable insight about why there are so few women leaders at the top when you look across the business landscape.

Guest Post: Strategies for a Thriving Business with Fluctuating Demand

2011-04-10T15:20:00.001-07:00

Isabella York has been in the business world her entire life. Having seen business cycles ebb and flow, she knows a thing or two about developing strategies for handling changes in demand, especially after having worked with a purveyor of Artificial Christmas Trees and Christmas Trees. Here's her guest post that shares strategies for conquering these challenges.

Running a seasonal business has its challenges. Many small businesses experience the bulk of their annual sales during a short season or sales cycle. While all businesses realize sales cycles, truly seasonal businesses fall into two primary categories – those that can afford to close during the off-season and those that must find other ways to maintain cash flow during the rest of the year. In both cases, the challenges are similar and must be addressed so as to keep your business flourishing throughout its ebbs and flows. To smooth out the bumps between peak seasons, follow these strategies designed to turn your business into a thriving year-round concern:

Find alternative sources of income: Diversification has long been the name of the game in keeping a single-season business going year round or helping a business boosts its product line or services to existing clientele. Most of the time, this does not require starting an entirely new business but rather expanding the core business you already have. In diversifying, consider other services or products you can offer using the existing equipment and resources. For example, a business making wedding dresses might make most of its sales during the spring. However, by using its skills and equipment to make other special occasion dresses, it might be able to move into a market that is busy in the autumn and winter months. Landscaping companies can morph into snow-clearing businesses in the winter. Laundromats can get full use of their space by adding exercise equipment or electronic games or serving espresso and sandwiches.

Expand your customer base: Explore ways to market yourself differently in order to reach new customers. For instance, if your environment-friendly holiday goods are big with eco-conscious customers, consider selling on consignment to local supermarkets or green specialty stores. If your rain boots boutique needs a boost in sales, you might want to set up a mail-order business or online store. This way, you can increase your market without adding sales personnel or a new location. While exploring new markets, make sure to keep your eye on existing customers. Exert the extra effort to ask them what new services or products you could provide. Listen carefully to what your customers are saying about your product. Engaging in a dialogue pays off big time when you're working around the clock during peak season.

Use off-peak seasons productively: Whether you close shop for the season or just motor along at a slower pace, use your off- season productively so that when your peak season comes round again, your customers are there with you. Even during quiet seasons, there are still ways to stay in front of customers and help keep your business at the forefront of their minds when it comes time for them to make their purchasing decisions. Quieter periods also offer an opportunity to tackle time-consuming essentials, such as stocktaking and ordering. Look at the stock you have and compare it with the amounts you ordered over the year. It's important to take advantage of off-peak periods to consolidate your business.

Market your business so it stays active longer: Develop a marketing plan that makes sure the busy season lasts as long as possible. Sales are a suitable way to weather the downtime experienced by seasonal businesses everywhere. Discounts, sales and promotions can be used to bring customers in during off-peak months. This is the way many tourist accommodation businesses price the rooms they rent out. Through mailings and special incentives to book now, you can stay close to your customer base and find ways to make it easy for them to commit during the off-season. Offering products at huge discounts will entice buyers, thereby increasing product sales. Off-season sales not only keep your name before your customer, but they also give you an opportunity to sell end-of-the-season merchandise, reduce your inventory and generate some extra income.

Manage cash flow: Managing cash flow more effectively requires getting paid more quickly. It pays to be organized about obtaining payments. This means sending out invoices promptly, chasing late payers and considering offering a discount for early payments. Also keep stock levels down as carrying excess stock ties up money you could be using elsewhere. Keep records of stock levels so you can see patterns of what kind of stock you should build up and when you need it. You can also improve your cash flow by tightening your purchasing policies. This might involve looking for a bulk discount, agreeing a longer than usual payment period or arranging purchases on a sale and return basis.

Running a seasonal business definitely has its challenges. With some vigilance and a clear strategy, you can alleviate many of the potential problems and create a path to solvency and success.

Guest Post: Investing in Employees – When to Hire, When to Train

2011-02-23T17:03:00.001-08:00

Kate Manning is a business major who has worked under others and as a self-employed entrepreneur. She currently owns and manages her own business in Washington State. Here's her post about the importance of employee development to the long-term success of a company.

Modern business models often place stockholder profit above other considerations, even when that scenario may significantly hurt the long-term viability of the organization. This frenzy to create an annual report with a positive bottom line is understandable, but when it comes at the expense of employee enrichment or research and development, it may well hinder future growth potential. The question then becomes, "How does one find a balance between shareholder profits and employee satisfaction and retention?" Next, is it more profitable to enhance the growth of current employees or to hire replacements that are already at the professional point desired? Luckily, you don't need an online finance degree to find a solution that will benefit all parties.

While today's employees often expect to change jobs (or even careers), they generally would prefer to remain with their current employer if possible. Long-term research by groups like the American Management Association and Gallup suggest that a marriage of sorts between short-term profits and employee satisfaction is not only desirable, but it is also essential for long-term viability. The point being that for a company to experience sustainable profits, there must be an investment in employee development.

Employee development is often one of the things to be first sacrificed when business times are tough. However, cutting employee enhancements is detrimental to long-term stability or growth as well as stockholder dividends. Quality current or potential employees are seeking personal and professional growth, and in the absence of those opportunities, they will often go elsewhere.

Growth for current employees may take many forms, including both personal and professional aspects. According to "Investing in Employee Growth Makes Bottom Line Sense," firms that choose to assist current employees in various forms of professional and personal enhancement are more likely to retain those employees. That significantly reduces the need to attract new employees that invariably require at least some training and a period of time to adapt to the corporate culture.

At what point does it then become more practical to hire a new employee as opposed to attempting to retain a current employee? In the event of significant changes in job duties or expectations, it may be advantageous to consider bringing in new employees that are capable of stepping in without significant training. However, losing long-term employees who are loyal to the company can create issues for the remaining labor force and reduce morale. To keep employee satisfaction at peak levels, providing retraining opportunities may actually improve morale and loyalty of all employees. It is a dilemma that can create sleepless nights for those responsible for making such decisions.

While attracting new employees is often necessary, most companies find it more desirable to retain current employees. Even so, when it is necessary to attract new employees due to changes in corporate goals or product lines, having a reputation as a company devoted to retaining current employees helps in attracting the best candidates for those positions. Productivity is virtually always elevated when employee satisfaction is high, and providing training for existing employees is certainly one way to keep up employee morale.

When businesses decide to provide training for current employees, they have a variety of options to consider. Many elect to provide educational options on an on-going basis to improve the skills of existing employees. This type of benefit is also one that is coveted by those seeking new employment. Encouraging employees to attend professional conferences, providing management training, and offering interpersonal skills training are all ways to enhance employee satisfaction. Reimbursement for education is also a great benefit for current and potential employees.

For companies seeking to improve profit for stockholders, enhancing skills and improving employee satisfaction directly affect the bottom line. While most gains are long-term rather than short-term, savvy investors are likely to elect to hold the stock of a company viewed as being forward looking as opposed to those seeking immediate gains.

Guest Post: Five Tips for Successfully Working with Your Spouse

2011-01-17T08:25:00.001-08:00

Family businesses are notorious for being very successful or for crashing and burning, but they are rarely for known for anything in between. This is because the synergy between the spouses can truly inspire the best in each or bring out the worst in both. My husband and I just celebrated our tenth year in business together, and I'm proud to say that we fall into the first camp most of the time. However, our success has not come without special challenges, and I have some tips to share with you that are critical to your business' success when working with your spouse.

1. Clearly define your roles and keep them as separate as possible.

"Too many cooks in the kitchen can spoil the pot," they say. But a great cook and someone who likes to plan and shop can be a match made in heaven. The spouses' skills should complement, not compete, with each other. Be clear about who has the authority over which areas of the business and have as little overlap as possible. If you disagree on a particular plan of action, the person who has authority over this area makes the final decision, eliminating most, if not all, power struggles.

2. Keep the rest of your family out of the business.

It's tempting at times to hire other family members and friends because you know and trust them, they really need the work, or various other reasons. Resist the temptation! Make it a "policy" not to hire family or close friends. Working with your spouse is challenging enough. Adding other family members and friends makes it infinitely harder. Plus, nepotism will not bode well with your other employees.

3. Always treat each other with respect and professionalism.

How you treat your spouse on the job will set the example and tone for how you expect other employees to treat each other. If you don't want your managers shouting at employees, then make sure you don't shout at each other, either. When your employees see you solving difficult problems with professionalism and compromise, they are much more likely to do the same.

4. Keep your private life out of the office.

Ideally, a new employee should not even be aware that you are married. Employees will respect each of you more if they believe you are in your position because you are good at it and not because you are "married to the boss." Never discuss your private life with other employees. If the two of you are struggling at home, set that aside as much as possible at work. If your relationship is having a particularly hard day, let one of you stay home that day so the tension is not carried into the office.

5. Excellent communication is essential.

It's good that my husband and I had been married for many years before we started our business because over those years we had learned to communicate really well. And I'm not just referring to business-related communication like how to effectively run a meeting or communicate your marketing ideas. Spouses who run a business together also need to be able to discuss their feelings about the business with each other. You need to be able to discuss the hard stuff like feeling taken for granted, or disrespected, or overwhelmed. You need to be able to discuss these issues with honesty and respect for one another. Feelings will get hurt if you're speaking honestly, and you need to find a way to get past hurt feelings and find solutions that work.

Operating a business with my spouse has been incredibly rewarding. I believe our company is thriving because our unique skills complement each other so well. With exceptional communication and utmost respect for one another, our marriage continues to thrive as well as our business.

About the Author: Maureen Page is vice president of Discount Security Cameras, your source for quality security cameras and systems. To learn more about security camera systems and video surveillance, visit the Discount Security Cameras Interactive Security Camera Learning Center.

Hiring for Your Small Business: Find the Rock Stars

2010-12-21T16:40:00.001-08:00

When you own a business, you realize quickly why most people simply work for someone else, content to show up at a job and collect a paycheck. Keep this in mind when the time comes for you to hire your own employees for your small business.

You will strive to hire people who understand and buy into your vision and are capable of delivering it to your customers. The ones who get it will be invaluable employees. The ones who don't…Well, that's another story.

Your challenge is to find people who will simply do five things:

1. Show up for work ready to perform the duties for which you're paying them.

2. Have a positive attitude.

3. Treat each other and your customers with courtesy and respect.

4. Check their drama at the door.

5. Not steal from you.

You will work hard to keep the "revolving door" of employees at a minimum by investing time and money on training, providing a safe and comfortable work environment, and recognizing your staff with rewards when they perform well. Even still, you will be amazed at how difficult and time-consuming it is to get your employees to do what you've asked, much less paid, them to do.

That's because nobody cares about your business as much as you do. So you have to find "rock stars" and understand what motivates them to "play your song" and be a "member of the band."

Is it recognition?
Is it money?
Is it creative freedom?
Is it having special projects above and beyond their normal workload?
Is it time off to volunteer or take a class?
Is it a path to promotion?

Managing employees in your small business is easier said than done, for sure. However, once you know the secrets to their success, communicate your vision to your employees in a way that matters to them and allows them to perform their jobs with enthusiasm and a stake in your success.

Also, recognize your own tendencies to get involved in your staff's personal situations. Oftentimes, we want to approach managing our people with a "human touch," but we have to be mindful of which situations are best to remain a neutral, disinterested observer and which require guidance or a resolution path for an issue that could have a significant impact on you or your business.

Putting all of these elements into practice requires hard work and dedication. Surround yourself with "rock stars" – i.e., talented and passionate people who view have a stake in your business and its success – and you'll be making "music" for your business and delivering great products and services to your customers.

Guest Post from Erika H. James: Leading Under Pressure for Small Business

2010-10-10T09:52:00.001-07:00

Erika H. James is an associate professor of business administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. Here's her guest post on how small business owners need to be prepared in the event of a crisis.

This past summer the book that I co-authored with Lynn Perry Wooten, Leading Under Pressure: From Surviving to Thriving Before, During, and After a Crisis, was released with great fanfare and interest. The timing could not have been more perfect for its debut. It hit bookshelves and online outlets in the midst of the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and subsequent oil spill. The country was riveted by video of oil gushing endlessly from the debilitated underwater rig in the Gulf Coast, and we were drawn into the 24-hour news cycle reporting of the ineptness with which BP executive Tony Hayward handled the public relations aspect of crisis response. Technically, the oil giant may have done all the right things to stop the leak and contain the oil, but the public could not get beyond the PR gaffes to show much empathy for the firm. In the midst of this crisis comes Leading Under Pressure, and the need for such a book was crystal clear.

To be completely frank, however, we wrote Leading Under Pressure with the Fortune 500 firms in mind. The executives leading those firms were our intended audience, as we felt they needed the most help. Interestingly, however, over the past several months, we have received more speaking requests from small to medium-size firms and from government agencies or other non-profits. In preparing for those talks, we realized that the core principles of the book apply, regardless of one's profit status or size. Although the consequences of crisis for the small business may be less dramatic, and therefore less public, they are no less severe and painful for the people working for and leading those firms. With that in mind, I present the "Top 5 Things a Small Business Owner Should Know About Successfully Leading Under Pressure":

Effective crisis handling requires more than good PR. In fact, in the book we rarely use the term crisis management, preferring instead to highlight the importance of leadership during difficult times. Crisis leadership encompasses PR, to be sure, but it necessarily goes beyond the communication side of crisis handling to include key leadership capabilities.
Not all crises are the same. A simple but effective way to distinguish crisis types is with the labels Sudden Crisis vs. Smoldering Crisis (terms introduced to me by my colleagues at the Institute for Crisis Management). We are all familiar with the natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or workplace violence that constitute the sudden crisis category, but did you know that nearly three-quarters of crises are smoldering in nature? Smoldering crises are the small internal problems in a firm that, if ignored, can become a crisis. Labor complaints leading to class action lawsuits or product defects leading to recalls are two common examples of smoldering crises.
Leadership under pressure is a state of mind. Those managers, owners, team leaders, etc. who are able to scan the environment and see problems on the horizon as well as possibilities for a greater tomorrow are more likely to eventually reap the proverbial opportunity from a crisis situation.
Specific competencies are particularly relevant for leading under pressure. These include the ability to make quick and ethical decisions and to take risks even in the face of a threat in addition to possessing a passion for learning and a capacity for building trust across all stakeholders. Over time, leaders who do these things well ultimately help prevent crises.
Pay attention to impact on and input from all stakeholders. It is all too easy to become blinded by those stakeholders with the loudest bark or who have the most power or control over the organization (e.g., regulators, lending institutions, activists, or private investors) and to lose sight of other stakeholders who may actually need leadership's attention more. Certainly, you cannot ignore the powerful groups, but neither can you cower to them at the expense of employees and customers, who, at the end, of the day do more to keep the small business alive then almost any other group.

Be a Fearless, Shameless Self-Promoter of You and Your Business

2010-08-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

You have to be a shameless, fearless self-promoter in order to point the spotlight in your direction, attract people to your concept, and convince them to spend their money with you. You must have a clear, coherent story that differentiates your business from your competitors.

What is your unique selling point?
What's the hook?
What makes your business special and why?
What is it about you as a person that is unique and interesting and will make the story about your business rich and colorful?

Once you've developed your story, you need to create channels to get it out. Public relations is a cost-effective and credible means of delivering valuable information about your business. Establish contact with local reporters who cover small businesses in your community so you can learn more about the types of stories they cover and keep them informed about news and events about your business. Over the nearly five years that I ran my restaurant business, Dessert Noir Café & Bar in Beaverton, Oregon, I secured over 40 stories in print, online, and broadcast media both locally and nationally. Most small business owners would kill for that kind of publicity, and I did it simply by following the news trends to "insert" myself into the conversation that was hot at the moment, establishing relationships with reporters, and having a great story "at the ready" to tell.

For small businesses, marketing campaigns can quickly get expensive. When you don't have a big budget, focus on inexpensive tactics to spread the word. Create an informative web site, use email newsletters from sites like Constant Contact, start a blog, tweet about your business on Twitter, and encourage customers to link with you on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Distribute and post flyers, get your friends to book business with you, give your employees discounts to bring in their friends and family, and sign up for free online and print directories. Do whatever it takes to generate the buzz. Some of these tactics might not work as well as others, yet all you'll spend is a little time and minimal money as you experiment.

Another option to leverage your limited marketing bucks is joint marketing and selling with suppliers, customers, or complementary businesses. You don't have to look far to create joint marketing opportunities, nor do you have to spend a lot of money to achieve good results. For example, Indio Spirits is a distiller of vodka, gin, and whiskey in Portland, specializing in small handcrafted batches infused with unique flavors. When Indio announced the introduction of two new vodka flavors, I collaborated with Indio's owner to host an exclusive launch party at my restaurant where we both invited our customers and the press to sample the vodkas in new cocktails and savory dishes for a special dinner.

Lastly, don't ever stop talking about your business. Everyone you meet represents a one-on-one marketing opportunity. I was known to hustle people in parking lots to get them to come to my restaurant. When you share your passion, energy, and drive about your business often enough, it will come naturally from your heart and out of your mouth.

Preparing for the Entrepreneurial Journey: Define Balance for Yourself

2010-07-19T21:38:00.001-07:00

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), two-thirds of new small businesses survive at least two years, 44 percent at least four years, and 31 percent at least seven years. You may be thinking to yourself, "Whoa! I can get better odds of winning on the slots in Las Vegas."

Starting a business is difficult and risky, and women entrepreneurs face unique obstacles to getting access to funding, overcoming stereotypes, and justifying our existence to "good old boys" with the power to decide if we'll land that big client or get that critical bank loan. But we do it because many benefits and rewards accrue to the risk-taking, visionary woman with a successful business – financial freedom, fulfilling a customer's need, a better chance at work/life balance, sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, impact to your local community, and personal and professional growth.

As a woman, your life is a balancing act. You're striving to create a successful business; manage a household; be a great wife, mother, girlfriend, and confidant; and still have time to pursue other interests. Before you embark on this entrepreneurial journey, assess your lifestyle and comprehend protecting what I call your "M" factors:

1. Money

2. Marriage and/or Motherhood

3. Mortgage

4. Motor Vehicle

5. (Peace of) Mind

There may be others you will add, but the point is to know what's important in your life so you can prepare yourself for the entrepreneurial lifestyle. The strength and stability of each of your Ms will be tested time and again. Therefore, you must be absolutely clear about how you're going to balance the demands of running your business. Carefully determine your priorities, negotiate them and be clear with your loved ones about where you stand, and draw the boundaries that you never want to cross.

Business ownership is at once challenging, engaging, stressful, and exhausting on many levels. Think about how you bring your "whole self" to your venture. You must consider how the day-to-day stresses of running your business will affect your overall mental, spiritual, physical, and financial health and well-being. That requires having a strong support team who will advise, consult, and comfort you when you need to reach out for help.

Guest Post: Best Conferences for Entrepreneurs Around the World

2010-06-29T09:17:00.001-07:00

Amelia Von Wolffersdoriff researches and writes about online degrees from accredited colleges for Guide to Online Schools and she is a blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog. She's graciously offered to be a guest blogger to give you the inside scoop on events for entrepreneurs taking place all over the world.

Are you a new or veteran entrepreneur? Would you like to interact with other entrepreneurs and hear their stories? Do you want to learn about current research and developments in this field? If so, browse the following list of conferences on entrepreneurship, located in cities across the entire globe…

Growth 2.0 Conference: Conducted by Entrepreneur magazine, this conference is a gathering of members of the small business community, business authors, CEOs, and the editors of Entrepreneur. There are three seminar sessions, with four different speakers to choose from at each time. Session titles include "How to Raise Money Now," "Networking Like a Pro," "3 Weeks to Startup," and "Internet Power Marketing." You'll enjoy the breadth of insight offered by the speakers, each with his or her own background and experiences in the world of entrepreneurship.

International Conference on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Regional Development: Located in Thessaloniki, Greece, this two-day conference presents the latest research, scientific development, and practice on entrepreneurship and innovation. It targets entrepreneurs, academics, policymakers, researchers, and students. The primary themes of this conference are regional economic development, the global economy, and regional partnerships. This conference includes four keynote speakers, all European but with a variety of backgrounds.

International Council for Small Business World Conference, held in a different city around the world each year, is in its 56th year. Well-known entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and business service providers from around the world speak at this four-day conference, discussing topics ranging from social entrepreneurship to globalization and its impact on entrepreneurship to sustainable entrepreneurship. The 2011 conference's theme is "Changes in Perspectives of Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation."

International Research Conference on Entrepreneurship: The focus of this conference is innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly the status of entrepreneurship in catching-up economics like that of the Philippines, where this conference is held. Researchers and other prominent people in the field give paper and poster presentations covering their original theories, practice, empirical studies, and case analysis. Also included in this conference's agenda are workshops and tutorials, as well as entrepreneurship product exhibits.

UCLA Entrepreneurs Conference: This Los Angeles conference boasts information panels with an incredibly diverse selection of topics, from healthcare, fashion, and food and beverage operations, to digital media, mobile devices, the internet, and real estate. One highlight is the "Going Green: Sustainability in Operations -- Recycling and Reusability" panel. Over sixty speakers, including the two keynote speakers, share their wealth of knowledge and experiences at this conference.

U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference: This is an assembly of scholars and educators from around the world designed to teach attendees the best practices in entrepreneurship education and program development. Spanning four days, this event includes keynote speakers, informational meetings, and workshop sessions. It takes place at a different U.S. location each year.

Wharton Entrepreneurship Conference: Held in Philadelphia, this conference is aimed at budding entrepreneurs who need advise about starting a business in a tough economy. The agenda consists of three keynote addresses integrated with 45-minute information panels and a "Start-Up Expo" session on a range of new businesses. Several different people, such as CEOs, managers, founders, or directors of various companies, speak at each panel; titles of the panels include "Legal Bootcamp: Protecting Value Created by Entrepreneurship," "Best Practices for Starting an E-Retail Venture," and "Innovations In Consumer Products and Services." The day concludes with an information session on networking.

Women Entrepreneurship Inspire Conference: This conference, held at Oklahoma State University, melds education and entertainment through a variety of inspiring speakers. Female founders, CEOs, and presidents of different companies share their stories, advice, and experiences. Intermixed with the speakers are information sessions on starting up businesses and growing businesses. A networking lunch with guest entrepreneurs provides opportunities for attendees to become further acquainted with the field.

Women in Charge Conference: This one-day event in Miami Beach, Florida, organized by Entrepreneur magazine, is designed for women wishing to collaborate with other entrepreneurs and gain networking experience in the field. Attendees learn tactics for online marketing and networking, discover low-cost marketing strategies, and even meet the editors of Entrepreneur. A keynote speaker offers her own business insights and stories.

Personal Insights About Lending Money to Employees

2010-06-20T16:27:00.001-07:00

Sarah Needleman, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, recently wrote an article about small business owners who lend money to their employees. The article notes that entrepreneurs generally develop close ties to their employees in these small, close-knit companies. Therefore, it's not all that unusual for them to go above and beyond the call of duty to help their employees bridge a financial gap or cover unexpected expenses.

In my own experience, I would lend money occasionally to my employees at my former restaurant business, Dessert Noir Café & Bar, to help them "get by" until their next paychecks – e.g., gas money, groceries, school expenses, family obligations. After all, for a service-oriented business where the workers are typically low-skilled and are just barely getting by on their salaries and tips, it didn't take much for a financial issue to really throw my employees for a loop. And for the most part, I was happy to help, for I knew my employees very well and trusted that they were being open and honest with me about their financial issues. Also, they were always quick to pay me back, and I never had to resort to drastic measures for them to keep up their end of the bargain.

However, in 2006, I lent my restaurant's chef/general manager a significant sum of money for his defense in a child custody case with his ex-wife. Because he could not afford the attorney on his own at the time and he was a dedicated employee, I wanted to ensure that he had some "peace of mind" as he was working through this legal issue at the same time he was focused on running my restaurant. Also, he was managing a team of employees, and I wanted to ensure continuity in the operation.

Well, this was a "retention strategy" gone bad. I was always very clear with this employee that the money was NOT part of his wages or a bonus, but rather it was a loan that needed to be repaid. I was flexible on the payment terms, but we agreed that if he terminated employment with my company, the loan would be due immediately. In 2007, when he left my company to pursue employment with another restaurant away from the area, I informed him again of his obligation to repay the company the loan for his legal fees. Unfortunately, he felt no obligation to repay this loan, and I had to sue him for the money, which amounted to nearly $11,000 plus court costs, fees, and interest.

When the court awarded my judgment against this former employee, I worked with my attorney to contact his new employer to attempt to garnish his wages. However, he was not making enough money at the time for me to pursue my claim. Since then, he's "gone off the grid" and I have now hired a collection agency to pursue recovering this judgment on my company's behalf.

To wrap up here, a few pros and cons of lending money to employees:

Pros:
1. As an employer, you have an opportunity to help an employee through a difficult period, assuming it's a temporary situation, and you can ensure that the employee remains highly engaged in his work. This could help with ensuring your operation stays on track and employees deliver the results that you're expecting.
2. Employers can set a good example that he/she is dedicated to the business and invests in his/her employees. This can have a positive impact on employee morale and instill loyalty to your business and your customers.
Cons:
1. As I noted above, it's very difficult to collect these debts if the situation "turns for the worse" and the employee fails to meet his/her obligation. Therefore, it's best to lend money that you can "live without" in case you never see it again.
2. Employers can risk "crossing the line" between business and personal if they are too concerned or too wrapped up in their employees' lives and wanting to "fix things" for them. I think as entrepreneurs, we tend to be "doers," and if there's a problem, we try to come up with a solution, especially if the problem is having a direct impact on the success of our businesses.
3. In these situations, business owners can inadvertently create a culture of dependency within the organization. Employees become free to approach you for financial assistance first before seeking out others who could step in, like their friends and family. In my case, I was clear with my employees that I was the "lender of last resort" after they exhausted all other options.

Every business owner and individual employee's situation will be different. My advice: Know what you're getting into before you decide that extending loans to your employees is a good thing for you and your business. Ensure you have a clear understanding about the terms of the loan and your expectations about getting repaid. You'll certainly be better off for having been clear and direct.

Moving and Shaking in the Portland Real Estate Market

2010-05-01T10:34:00.001-07:00

As I speak in front of audiences of women entrepreneurs and business professionals and work on various projects and issues in my corporate career, I have the privilege of meeting people who have amazing stories and are doing extraordinary things. I want to tell you about two women who are moving and shaking in the Portland real estate market – Jean Silver and Michele Fisher.

I recently met Jean when I spoke at the March meeting of the Portland Female Executives. Jean is a 20-year veteran in real estate who has a unique angle on the Portland real estate market and serves as a role model who's just "getting it done." Jean is a Top 10% agent at Windermere Cronin & Caplan Realty Group, and despite the economic downturn, she's moving houses in this market by using her deep insider knowledge of this market to help sell-side clients price their homes to move and to target buyers in specific demographic groups and neighborhoods with the greatest opportunities to move fast on deals. For example, her listings under $300,000 have sold in less than 22 days. She's also working on getting the word out to help today's buyers and sellers realize that they can close deals on homes if they know where to look, overcome their fears, and consult with experts they can trust. Jean also has a great personal story about how she even took her own advice late last year and sold her own existing home in six weeks, moved into her dream home at a huge discount, and locked in a 30-year mortgage at an interest rate of 3.875 percent. In other words, if you're in the market to buy or sell home, there's no need to be afraid or to wait for the market to "hit bottom."

On the other hand, Michele is a "newbie." She works for The Hasson Company Realtors and took the plunge into selling real estate after a successful career in technical and marketing positions at Intel Corporation. Michele and I have known each other for several years, and when she and I got back in touch upon her return to the U.S. after an ex-pat assignment in Europe and leaving Intel, I thought she was crazy to get into this business in the midst of the "Great Recession." But I have to tell you, Michele is fearless, and she is working diligently to build her client base and provide incredible personalized service for people who are in the market for a new home. She's also using emerging technologies like Smarter Agent, where interested home buyers can be in any neighborhood and view detailed property information on their mobile phones, and further differentiating herself by specializing in environmentally-friendly homes as a Hasson Certified Green Agent, Earth Advantage Broker, and member of the Hasson Green Team.

Jean and Michele are qualified experts who are bringing a "bright side of the market" story to light. I appreciate that tremendously, for when I was running Dessert Noir Café & Bar, I had to fight against the onslaught of bad news and do my best to encourage my customers to not get caught up in all the "bad news" about what's happening in the economy. Both Jean and Michelle are spreading the word and telling their stories, delivering tremendous value to their clients, and staying out front of the issues in the real estate market as we move into the high season for home buying/selling in late spring/early summer.

Recession – what "recession"? You go, girls!

Friends and Family Investors

2010-03-22T22:11:00.001-07:00

Even under the best economic circumstances, it is difficult for an entrepreneur to raise capital from angel investors, VCs, banks, and other "disinterested third parties." It's even more challenging if you're a woman or minority. In my case, I reached out to my friends and family at the very beginning. They contributed about half the start-up costs. After that, I had a combination of my own savings/investments, commercial loan, credit cards, and income from my "day job," which I had the "good sense" not to quit.

Here's my advice for current and aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to tap into their friends and family as potential investors:

1. Friends and Family Are the "True Angels"
Don't sit around waiting for some random "angel investor" who doesn't know you from Adam to fall from the sky and be ready to invest in your idea. When I started my company, only one person who invested did not know me before I pitched him, and I found him through someone with whom I had a personal connection and relationship. The rest were business-minded friends and family who believed in my ability to succeed, understood the long-term return on their investment, and did not lie awake at night worried about their money.

2. Have a Plan
My friends and family were willing to part with their money to support my business because I had a business plan that explained every aspect of the venture in detail. I could clearly articulate the key reasons why my business would be successful. You absolutely must be 100 percent clear about what success looks like and what's the "end game" for your business so your friends and family know you've got your act together.

3. Your Skin in the Game
I know that a key reason that my friends and family got behind my venture was because I put in a significant amount of my own capital and I had a "fall back plan" with a day job in case things went south, as they did with this recession when I was forced to close my restaurant business. You cannot expect other people to invest in your business if you have this "illusion" about using "other people's money" to launch your idea. It doesn't work that way for most of us. Rather, we need to prove that we're "in it to win it" and demonstrate that we are truly committed to that idea and will do what it takes to make it work.

4. Be Clear About the Purpose of the Funds and Write it Down
I have a Sub-Chapter S Corporation, which makes my investors shareholders in my company, and I put together all the proper legal documentation to ensure everyone understood the risks, rewards, and responsibilities of investing in my company. If you're not selling shares and you're borrowing money from friends and family, create a document that outlines the terms and conditions of the loan. If you're not comfortable doing that yourself, get a third party to intervene or look into online communities that act as the "middle man" for people-to-people lending agreements.

5. Be Prepared to "Chase and Wait"
When I was going through this process, I joked that I felt like public broadcasting during pledge season: "Can you give $5,000? Oh, that's too much. What about $2,000 or $2,500? Will that work?" And that's what it took: I raised the money I needed over the course of several months, and it took months after that to actually get my investors to write the checks. I have investors in my business who initially contributed as little as $2,500, with most folks coming in somewhere around $5,000 to $10,000. For most people, this is "real money" and you have to be patient and "gently push" them to meet your deadlines once they've committed their support.

When it comes to friends and family investors in your business, you have to plan ahead to achieve your results. Considering they are the ones who are most likely to support your business idea and want to see you succeed, it's worth it to invest the time and resources to bring them into the fold.

Columnist for Sunday News Magazine Web Site

2010-03-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

I will be one of the columinsts featured on the Sunday News Magazine web site. I'll be writing about small business issues and topics. Definitely check it out!

The Real Deal on Raising Money for Your Business

2010-02-02T09:24:00.001-08:00

According to the Sept. 2009 American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor, 20 percent of business owners report experiencing difficulty accessing capital. Even if you manage to get it, you discover that entrepreneurs and bankers have different perspectives on funding a business.

The entrepreneur works her plan to achieve profitability, takes huge risks, and sees success on the horizon. The banker, on the other hand, assesses today's "Cs" – credit, cash flow, and collateral – and funds businesses with the least amount of risk to the bank, i.e., ones with lengthy, profitable track records. Service, retail, and restaurants, which tend to be heavily female and have a reputation for being tough, highly competitive, and prone to failure, tend to be unattractive from the start.

I believe this disconnect explains in large part why the vast majority of us don't get money from banks. The Aug. 2009 Small Business Success Index notes that only about a third of businesses rely on traditional bank credit lines, one-fifth get bank loans, and about three percent receive SBA loans. And they usually require your personal guarantee should the business not be able to meet these obligations.

You have to be creative in getting the funding you need for your business. A few areas to consider:

What's Your Skin in the Game?

According to a Nov. 2009 study by the Kauffman Foundation, the most significant source of funding for all businesses is the owners' personal savings. Therefore, get your personal finances in order – clear debts, pay off bills, save money. There's wisdom in that cliché, "Don't quit your day job." When revenues fall short, your paycheck fills in and gives you a leg up when you're ready to seek outside financing. The credit lines I secured were approved because of my day job.

Friends and Family Are True "Angels"

With angel investors difficult to find and attract, your friends and family are your best bet. When I started my company, only one person who invested did not know me before I pitched him. The rest were business-minded friends and family who believed in my ability to succeed, understood the long-term return on their investment, and did not lie awake at night worried about their money.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Crisis never strikes at a cash-rich time, and bankers or angels aren't coming to the rescue. Instead, you will dig deep into your own pockets and lean on your friends and family to stay in business. Have the "short list" of people you can call in a crunch, particularly other women. As self-empowerment expert Iyanla Vanzant says, "If you think back through your life and your deepest, darkest moments, it was another woman, an angel, who was there for you."

Explore Financing Alternatives

Alternative financiers offer funding options for entrepreneurs where banks and investors are not. "People-to-people" lending sites, like Prosper Marketplace (http://www.prosper.com), where community members bid on loan requests, are popular among business owners. After a simple application process and routine credit check, I posted my first request on Prosper for $10,000 for working capital, and in less than a day, I received enough bids to fund my loan and secured an interest rate comparable to my credit cards.

Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate

Finally, learn the art of negotiation with your vendors and creditors if you get into a tight spot. Most people will accept getting paid late over not getting paid at all. Set up payment plans and openly communicate with them about what's happening when you hit a slow period or get hit with surprise expenses. You will find that most people, especially if they are small business owners, understand exactly what you're going through.

Powerful Social Networking Sites for Women Entrepreneurs

2010-01-29T10:54:00.001-08:00

A. Michelle Blakeley, founder and CEO of Simplicity, Inc., a small business development firm, wrote a recent piece for EntrepreneurConnect on Entrepreneur.com on social networking sites for women entrepreneurs. Definitely check it out if you're looking for communities of women entrepreneurs online.

Guest Post by Michelle Strassburg: Tips to Improve Your Marketing After the Holidays

2010-01-20T08:41:00.001-08:00

Having been a marketing director for years and now co-founder of a company, I know firsthand that sometimes we need a break from the rat race of running a business to truly appreciate what we've accomplished, and more importantly, what's next. After spending time with your loved ones this past holiday season, you might decide to look back at your marketing efforts throughout the year and consider your options for the upcoming year. Here are a few tips and thoughts to help you improve your marketing for 2010.

1. Are you using all the free channels at your disposal?
There are a number of services offered by Google which can really help your marketing. One of which is Google Base, a free service from Google which allows businesses to list products and services on its first page results. In most cases, products will appear just below the paid results and will include an image, title, price, and direct link to the product. I also recommend Google Local Business, which allows you to create a listing for your business that could then appear for certain search queries.

2. Have you considered a multi-channel strategy?
Over the years, I have learned that the key to successful marketing is to reach as many customers as possible and not to place all my eggs in one basket. Side by side with having a functional e-commerce website, you should consider using the likes of eBay, Amazon, and even Etsy to reach a broader audience. eBay, for example, generates revenues greater than the GDP of many countries, making it a force to reckon with, and Amazon has a loyal customer base which you'll find hard to compete against.

3. Are you creating loyal customers?
Winning new customers is often easier than keeping them! Did you know that investing in your customer retention and customer service can help build brand ambassadors? Brand ambassadors are those customers who would happily recommend your business, spread the word about your product or service across social media channels, and are likely to buy again. As with all relationships, business or personal, you must work hard to make sure the other party is happy. To make this a reality, customer service should be a business priority. You must stay in touch, actively communicate, and diversify your communication methods. From emerging social media channels like Twitter to more established ones like online chat are critical tools in your marketing toolbox to ensure you stay connected with your customers.

4. Get rid of what's not working.
For many of us, the marketing process started with trial and error. If you don't try, you'll never know. I say now that you know when you have enough learnings and can determine with confidence which marketing channel is working, which is disappointing, and which still has potential. Therefore, invest your time and efforts accordingly.

I hope my tips will point you in the right direction. Good luck in 2010.

Michelle Strassburg is co-founder at online hardwood flooring vendor Wood and Beyond. Michelle has over 10 years experience managing online marketing and is an active blogger.

New York Times: Restaurant Business Presents Unique Challenges for Small Business Owners

2010-01-16T12:13:00.001-08:00

Barbara Taylor wrote a piece in the New York Times' small business blog this week titled, "There's No Business Like the Restaurant Business." It's a very insightful and compelling piece, and I couldn't agree with Barbara more. I contributed a comment to Barbara's post, which serves as the basis for my blog post today.

Why do professionals from all walks of life think they can run a restaurant business? In my case, I wanted to start a business that was as far away from my high-tech job as possible. As someone who enjoyed eating out and cooking and entertaining at home, I thought starting a restaurant fit my skills and interests best. I, too, had years of business experience and an MBA, figuring that at its core, as Barbara noted, a restaurant has one of the simplest, most basic business models in the world: You buy ingredients and turn them into delectable menu items which people pay you to prepare. You get a liquor license, purchase wine and spirits, and sell them at a great mark-up. You deliver fabulous service in a great location where people seek you out because you have the hippest place in town. We all go out to eat and have a pretty good feel for how it works. Could it really be that hard?

Well, I learned after four and a half years of "slugging it out" in the restaurant business that it is "really that hard" and harder! Yes, I, too, experienced the "drama" with my employees, including ones who stole from me, and even had to bring a lawsuit against one who owed the business money. I learned the hard way that no one cares about your business as much as you do. And I certainly could have used a lot more capital to ensure that when times got tough, I had more room to breathe.

At the same time, I think it's even more difficult if you're running an owner-operated restaurant in the suburbs, where the "chain game" dominates and has an enormous advantage in terms of money, marketing, and muscle. I took on that fast-food culture and provided an alternative that was local, sensible, and superior. I led a lonely "one-woman parade" on the front end of a trend to bring more downtown sophistication to my suburban community and convince Beaverton's residents to get out and explore, discover new and exciting places, and make it a point to support local businesses. In addition, my market research demonstrated that the tide was turning and suburban customers had taste, appreciated culture, and wanted cool and exciting businesses that added local flavor to this community.

While the bad economy and financial crisis ultimately led my restaurant's demise, it started with my inability to convince enough potential customers of the "go-local" value proposition. I had an award-winning establishment that was successful in gaining recognition and building a loyal, supportive, and appreciative customer base. However, I couldn't get enough share of voice in the marketplace to influence the greater number of people who proved to be content with fueling the stereotypes and misperceptions about suburbanites lining up for hours at the Cheesecake Factory and Five Guys, waiting several cars deep in drive-through lines at McDonald's, and hanging out on patios at Starbucks. Adding insult to injury would be the customers who would wait two hours for a table at a chain restaurant but complained bitterly about a 10-minute wait at my small place. Or the email I received from a customer who shared his disappointment with paying $8 for our signature Valrhona dark-chocolate torte because he could "see the bottom of the plate." Never mind it was probably the best chocolate he ever had in his life, but because it wasn't some huge monstrosity of a dessert, he thought he wasn't getting his money's worth...

In the U.S., the corporate chains have convinced a broad swath of the public that "bigger is better" and having mediocre, mass-produced food overflowing from your plate is somehow better than going to your locally-owned restaurant that's trying to make a name for itself with high-quality food, great service, and a focus on giving back to our communities. Despite the trends of "buying local" and being more conscious and aware of the sources of food and methods of production, the vast majority of consumers still want their food big, fast, and cheap.

I was a pioneer in my local community with my concept, which means that while my restaurant didn't survive, others are sure to follow my example and build on my foundation. Also, I'm convinced that the long-term trends are in our favor as thought leaders like Michael Pollan continue to educate the public about the food industry, the White House vegetable garden serves as an example for healthy living, and other high-profile people in the restaurant business strive for change.

While I'm sad that I closed my business last summer, I'm happy and proud of my legacy in raising this community's consciousness and giving other business owners the inspiration to build on what I started.

Closed Your Business in 2009? It’s Not the End of Your Entrepreneurial Journey.

2010-01-09T11:04:00.001-08:00

As small business owners, we know that every day our business is open is a day we defy the odds. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that two-thirds of new businesses survive at least two years, and about 44 percent survive at least four. SBA researchers note that these numbers don't differ greatly by industry. Therefore, no matter what market you're serving with your small business, you have about the same chances of survival as everyone else.

Let's face it: 2009 was an especially tough year as a lot of small businesses succumbed to the "Great Recession." I closed my restaurant business, Dessert Noir Café & Bar in Beaverton, Oregon, in July 2009, after four and a half years of operation. Dessert Noir Café & Bar was among a handful of independent restaurants in Beaverton that offered suburban diners an alternative to the casual-dining and fast-food chains. Recognized almost immediately as a standout for its food and beverages, this award-winning restaurant was also known as a venue for special events, celebrity sightings, and live musical performances and art displays from local-area talent.

Despite Dessert Noir Café & Bar's success, the downturn proved too strong for my restaurant's long-term survival. Three key factors came into play:

1. Restaurants are on the front line of consumer sentiment, and I saw the first signs of today's economic troubles in April 2007, well ahead of when the bad news started to get reported widely. Back then, I lost customers who teetered on the edge of personal economic failure, people who were living beyond their means in houses they couldn't afford.

2. I counted on my core customers who still felt secure in their jobs and investments. However, Wall Street's meltdown and the resulting impact on the economy and credit markets changed that picture dramatically. Even my most affluent, fiscally prudent customers ran for cover in the wake of mounting job losses and dwindling investment and property values.

3. As we endure the slow pace of recovery, it's still nearly impossible for small businesses to get access to credit. Despite the recent actions of the Obama Administration to cajole the banks into lending, I couldn't get a bank to work with me to save my life, despite being a customer in good standing. As former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich describes in his 2009 year-end commentary, Wall Street's bailout has not "trickled down" to Main Street as normal, everyday people continue to suffer through mortgage delinquencies and job losses and small businesses can't get credit.

Well, the most optimistic of entrepreneurs like me couldn't overcome these serious challenges in the marketplace. Even so, I've learned valuable lessons and gained tremendous insights that will follow me into my next business venture:

Money, money, money, money, money!
I wish I had a better handle on the costs to ramp the business at the beginning because I paid a heavy price for the "learning curve." If I had even a fraction of the money I spent on costly start-up mistakes, I would not have "hustled" nearly as much as to keep the business going. Inevitably, as the breakeven target moved farther away, the business wound up costing more to operate than I originally anticipated, and when the economy started to tank, it got worse.

Everyone who runs a small business warns against being undercapitalized, but no one is ever prepared. It was at these times when I did not have help from banks or elusive angel investors, and I essentially had to dig deep into my own pockets and lean on my real "angels" who were watching over me – i.e., friends and family – to stay in business. Also, where the banks have walked away from entrepreneurs, other grey-market and alternative financiers have stepped in to fill the void, and I was forced to explore creative (and often very expensive) financing options to meet my commitments and keep the business running.

Know when it's time to say, "That's enough."
When I wrote my business plan for Dessert Noir Café & Bar in early 2004, the economy was growing and the business outlook was positive and encouraging, especially in my local market. Fast forward to the summer of 2009 and I did not have any idea that I'd have to manage a business through the worst recession in a generation. Increasing job losses, a financial crisis that's severely tightened credit, and predictions for a painfully slow recovery all weakened consumer confidence, which is critical to a restaurant's survival. I held on as long as I could, but even with local and national publicity and recognition, a new approach to the menu, and a renewed commitment to be Beaverton's premier dessert destination, none of it was enough to keep the business alive, much less to thrive. Unfortunately, the business had to close and there really was no other choice.

The lesson here is to not hold on too long. There's a lot of wisdom and value in knowing when it's time to move on. I probably held on six months too long because I "wished" the economy would improve and sales would "just turn around next month." I also tried to save the jobs of my nine employees as I was very concerned about their prospects in a job market with double-digit unemployment.

Be clear about your sense of purpose.
Our journey as entrepreneurs can be a long, difficult one, and there will be days when you ask, "Exactly why did I do this to myself?" The stress and anxiety will keep you awake at night because you carry a huge burden most people with whom you interact cannot appreciate or understand. After all, most people don't have the courage to take the risks that we're taking and are collecting paychecks at their jobs that they complain about constantly and don't really like doing.

Your purpose is the light that illuminates the path when you cannot see. When you focus on your purpose, your inspiration for being in business in the first place and stay true to your dream of success, the day-to-day trials and tribulations become easier to manage.

Failure of your business does not mean your failure as an individual.
If you shut down your business, it's not the end of the world. Even if you fall flat on your face, you've created momentum and shown progress. You've also probably learned something about yourself and your capabilities as a business owner. I had a clear strategy that provided me an "elegant exit," which included holding on to my "day job" while having the business, which needless to say, has come in very handy. I also made sure that I would not be financially ruined and I honored all of my commitments to my employees and business partners.

In fact, I've speaking to a lot of groups recently and telling them that despite closing my restaurant, 2009 was a great year for me. I published a book, Divas Doing Business: What the Guidebooks Don't Tell You About Being a Woman Entrepreneur, which features a foreword by Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. I've also been getting more exposure as a small business expert and sharing my experiences with fellow entrepreneurs. Finally, I'm spending the time that I didn't have when I was in the throes of running the restaurant to think about what's next on the horizon.

So you closed that business in 2009? Don't worry because your next act is destined to be better. When there's a will, there's a way. If you believe that being an entrepreneur is the right course for you and you can visualize yourself at the end of the journey having achieved your goals, then you will defy the odds.

Thinking About the Name for Your Business

2009-12-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

When you're starting a business, especially one that caters to the general public, you have to be strategic and forward thinking when it comes to choosing its name. When I look back on my marketing approach to creating a presence for Dessert Noir Café & Bar, it all started with the restaurant’s name itself.

The brand came to me as I imagined the space and visualized what people would do there. Inspired by the ultra lounges, restaurants, and nightclubs, I originally conceived a classy evening destination for 20-, 30-, and 40-something men and women looking for fabulous desserts, small savory plates, specialty cocktails, and wine. Although I’m not a Francophile in particular, I decided that the French language would give the place an element of sophistication. I highlighted “dessert” as the primary element, used the word “noir” (which means “black” in French) to connote the after-hours theme, and tied everything together with “café” and “bar” so people would understand that we offered more than just dessert. I envisioned Dessert Noir Café & Bar to be unlike anything that anyone had ever seen in a suburban context.

As is often the case, what made perfect sense to me as an entrepreneur was completely lost on my customers. My name choice meant that I had to spend a lot of my marketing resources simply educating customers about the concept. No matter how hard I tried to communicate that “Dessert Noir Café & Bar” was about more than dessert, for the longest time people figured that was all we did, which meant there were potential customers out there who never considered visiting my restaurant due to this misperception. “Café & Bar” got lost completely despite numerous examples in the marketplace of businesses, especially restaurants, whose names focus on a single element but everyone in the world knows they do more than that one thing. Cheesecake Factory’s menu extends well beyond cheesecake, California Pizza Kitchen makes more than pizza, and Burger King sells more than hamburgers, to name a few. Even my most sophisticated, well-traveled, erudite customers did not get it – and if they didn’t get it, then the masses didn’t, either.

Friends, employees, business advisors, customers, and complete strangers advised me to change the name of the restaurant, as if taking that action would suddenly put more butts in my dining room’s chairs. While people had good intentions, I realized it was easy for them to make suggestions when it was not their money. From a marketing perspective, I invested a lot of money and time building equity in and creating differentiation for the Dessert Noir Café & Bar brand. Through press coverage, advertising, promotions, web sites, collateral, blogs, social networking, menus, and other vehicles, Dessert Noir Café & Bar did become more recognized each day, which made it too expensive to start over. The neon sign on the front of the building alone was a $5,000 investment. Eventually, I was able to overcome the hurdle as time went on, but the initial ramp to get there was a drain on my scarce marketing resources.

The lessons I learned through this experience were:
1. Consider several options for the name of your business before deciding on a single one. If you don’t have the resources to do formal market research, run it by people for their impressions. These days with the prevalence of social media channels, it’s easy enough to post an entry on a blog or other site and ask people for votes, comments, etc.
2. Evaluate if the business name too narrowly focuses on one element to the exclusion of other things that your business does. While “dessert” was the “hero” of my restaurant, people didn’t get from the name that they could order “real food” and alcoholic beverages, too, unless they took those extra steps to find out what the business was really all about.
3. If you pick a name that’s “made up,” esoteric, or otherwise unusual, be prepared to spend the requisite time and money educating your customers and building the brand.

Do the work up front to save yourself time, energy, and potential "pain" down the road.

Giving "Thanks" to Big Business

2009-12-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

I received this video from Shustir, an online marketplace for small businesses, about how we have big business and corporations to "thank" for the impact that they have on the ability of small businesses to be successful. While it's a little over the top, it certainly makes the point that we need to focus on support our local entrepreneurs and business owners to ensure that we have a vibrant, thriving economy and way of life.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

2009-11-19T16:57:00.001-08:00

Back in the early days of the hip-hop nation, a popular saying emerged that summarized everyone's collective desire for financial success and freedom: "It's all about the Benjamins." Referring, of course, to the $100 bill.

Now, in the "Great Recession" that started officially in December 2007: "It's all about the jobs." The conventional wisdom among economists is that job growth generally lags other indicators of an economic recovery as the country moves out of a recession -- e.g., stock market gains, increases in GDP. However, for consumer confidence and other "feel good" indicators that most ordinary people use to assess their own personal situations and that of their neighbors and communities, job creation is the LEADING indicator.

Here's a post on the Bizcovering web site by Ron Fields that describes how entrepreneurs are vital to job creation. He has an interesting perspective on how the private sector, led by the creativity and ingenuity of entrepreneurs, can be the engine of job creation when government "gives them room and stays out of their way" with fewer regulatory hurdles and lower taxes.

That's true to a certain extent, but there's a lot more that goes into the decision to start or expand a business than the tax implications and regulatory environment. I, for one, believe that these factors play only a small role in an entrepreneur's overall equation. Rather, it's much more about the broader opportunity to create wealth for one's self, family, and the larger community; deliver a product or service to customers that's differentiated and offers tremendous value; and leave a legacy that has the potential to persist for years and years. In the many conversations I've had with current and aspiring entrepreneurs over the years, I have yet to meet one who has said, "You know, the critical things holding back my business are taxes being too high and onerous government rules and regulations."

Sure, wouldn't we all like to have lower tax rates and free ourselves of seemingly endless and complex government bureaucracy? When I had my restaurant business, I hit the roof every two weeks when I had to fork over thousands of dollars in payroll taxes and complained all the time about the costs of licenses and permits from the health department, liquor control commission, and other government agencies. However, taxes and regulations are the price we pay for an organized capitalistic system with the basic foundation and infrastructure and checks and balances upon which we can build a successful enterprise.

Therefore, I think we're better off focusing on how to increase entrepreneurs' opportunities to create or expand their businessses in the first place:

Getting access to capital
Acquiring skills and knowledge to be good business owners who make a positive impact on the community
Finding and hiring good employees
Reaching out to new markets
Bridging the gap between the idea and its implementation
Encouraging investment in technologies that create new industries for future growth and prosperity

As Mark Cuban said in a blog post that I wrote about earlier this year: "Bust your ass and get rich. Make a boatload of money. Pay your taxes. Lots of taxes. Hire people. Train people. Pay people. Spend money on rent, equipment, services. Pay more taxes."

Entrepreneurs create opportunity, which leads to the creation of new and expanded businesses, which leads to more jobs. In the meantime, our government should invest in those areas that enable those opportunities -- education, infrastructure, R&D, energy efficiency, healthcare, safety/security. That's where we need to focus our efforts and energy.

Kicking It with the Indie Business Revolution

2009-11-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

Last night at Bay 13 Restaurant in Portland's Pearl District, Donna Maria Coles Johnson, Founder, President, and CEO of the Indie Beauty Network and Indie Business Media, hosted "Indie Business Revolution: Portland" event. I joined Donna and Kayla Fioravanti, who with her husband owns and operates Essential Wholesale, the world’s largest supplier of naturally-derived cosmetics bases, right here in the Portland area.

Donna does a great job of summarizing the spirit of the event in her blog post on her site: http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2009/11/14/my-remarks-at-indie-business-revolution-portland/. I will add that for the 15 of us who attended the event there was a spirit of togetherness and "you're not in this alone" as women entrepreneurs face the challenges of the current economic climate and discover new paths to opportunity and growth for their companies.

My key messages for the evening were:
1. Failure is not a showstopper in your business. I'm proof positive of this having gone through the emotional, financial, and spiritual turmoil of shutting down Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar this past summer. As my mom likes to tell me, "Even if you fall flat on your face, that's about five and a half feet that you moved forward."

2. If you're in business, you need to be participating in the conversation that's happening about you, your company, your industry, and the issues that affect all of them. We had a lengthy discussion about social networking and its pros and cons for micro-enterprises like these ladies are running as creators of beauty and skincare products.

My advice: Don't be intimidated by blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Stumbled Upon, Delicious, and the myriad of other avenues to creating online communities. Experiment and determine what works for you, and if it's not working, drop it and invest your precious time and resources into those avenues that lead to more exposure, more customers, more sales, and higher profits.

In this day and age, it's imperative that you get out and there and demonstrate your expertise and build connections with people in both the real and virtual worlds. If you're the type of person who really just wants to focus on your "craft," then I say you need to hire someone you can trust to help you with getting your online act together. And "hire" doesn't necessarily pay that person. There are plenty of internet and online savvy young people who are looking to build their skills and fill out their resumes as they're looking to land a job right now. Give a young person an opportunity that will also help you get what you need for your business to be successful.

3. Women need to continue to help and look out for each other in business. With so many women choosing entrepreneurship out of a desire for more work/life balance and financial freedom or out of economic necessity because men are taking a beating in this recession, we need to approach our business opportunities from a position of abundance versus scarcity. There's plenty of work to do, plenty of customers to serve, and plenty of ways to differentiate your product or service to be the best in the marketplace. Offer advice and consultation freely and willingly, even to people who are in the same business as you. Expand your network and have an open mind about who can help you and at what point in time.

Give back and be together in sisterhood in this moment, a critical point in history, because when my sisters are doing well, so am I and there's nothing we can't do. Pay it forward.

What I Did Not Love About Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar

2009-11-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

I've had nearly four months to think about the key lessons I learned from owning and operating Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. As I noted in my previous post, there were several things that I loved about the experience. However, there were also many aspects of the business that I never, ever want to experience again. Here goes:

Employees
If I must have employees in my next venture, they need to be experienced, self-motivated, and committed professionals who can make good decisions in the context of what's right for the business. It's very difficult to motivate employees in general, but it's especially challenging when you have a low-skilled, low-wage, young workforce. I spent an inordinate amount of my time reviewing processes and procedures that should have just been common sense, like come to work ready to work, teamwork is critical to success of everyone in the business, focus on the customer, follow the government's regulations for health codes and liquor control, etc.

Restaurant businesses are notorious for "drama" and we had plenty of it. My handful of high performers became very annoyed with the folks who weren't as dedicated and committed and rightfully so. It was all I could do some days to just keep the team from coming "unglued."

Customers
No more consumer retail storefront that relies on the "good graces" of the "general public" for survival. As I learned in a tough economy, the very first thing people do when times get hard is to cut back drastically on their discretionary spending. This is especially true in a suburban market like Beaverton, Oregon, where there really isn't a culture of going out and folks are too unpredictable in their spending on local restaurants. For example, most weekends we were busy on either Friday or Saturday but not both. It seems like everyone got the same "memo" about which night to go out for the weekend. It was rare to get several good days in a row. Also, it's too easy for people to "hide away" in their cul de sacs with their kids and just not be bothered altogether.

Operations
Restaurants are low-margin businesses. You're lucky if you break even and can get profit margins in the single digits once you achieve that milestone. You don't have to be an expert to know that these businesses tend to have really high start-up costs -- construction build-out, equipment, fixtures, finishes, tables, chairs, labor, food/beverage -- particularly if you're building a place as opposed to taking over an existing operation. And then once you're up and running, the fixed costs are a killer. It didn't seem to matter if I served five or 50 people, it cost the same amount of money -- rent, utilities, payroll, cost of goods, loan payments, etc. -- for me to operate on a daily basis. So that meant that if revenue went down significantly, I had to scramble and hustle to make up for the shortfall. That happened all the time...

Also, I needed a strong, operationally-focused "Number 2" person to back me up. With a day job to manage, I lacked someone to whom I could truly delegate the day-to-day operation and trust that he/she would execute my vision. Honestly, the two general managers I had were complete failures for a variety of reasons, and when I stepped in to change my operational model and have everyone in the restaurant simply be accountable directly to me, the operation improved almost overnight. But that created a lot of stress and strain on me, to say the least, and I sacrificed a lot in terms of my quality of life.

Now it's on to the next chapter of my entrepreneurial life. I'm still working on it. I think I finally have a few good ideas and will start putting some plans together in the next couple of months to make something happen.

What I Loved About Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar

2009-09-02T22:16:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe it's been nearly two months since I closed Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. As I've been looking back on the experience and analyzing the positive and negative aspects of running that restaurant operation, a picture is beginning to emerge that will help me with figuring out my next moves.

It's always easier to harp on what went wrong; so I'm going to buck convention here and focus this post on "What I Loved About Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar":

Promoting the business - I'm a marketing person with a talent for spreading the word, and I really had the opportunity to do some cool and interesting marketing campaigns -- e.g., celebrity appearances, joint marketing with local businesses, unusual events, live music and entertainment.

Differentiation - Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar was the only concept of its kind in Beaverton. If I had decided to open "yet another" Pacific NW bistro, Mexican, Italian, coffee shop, or fast-casual restaurant, I would not have lasted as long as I did.

Getting recognition - Yes, I enjoy being in the spotlight, but that doesn't mean I didn't share credit. I worked hard to get the awards, accolades, recognition, and acclaim I received for the business, but I shared it with my team for doing their part.

Creative process - I knew going into this business that I wasn't going to be the person busting out the food every single night, for despite how easy it looks on the Food Network, commercial cooking takes as much as discipline and skill as it does art and magic. However, I enjoyed working with my team to determine which food and beverages we'd feature on our menu each season and watching them generate ideas that would eventually become signature dishes.

Design and decor - Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, as you can see in the photo, was a great looking place. Ankrom Moisan Architects did a phenomenal job to bring my vision of a sophisticated, chic place that was also welcoming and inviting to life. In the early days, we had lots of "spies" who would come in just to check out our design and decor. Also, I cannot tell you how many customers asked if they could take my martini glass and wine glass mirrors and sofa and chairs right out of the place!

I was truly honored and privileged to have brought this business to life, regardless of how it all turned out in the end. It's amazing how much I've grown and matured as a professional in the last five years of being an entrepreneur.

Next, I'll share the lowlights, but lucky for me, there aren't enough of them to deter me from trying again. In fact, one of my mentors told me a long time ago when I started seeing the first signs of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar's demise that I shouldn't be too hard on myself if it failed. For many entrepreneurs, their first act on the stage is not their best effort, but rather it takes a second or even third act to get "the script" right.

Mark Cuban's Wise Advice About How to Pitch Him for Investment

2009-08-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight I caught the latest blog posting from Mark Cuban, a successful, savvy entrepreneur who owns the Dallas Mavericks and has been a role model whom I've long admired from afar. As someone who receives a lot of pitches from entrepreneurs, Mark shares his insight and advice about what NOT to do when you send him an investment proposal. When you read it, you can almost see him in his office with this particular proposal, reading it with complete exasperation and saying to himself, "If I get another one of these lame pitches that doesn't get to the point, tells me how this business will be successful, and what's in it for me, I'm going to lose my mind!"

Lucky for us, he was pushed to the edge and blogged about it: Check it out here: http://blogmaverick.com/2009/08/19/success-motivation-what-entrepreneurs-should-not-do/#comments.

I've sent a lot of blind pitches to potential investors, and after reading Mark's blog, I'm really happy I have good enough sense to avoid these pitfalls. It's no wonder that most potential investors don't even bother to respond when they're getting bombarded with garbage on a daily basis. Put yourself in Mark Cuban's shoes: Looking for great opportunities in a short amount of time. Therefore, you must be genuine, tell the story of how your business is differentiated and makes money, articulate your plan, and be clear about what you're asking for from the potential investor.

If you don't know how to write your plan and/or your pitch to meet these objectives, get help, even if you have to pay for it. It will save you pain and embarrassment in the long run.

Divas Doing Business is a Surprising Book

2009-08-02T14:39:00.001-07:00

Divas Doing Business is a Surprising Book

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Location, Location, Location

2009-07-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

I didn't think I'd be able to sleep last night, but the two cocktails I had right before I went to bed helped to put me out.

Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar is closed for business.

Wow! Did I just really say that? Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar is closed for business.

I've been writing in this blog for a few years now about how critical it is to support local businesses, particularly now as many are succumbing to this historic economic downturn. Ultimately, Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar could not survive because of three primary factors working against it: location, location, location.

The "first" location, Beaverton, Oregon. I had an ambitious concept that was ahead of its time. In a surburban restaurant market that's dominated by the Cheescake Factories and Olive Gardens of the world, it's incredibly tough to compete. We as consumers and members of a local community can't say on the one hand that we want our local businesses to create a vibrant, diverse landscape and then don't get out enough to these business to ensure they're successful. (And it still blows my mind that people will spend two hours waiting in a ridiculous line at a chain restaurant and get upset if they have to wait 10 minutes for a table in a small, locally-owned place.) Businesses are not displays or props for people to just simply admire. They need patronage in order to make money and be profitable to remain open.

Also, I had taken on the enormous task of changing consumers' mindset about dining and entertainment in the suburbs, where I promoted that it's OK for people to get off their cul de sacs at other times during the week than Friday and Saturday night. Even the biggest brands with the deepest pockets can't easily motivate people to do something different. I don't know why I thought I could.

The "second" location, Cedar Hills Crossing. My spot in the newest extension of this recently redeveloped shopping center was always problematic. While being located next to a 16-screen multiplex had its advantages, it became very obvious very quickly that unless the movies were jumping, the restaurant would suffer from lack of visibility and a steady flow of foot traffic. Even when times were good, it was tough to get butts in the seats because the restaurant was off the beaten path.

The "final" location, place in history. When I wrote my business plan for Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar in early 2004, the economy was growing and the business outlook was positive and encouraging. Fast forward to the summer of 2009 and I did not have any idea that I'd have to manage a business through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Mounting job losses, a financial crisis that's severely tightened credit, and predictions that we're in for a painfully slow recovery have all weakened consumer confidence, which is critical to a restaurant's survival.

I held on as long as I could. However, even with local and national publicity and recognition, a new approach to the menu, and a renewed commitment to be Beaverton's premier dessert destination, none of it was enough to keep the business alive, much less to thrive. Unfortunately, the business had to close. There really was no other choice.

Balance Your Life Now - Latest Interview

2009-06-17T11:20:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest interview on George Duhart's program on BlogTalk Radio. He has a great show called "Balance Your Life Now."

Balance Your Life Now

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The Athena Fortune Show

2009-05-27T11:11:00.001-07:00

Catch my interview that I did this morning on Susan Pascal's program on BlogTalkRadio, The Athena Fortune Show.

CubeSpace - Mobilizing a Community

2009-05-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

CubeSpace is a unique and innovative workplace community in Southeast Portland that hit a lot of radar screens in the last week because the owners, Eva Schweber, a nonprofit consultant, and David Kominsky, a rabbi, made a direct appeal to their constituents and stakeholders with an open letter detailing their struggles to keep their business alive. The response from the community, thanks to press coverage, an "organic" viral campaign on Twitter, and old-fashioned outreach, was enough, as Eva and David put it, "to put them on a path out of the woods."

I completely empathize with Eva and David, as Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar continues to get "beat down" in this recession. Like with Eva and David, I, too, cannot count on the banks for assistance through these challenging times. As I've said many times before, they're not interested in doing the right thing, even after receiving billions and billions of taxpayers' dollars through the TARP.

In the meantime, the bills are piling up, revenue is down an average of 18 percent each month over the same period in 2008, which was already down about 20 percent over the same period in 2007. I held out some hope in May as the month got off to a strong start with the release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Star Trek, but I can always count on something to derail things. This time it's the weather. The first signs of warm, bright, sunny days in Portland are a killer for my business, especially when they coincide with a holiday weekend.

I commend Eva and David for "putting it all out there." It inspires me to take a similar approach with my own customers, for we have some unique challenges out here in the suburbs in Beaverton where people have really gone underground, fearing for their economic security. Rightfully so as these are tough times for a lot of people.

However, we've got businesses going under left and right. At Cedar Hills Crossing Shopping Center, we lost Joe's, a regional retailer whose tenure at the center dates back to the early 1970s. About a mile down the road, we lost the Kingstad Center, a meeting facility that also featured local art, comedy, and theater. Others surely will follow if we don't rally around these entrepreneurs like folks did for CubeSpace to reinforce the importance of these businesses to our community. We must invest resources and spend time and money patronizing them. Our landscape is already changing drastically, and would-be entrepreneurs will surely think twice about bringing innovation and new businesses to our area if they don't perceive there's an opportunity to be profitable for the long term.

My Own "Stimulus Package"

2009-05-15T09:27:00.001-07:00

As we move into the summer movie season, I'm praying for a steady stream of big blockbuster films that will attract people to the theater and bring people to Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. So far, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Star Trek were big hits right out the chute. I'm anticipating that Angels and Demons, despite lackluster reviews from the critics, will create enough buzz and excitement this weekend to keep this momentum going for us.

This is part of my own "stimulus package" to continue to create value for my customers and generate more revenue for the business. That also means opening up other revenue streams with the book and speaking opportunities. So if you haven't purchased my book, please do so today! :-) Go here: http://moniquehayward.com/books.aspx.

Certainly, I cannot count on the banks as I have yet to land a deal to refinance and get additional capital to grow my business, despite months of trying. Credit is so ridiculously tight that I've just essentially given up on the banks altogether and I'm working very hard to pay off my debts so I can get them all out of my life one by one.

LA Successful Women Entrepreneurs Examiner: Divas doing business: advice for starting and managing your own business

2009-05-10T10:12:00.001-07:00

LA Successful Women Entrepreneurs Examiner: Divas doing business: advice for starting and managing your own business

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LA Successful Women Entrepreneurs Examiner: Monique Hayward: A diva doing business.

2009-05-06T22:25:00.001-07:00

LA Successful Women Entrepreneurs Examiner: Monique Hayward: A diva doing business.

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Contributed Article at Politics in Color

2009-05-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here's an article that I contributed to the Politics in Color Blog: http://www.politicsincolor.com/articles/opinions/05/01/2009/swine-flu-affecting-small-businesses-too.html.

Obama and the First 100 Days

2009-04-29T21:49:00.001-07:00

Much has been said and written about President Obama's first 100 days in office. A couple of things from a small business perspective:

In general...
1. Great leadership out the gate to create the sense of urgency about our problems in this country and the need to get out of denial about fixing them.

2. Good progress on putting together an active, focused agenda that will get us results in the long run on key infrastructure, healthcare, education, and the environment.

3. Fabulous performances on the world stage to engage the international community and prove that we're not just a bunch of "crazy cowboys" in the United States who don't really give a damn about they think about our policies and responsibilities to the rest of the world.

On business...
1. Strong encouragement, good messaging, and ongoing use of the bully pulpit to bring attention to the struggles of everyday Americans and the small business owners who are creating most of the jobs in this country.

2. Not enough "holding feet to the fire" on dealing with the banks. As Barry Moltz said to me via Twitter earlier this week, "It's a long way from Obama's mouth to the banker's pen!" The credit markets remain completely frozen and the banks are still not lending enough to get this economy back on track.

3. Nice balance between the "doom and gloom" of the economic realities that we're facing and the "be strong, be confident, be optimistic" about the future. A lot of Americans are feeling more hopeful about the future, and I'd like to confident that those sentiments will translate into real dollars for me and my business.

I think I'm going to send the president a letter. He needs to hear my story firsthand.

When a Potential Investor Has More Than Money on His Mind

2009-04-19T10:20:00.001-07:00

When a Potential Investor Has More Than Money on His Mind

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Boost Your Marketing and Visibility with Internet Radio

2009-04-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

Great seminar that Deb Bailey is hosting next week. I've been a guest on her show and I follow her blog, "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success." Check it out:

Learn the strategies for hosting your own internet radio show for maximum visibility and revenue. Hosted by Coach Deb Bailey, host of "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success" internet radio show.

Where: On the phone
Date: Wed. April 22 Time: 08:00 PM to 09:00 PM Eastern
Cost: $10
Sign up: http://www.dbaileycoach.com/teleclass_radioshow.html
Teleclass Covers:

Where to promote your shows and how to get on iTunes
How to find high-profile guests
What platforms to use to host your show
How to make your show come across as a "professional" broadcast
What business models will generate revenue from your show

If You Have a Job and Money, Don't Worry

2009-04-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

This has been a miserable time for the business. The unemployment rate rises and my sales decline. It's quite the challenge to keep everything together.

My message today is this: If you have a job and are not broke, we need you to get back into your routine. Have some confidence that things are going to get better and it's OK to spend some money at your local businesses. Lack of consumer confidence will hurt us more than anything else right now. And oh by the way, the banks still aren't there for us and we're hustling like crazy.

Women on Business Blog Post

2009-03-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Susan Gunelius, who runs the Women on Business blog, invited me as a guest blogger. Check out my updated piece on marketing your business through the downturn: http://www.womenonbusiness.com/marketing-your-business-through-the-downturn/.

Virtual Book Tour - Interview

2009-03-26T21:10:00.001-07:00

I'm doing a "virtual book tour" to promote Divas Doing Business. I'm being interviewed and participating in real-time chat sessions at various web sites and blogs, thanks to the great work of Alba Henderson and her company, i-Virtual Assist.

Here's the latest example: http://essenceofawoman.blogspot.com/2009/03/virtual-book-tourinterview-with-monique.html.

On my way to a best seller!

Still No Progress with the Banks

2009-03-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

Quick conversation with an SBA loan officer today left me with little hope that the banks are going to loosen their grip on the credit markets any time soon. I'm basically hustling and resorting to be my own banker -- i.e., borrowing money from myself and figuring out how to pay it back -- in order to keep the business going.

It's extremely frustrating that the small business owners who create the vast majority of the jobs in this country are still not a more prominent target for direct relief. We have to figure it out on our own and sacrifice enormously to keep our heads above water while big banks hold the country and its prospects for recovery hostage. This really should not stand.

I sent a letter to the Obama Administration earlier this month to inform them of my story from the front lines on "Main Street." Hopefully, someone is listening.

Solving the Banking Crisis - SNL Style

2009-03-08T13:01:00.001-07:00

Yes, let the people suggest what Geithner should do about the banks!

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

On the Credit Crisis

2009-03-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

It's tough out here when you're a small business owner who's getting squeezed on both ends of this crisis -- from consumers who aren't spending and banks who aren't lending. This is getting to the point of being a vicious cycle that's helping no one.

Credit is critical to our economy and needs to flow freely for things to just simply work. I'm troubled, however, with the latest announcement from the Treasury and Federal Reserve of the TALF (Term-Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility), which aims to thaw the frozen markets for consumer and small business credit for everything from credit cards and auto loans to small business loans. I still cannot walk into any of the banks with whom I do business for financing for my operation through this downturn, even with good credit. Despite the Fed buying securities backed by the different types of debt they're trying to break free of this logjam, bankers still don't trust anyone, including each other.

We'll continue to languish for months with no hope in sight of a solution other than to keep working it out for ourselves and "hustling" to get by down here on "Main Street." I wish the Fed would have announced a program where small businesses could go directly to the government and bypass the banks altogether. Why should the banks and big corporations be the only ones with the "direct line" to Bernanke and Geithner for the funds they need to keep their businesses running? We're dying out here. I need to consolidate and refinance my debt and fund expansion of my business so I can actually hire employees, upgrade equipment, and complete long-overdue maintenance projects. That will stimulate the economy faster than waiting for these bankers who got us into this mess in the first place to figure everything out.

Women Entrepreneurs - Secrets of Success Interview

2009-03-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

Deb Bailey and I had a great chat about business and my book on her BlogTalkRadio program, "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success." Here's a link to her blog and a pointer to the show:

http://womenentrepreneursecrets.blogspot.com/2009/03/today-on-women-entrepreneurs-secrets-of.html

Interview with Kenneth Darryl Brown, "The Passionate Entrepreneur"

2009-02-27T07:25:00.000-08:00

Ken's show on BlogTalkRadio is for passionate entrepreneurs who want to take their business to the next level. He aims to inspire, inform, educate and connect you with passionate entrepreneurs around the world. Ken is an amazing person, a sales and profitability expert who has carved a niche advising business owners about how to generate maximum sales and visibility with customers. Check him out at http://MyBusinessCommunity.ning.com/profile/KenE3C.

Catch my interview with Ken at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/e3c/2009/02/27/divas-doing-business.

"Launch Notes" Interview, PR Newswire Opportunity

2009-02-26T09:32:00.000-08:00

I was interviewed on the BlogTalkRadio program "Launch Notes" this morning. You can catch my interview at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/launchnotes/2009/02/26/monique-hayward-nouveau-connoisseurs-corpdessert-noir.

The show's host, Khrys Vaughan, informed me about a deal she has secured with PR Newswire to encourage women business owners to generate more publicity for their businesses. The offer includes a free web press release with distribution to more than 5,000 web sites, databases, and online services such as MSN, Yahoo!, and AOL. You also get a free trial membership. If you've investigated PR Newswire on your own, you know it's spendy. So here's an opportunity to give it a try at no cost. Here's the link: http://www.herstartup.com/prn.html.

My Book is Out, Support for PLAN!T NOW

2009-02-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

More than two years in the making, my book, Divas Doing Business: What the Guidebooks Don't Tell You About Being a Woman Entrepreneur, has finally hit the street. This book is the real deal about what really happens when you start and manage a small business.

Buy a copy for yourself, friend, or loved one who is a current or aspiring woman entrepreneur. Here's how you can buy it:

Ebook - PDF

This is your "go green" option. It's also how I make the most money. Buy the ebook and download the beautifully designed, full-color PDF directly from my web site at http://moniquehayward.com/books.aspx. No printing, no shipping, no third-party payments that I have to make to anyone for the "privilege" of featuring my book. You get the book instantly. At that site, you can also “try before you buy” and view the table of contents, Morgan Freeman’s foreword, my preface, and Chapter 1. You can also buy two individual chapters online.

Amazon.com - Kindle

Amazon just introduced its next generation of the Kindle wireless ebook reader. If you or someone you know is a fan of the Kindle product, order my book from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001S2RMV4/.

Amazon.com - Paperback

OK, while ebooks are the fastest growing segment of the book market, their numbers are still miniscule compared to traditional hardcovers and paperbacks. Order the paperback from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Divas-Doing-Business-Guidebooks-Entrepreneur/dp/0615268730/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235191992&sr=1-2.

As tough economic times make coping with the impact of natural disasters even more painful for my fellow small business owners, I will donate a portion of the book’s sales revenue to PLAN!T NOW. This is Morgan’s charity that provides assistance, research, and educational programs for individuals, businesses, and communities at risk for hurricanes and coastal storms. Visit PLAN!T NOW’s web site for more information about its mission and programs at http://www.planitnow.org/.

Please help me spread the word and drive sales of this book. I’m launching my get-the-word-out campaign as we speak. Look for updates on media interviews and other appearances at my web site at http://moniquehayward.com/.

World's Worst Server - ME!!

2009-02-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

There always comes a time in the life of a restaurant when you will be a victim of the "herd" and have a run on your business on a single, random night that you had no idea was coming. That night for me for Thurs., Feb. 12.

Perhaps it was Darwin's and Lincoln's birthday celebrations, or maybe it was even hope about the certain passage of President Obama's economic recovery package. Whatever it was we were not staffed to be completely full on what was supposed to be a slow and steady Thursday night.

When I arrived at the restaurant at about 6:00 p.m., I was only anticipating that I’d be in my usual routine of checking in on my team to make sure everything was going OK, get my paperwork, take care of other business-related duties, and head out with everything intact. Instead, I found that for the first time in a VERY long time, I had to jump in and help, which means my service was pathetic. Also, counting on a slow and steady Thursday, we had one of our team members in training, which means he wasn’t much help at all.

I don’t generally take tables, and there's a reason for that: I SUCK! Never having been too good at it to begin with, I’m WAY out of practice as I've focused more of my energy and attention on the "behind-the-scenes" management of the business. I can't serve mainly because I get too distracted with everything else that's going on around me. Also, a lot of customers want to talk to me, having put "two and two together" when they recognize that the person in the photos with the celebrities and in the press stories on the wall is right there. Sure, I welcome it, but while I'm a brilliant "multi-tasker" when it comes to managing my day job and the duties of running the business, I cannot for the life of me remember to bring ketchup to customers who order our pommes frites, check in with them without feeling like a stalker, balance martini and wine glasses without shaking like a leaf in the wind, or carry more than two plates out of the kitchen at a time.

So imagine my shock and embarassment when I received an email from a customer who described her disappointment with the service she received from a "server" who started out on the wrong foot by not having a grip on the specials for the day and she was talking about me! This customer felt compelled to inform me "as the owner" of the business because she came in with a work colleague who she wanted to impress by taking her to a cool, hip, and trendy place in Beaverton and we didn't live up to her expectations. I had to let her know that it was my direct responsibility not only because it's my business, but also because it was indeed I who was the "server."

Luckily, my lead server attempted to make up for my obvious shortcomings in the midst of all the chaos that night. I also reached out to the customer and offered a return visit to her and her colleague at my expense and PROMISED her that I would leave the service to my very capable, professional service staff to do the honors. I'm so lucky that the customer is a gracious, forgiving person.

Business can be very unpredictable. We do our best in the face of challenging circumstances and most people recognize that we have good intentions and we're doing our best. When we fail, I appreciate the opportunity to come back to the customer directly and make good on our promise to always strive to be better.

Feeling for the Business Owners Who Aren't Making It

2009-02-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

I just heard of a well-known restaurant and bar in Portland that is shutting its doors today after more than 35 years in business. No one seems to be immune from the economic "Grim Reaper." Businesses that were already on the edge because of the economy at the end of 2008 were pushed over when the winter storm in December spread havoc across our fair city for nearly two weeks. That was a huge disruption for most businesses who lost a lot of revenue when customers remained hid away in their houses and couldn't navigate the snowy, icy roads. It happened to me and I can feel that owner’s pain. I’m still trying to dig out and catch up.

In a recent conversation with one of my neighbors at my shopping center, we concluded that the businesses that manage to be the "last ones standing" will emerge as stronger players once the recovery begins. How can you remain "standing" when your "legs" are weak and tired and you keep getting knocked down? It takes more effort and energy to keep picking yourself back up.

Ever the eternal optimist, I believe better days are ahead. I'm hopeful that President Obama's economic plan will deliver results. At the very least, it looks like he's doing something. I am confident that the new administration will finally shift the recovery efforts from Wall Street, which has received billions of taxpayer dollars and continues to act irresponsibly by handing out bonuses and not resolving the lending crisis, to Main Street, where homeowners, small businesses, and the swelling ranks of the unemployed continue to just figure it out for ourselves. See the president's weekly address where he "jacks up" Wall Street executives for their arrogance and greed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzXDNHpgOAU.

Still standing.

Story on A Morning Jolt

2009-01-20T07:56:00.000-08:00

Greg Digneo has started a new blog, "A Morning Jolt," where he will "find the most pressing issues that small businesses are facing, explore how the successful businesses are tackling these problems, and deliver the solutions" to his readers twice a week.

Greg's first topic is "Marketing in a Recession" and he has featured Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. Check out his post at http://amorningjolt.com/2009/01/build-a-team-part-2/. He highlights some good practices from other entrepreneurs in addition to what I contributed.

The more voices we have advocating on behalf of small businesses, the better.

Management by Text Message

2009-01-19T21:41:00.000-08:00

Just about all of my staff at the restaurant are GenYers, the "Millenials" who came of age with technology at their fingertips. When it comes to text messaging, this generation of workers clearly has a strong preference for this method of communications.

So I've had to adjust. I'm a GenXer, and while my generation is certainly technology-savvy and accustomed to keyboards and screens, I believe there's still a place for human interaction -- the kind that requires a conversation on a telephone, for example. However, with my team, I find that I can get more done by sending text messages to get status updates, get a read on urgent issues, or check in to see how they're doing. I've learned that they'll often respond to a text message faster than a phone call, and if I have to leave a voicemail message, I'm doomed to wait hours or even days for them to even think to pick up that message.

In past we've had "Management by Objectives" and "Management by Walking Around." Now I propose "Management by Text Message" for this generation.

One Customer and the Water Heater

2009-01-05T21:43:00.001-08:00

OK, most folks are predicting that January is going to be bad, but come on! More weather woes busted the weekend, and we got only a single customer in the restaurant tonight. Mondays are generally slow, but this is crazy.

This is getting really old really fast. Between the weather and the less-than-stellar holiday season, December was my worst month in the history of the business. Despite more personal accomplishments, good progress on making the operation more efficient, and more visibility in the marketplace, 2008 was my worst YEAR in the history of the business because of the financial crisis and economic downturn.

Instead of a New Year, it's now feeling more like "2008 Extended." Now let's add a little insult to injury: The water heater, which is only four years old, has somehow managed to malfunction in a major, big time way that leaves me no choice but to replace it. That's going to cost me thousands of dollars that I, of course, don't have.

Reminds me of that song: "Ooh child things are gonna get easier/Ooh child things will get brighter."

God, I hope so.

Glad 2008 is Over

2009-01-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Just closed the books on 2008. I knew it was a bad year, but I didn't think it would be that bad. Turns out it was the worst year ever for the business.

Well, I cannot dwell on the past. Time to look ahead to the future. Fresh start, new ideas, great opportunities.

2009 is going to be my breakout year. I know it.

Bye, Bye WaMu - So Much for that "WooHoo"

2008-12-27T00:14:00.000-08:00

It's really hard to dump a bank. So many things have to be untangled and unwound -- automatic deposits and payments, the brand new box of checks that just came in the mail a couple of weeks ago, physically going into the bank to close accounts, etc. I really don't have the time or patience for any of this. This is why I just hope and pray that the banks will treat me like I'm a valued customer.

Well, that was too much to expect of Washington Mutual. If you ever needed proof that the credit markets remain frozen solid to small businesses, here it is.

Ever since WaMu imploded in September when regulators seized control of the bank and pawned it off to JP Morgan Chase in a fire sale, it has been incredibly difficult for me to do simple business banking tasks. Let me explain something here: "Business banking" is not the same as everyday consumer banking. Business banking assumes higher-dollar transactions flowing among accounts, immediate posting of funds, acceptance of business-to-business checks without lots of hassles and automatic holds. That's because when you're in "business," especially if you're a small business, you need access to the funds like "now" because you're generally hustling to make sure a bill gets paid or an employee can get to the bank to cash his/her paycheck. If you have a long account history with good standing and no issues, you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not the bank is going to tie up YOUR money.

WaMu lost its shirt on the consumer side in the sub-prime mortgage fiasco, and evidently it's a complete clusterf&*^$. (See this piece that ran in today's New York Times that does a great job of summarizing how incredibly lax and stupid WaMu was in its mortgage lending: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/business/28wamu.html?_r=1&hp). JP Morgan Chase is cleaning house and clamping down so tight on WaMu's banking practices that it is completely alienating business customers who had nothing to do with the mortgage mess. I guess Jamie Dimon figures that if he loses WaMu's business customers, that's a small price to pay to whip that operation into shape.

I think that's shortsighted because business customers will drive a lot more deposit and banking activity than consumers ever will. In the last month, every time I've attempted to do something simple that I used to do without any issues, I've been stopped dead in my tracks and have resorted to yelling at the bank managers to stop messing around with MY money. And when you mess with my money, it's very difficult for you to get my business back.

Example #1: I wanted to deposit a cashier's check, which is supposed to be as good as cash, from a reputable investment bank that had not actually suffered greatly in the Wall Street meltdown. Now the check was good. Because I had to sell stock and wait for the proceeds before the check could be cut, there should not have been any dispute about availability of funds. That wasn't good enough for the manager at a local WaMu branch. The "system" proceeded to slap an automatic 10-day hold on the funds. I raised all kinds of hell and ultimately got the branch manager on the phone with the investment bank to confirm the check was good. After that was settled and the hold was released, JP Morgan Chase's "risk management" department flagged the check as it moved through the "system" and put the hold back on it! Evidently, members of the general banking public are passing all kinds of bad checks and even though the check I deposited was clearly not a fake or a fraud (and did I mention that "long account history with good standing and no issues"), I literally had to go to back to my house, retrieve the paperwork from my investment account, and bring it back to the bank to prove that I didn't have some shady desktop publishing operation in my house that was spitting out fraudulent checks.

The banks don't trust each other's paper. They don't trust their long-standing customers. This is getting ridiculous. And if you think that's crazy...

Example #2: On Christmas Eve, I was in a hurry to get to the bank because I needed to make sure I had enough money in my WaMu account to cover my payroll taxes, which the IRS automatically deducts from the account. Because I deal with so many banks, if I need to move money from one account to another, I have to literally write checks for these transfers. Again, this is not generally an issue because these are business checks, and I've been doing this for years.

Now I had been trapped in my house for days because of the winter storm, and my husband and I navigated terrible road conditions so I could get to the bank before it closed. I was in no mood for any "drama" when I arrived. I wrote a check for exactly $1,180 that I wanted to deposit, and the "system" slapped a two-day hold on it. I lost my mind...

The very first thing the bank manager said to me was, "I could lose my job if I release this hold and the check is no good." Excuse me: I am shocked that JP Morgan Chase has the WaMu workforce fearing so much for their jobs that they cannot actually do their jobs to help customers do their banking. At that moment, her job was not the issue. I needed that money to post to my account immediately as it always did so the IRS could get paid. Otherwise, I would have a big mess on my hands. She wouldn't budge on the hold. I called the executive customer service office, waited for 20 minutes on hold and still got no satisifaction. So I had to go to the other bank -- through all the snow, ice, slush, and craziness on the roads -- to get the cash and deposit it into my WaMu account.

That's when I declared war on JP Morgan Chase and WaMu. It was already insulting to me that the bank's CEO couldn't be bothered to respond to my letter. Now his underlings were treating me like I was a lowlife with no history at this bank.

As Stephen Colbert would say, JP Morgan Chase and WaMu are "on notice." It just so happens that I've been invited back to give a follow-up interview on CNN on Dec. 31 about the impact of the recession and the credit crisis on small businesses. I cannot wait to tell a national TV audience that they should never bank with JP Morgan Chase or WaMu as long as they exist.

You had your chance, Jamie Dimon.

Internet is Safe Haven for Passive-Aggressives

2008-12-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

I take customer complaints very seriously and use them as an opportunity to improve the quality and service that we deliver to our customers. My staff knows they catch all kinds of hell if we're not on our "A Game." Nonetheless, I know we're not perfect, and there are times when we screw up, for sure. Restaurants live and die by word-of-mouth, and it could take weeks or even months to turn around negative perceptions.

The Internet has opened up a new avenue for people who may not have the courage or inclination to complain about a product or service in person. They can hide behind indecipherable screen names and go on ranting about everything that you did wrong, as if it were some sort of personal slight against them. Also, we get a lot of the "everyone's a critic" because they go out to restaurants and figure they know what it takes to operate them successfully. It reminds me of people who dole out their opinions to marketing people about advertising, for example, because they see ads on TV or in magazines and know all about it. Sure, the customer perspective is absolutely critical in guiding a restaurant, but there is so much more that customers have no idea about when it comes to pricing, menu development, and other key decisions.

I can take this for the most part, but I am disappointed when I have to see a review online about something that wasn't satisfactory about the customer's experience at the restaurant after the fact. No one ever has to leave a place of business hostile, angry, upset, or disappointed. Business owners generally want to correct the issues right on the spot.

However, once a customer hits a blog or a web site and blasts his/her complaints and disaffections to the world, it's too late to do anything about it. It becomes history and all we can do is hope and pray that most people will give us the benefit of the doubt and figure that a pattern is indeed not emerging.

So here's my request:
1. If you're not happy, tell us right then and there. If that's not an option, then contact me directly. If you don't get any satisfaction from dealing with me directly, then feel free to blog about it to the world. At least give me a chance to make it right.
2. If you are happy, PLEASE get out there and tell the world. I know I can count on hearing from people who have problems or issues with what we do, but we need to hear from the people who think we're doing a good job, too.

Marketing Through the Downturn

2008-12-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

With my customers feeling the impact of the slow economy as white-collar-job losses mount and their investment portfolios dwindle in value, I've had to adjust my marketing strategy for Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. Revenue is hard to come by these days, but it's critical to stay visible in the marketplace and engaged with my customers so no one "forgets" we are still here.

In the absence of budget to launch big promotional campaigns and advertising programs, I have been implementing a low-cost marketing and PR strategy. What we’re doing differently is taking advantage of our unique selling point in the market to capitalize on consumers’ moves “down menu,” i.e., buying appetizers, small plates, and desserts at lower prices rather than high-priced entrees and large meals. When we introduced our fall menu in October, we offered more value-oriented choices, including extending our happy hour to seven days a week, to give our customers more choices at lower price points. In November, we took this strategy another step farther and updated our menu to eliminate all the slow-selling items (“dogs”) so my staff has fewer food and beverage items to manage and can concentrate on delivering the core items extremely well.

Despite the downturn, consumers eventually get weary of all the bad news and want to treat themselves to a night out, and they will certainly be looking for a range of dining and entertainment options. This gives us a great opportunity to keep the business in the spotlight, particularly in the press. With that said, I have been focused on generating more publicity for my business on both a local and national scale to generate buzz and position myself as a small business expert on the front lines. PR gives us awareness and credibility, and while this approach is not different from my marketing strategy under normal business conditions, I have been even more vigilant about finding opportunities because they cost nothing but time and generate tremendous ROI on the back end.

One great resource is Help A Reporter Out (HARO). PR expert Peter Shankman created HARO, a free service which connects journalists in online, broadcast, and print media with sources on a wide variety topics, including business, finance, health, fitness, and technology. Each day HARO sends registered users up to three emails, each with anywhere from 15-30 queries per email. If there's a query that you'd be the perfect source for the journalist, you answer it directly. There are several queries a week from journalists who are doing stories about entrepreneurs and small businesses. If you are not a member of HARO, you need to get yourself signed up today.

I can tell you from experience that it works! I have landed features in the Denver Post and Phoenix Business Journal newspapers and Entrepreneur and Restaurant Startup & Growth magazines as well as contributions to the BizChicksRule and Credit and Collections blogs and the Gaebler Ventures web site. In addition to HARO, I've been "hustling" for stories on my own. Recent highlights include appearances on CNN’s “Your World Today with Tony Harris,” “Restaurant of the Week” on KATU Channel 2’s “AM Northwest” news magazine show, and remote broadcast of a local TV station’s evening news program from the restaurant.

Another option that allows me to get more bang for my limited marketing bucks is joint marketing and selling with suppliers, customers, or complementary businesses. I don’t have to look far to create joint marketing opportunities, nor do I have to spend a lot of money to achieve good results. Here’s a case in point: My restaurant is located next to our town’s main movie theater, and for the Sex and the City opening in May, we collaborated with a local salon and spa, the Grand SalonSpa, on free chair massages, prize giveaways, and $5 cosmos and logged our best sales day ever.

Being next to a movie theater strengthens our value proposition as movies are still considered “cheap” entertainment and our customers have always combined an evening at the movies with a visit to the restaurant before and/or after the show. In early 2009, I'm working with a special event promotion company, Odds on Promotions, to offer a $15,000 cash prize giveaway for a promotion that I’ll do for Academy Awards season. I think I can get a lot of buzz going around this, especially if the economy remains as dour as it is now, and again, it won't cost me a lot of money.

Business has always been challenging for my restaurant, as I've documented in this blog over the years. As I noted, we’ve been seeing the signs of this recession for more than a year and a half already. With the economy presenting challenges that are beyond my control, I have been forced to concentrate on the things I know I can control and marketing is one of those areas. Some lessons learned:

Five things not to do in tough times:
1. Panic.
2. Go off the radar.
3. Compromise on service and quality and the perception of the brand when cutting spending.
4. Lose faith.
5. Lose focus.

Five things to do in tough times:
1. Evaluate the strategy and course-correct to fit the times.
2. Keep the brand visible through low-cost advertising, promotions, and PR.
3. Take care of your best customers and engage them in a dialogue about what marketing/promotions work for them to continue to support the business.
4. Use your employees as ambassadors to spread goodwill about the business and generate word-of-mouth.
5. Use the slow periods to reflect and brainstorm new ideas when the crazy, busy times prevented you from devoting the time and energy.

There are many things you can do to keep your business visible without going broke in the process. If you have something that you're doing that's working, please share it.

20 Degrees and Counting

2008-12-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

It's about 20 degrees in the Portland area today, and the winter storm that came in Sunday morning blanketed the region with two to six inches of snow on the valley floor and much more in the mountains. Great for the ski resorts, bad for the rest of us.

This disrupts my business tremendously. People freak out about snow in this town since it doesn't happen that often. The roads are generally not navigable as we don't have an army of snow plows at the ready whenever the bad weather strikes. Therefore, the place just simply comes to a grinding halt. The restaurant was closed yesterday and today, and I'm praying hard that we can open tomorrow. However, with forecasters calling for more snow and cold weather this week, I have several holiday parties on the books that are in danger of postponement or cancellation altogether.

With the current state of the economy -- unemployment in Oregon at 8.1 percent, more cuts to state programs and services, and general "blah" among consumers despite the holiday season -- we really didn't need another excuse that people could use for not going out and spending any money.

There are always factors beyond one's control when managing a business, but the timing really sucks on this one.

Open Invitation to Jamie Dimon

2008-12-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

Perhaps there's someone at JP Morgan Chase who's assigned to monitor web sites and the blogosphere for any information that gets posted about CEO Jamie Dimon. If that person exists, I hope he or she will find this entry in my blog and finally get someone at that bank to pay me some attention.

Nearly a month ago, I appealed to Mr. Dimon to “put his money where his mouth is,” specifically to use the government funds that he described as “excess capital” that his bank is “actively thinking about how to put to use” in lending. The economic downturn is really taking a toll on my business, and I need to refinance and get some additional working capital "like yesterday." Needless to say, neither he nor anyone at JP Morgan Chase has bothered to respond, much less assign a banker to talk to me about my business, which has been a customer of its recent Washington Mutual acquisition for almost five years and has generated nearly $2 million in deposits. I guess he’s still “actively thinking” rather than lending.

Now, I'm usually one to follow up on packages that I send to make sure they arrive at their intended destination, and FedEx confirmed that my package to Mr. Dimon was delivered and signed for. Another thing I usually do is place a call a week or so later to follow up directly with the intended recipient, but I decided not to do that because I specifically asked for Mr. Dimon or someone on his team to get back to me, for as a customer of his bank, I should not have to chase him down and "beg" for him to respond to me. It's just simple common courtesy for someone to acknowledge receipt of a package, especially when I know that package was already delivered.

I know people like Mr. Dimon are extremely busy, but this is why he has an admin or some other assistant on his staff who could just as easily call me with a simple message that says, "Ms. Hayward, Mr. Dimon received your package and either he or someone at JP Morgan Chase will be following up with you on X date. Is there anything that your local WaMu branch can help you with in the meantime? I'd be happy to set something up for you."

Nope, that's too much to ask of a bank that has received billions of dollars in taxpayer money in the midst of this financial crisis and has a lot of my money flowing through their accounts.

I'm going to ask one more time: Mr. Dimon, please give me a call to discuss the details of my venture and how JP Morgan Chase can truly be a banking partner for me and my business. I don't want to ask you again.

Bank Rescue Not Benefitting Intended Targets

2008-11-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Small business owners have too few advocates who recognize that economic activity is first defined in communities and neighborhoods. For all the talk about “Joe, The Plumber” and the country’s undivided attention on the economy, our politicians and corporate leaders are still devoting too much airtime and resources to resolving the big banks’ issues. Now those banks are sitting on taxpayers’ dollars to pursue mergers, acquisitions, and other long-term strategies rather than immediately directing those funds to loans to get the economy moving in the right direction.

Treasury Secretary Paulson must force the banks to “get with the program” right now to directly invest in the communities where folks are really hurting and increase the country’s confidence, hope, and certainty about the future. This is OUR money and the banks need to hold up their end of the bargain for accepting it. If Paulson won’t stand up to the banks, then the Congress must step in and force the issue. Even under normal circumstances, entrepreneurs like me have a terrible time convincing banks that our businesses are critical to trend spotting, spending, and investing at the local level. In a time of financial crisis, it pains me greatly that the banks have erected even higher barriers and are making even more excuses for not increasing lending to customers like me. Sure, they got burned on their so-called “investments” in a housing market ripe with bad faith negotiations on all sides. However, now is not the time for the banks to make the economic environment even worse.

I need my banking partners to help me emerge stronger after the downturn, but they haven’t been there for me. It is shocking that the banks are still not acting in good faith to pay their dues for their mismanagement and recklessness.

And the Espresso Machine Died...

2008-10-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

September was the worst month ever in the history of my business, and the early days of October, while an improvement, are not going to be where they need to be to catch up. Cash flow is Issue #1 as fear and uncertainty are keeping people at home. Access to additional credit follows very closely as Issue #2.

Now I'm in the "figure it out" space, where it's very hard to make good decisions when you're backed into a miserable, dark corner. I'm basically firefighting, which takes a lot of energy and effort that could be put to better use on more strategic endeavors, like events, special offers, expansion plans, capital improvements, additional training for my staff, new ideas that generate interest in my business, PR opportunities, and the like. Instead, I have to worry about where I'm going to get $1,500 to replace my espresso machine that died last weekend. Considering that I've built a pretty large focus of my business around dessert and coffee, this is a huge lost revenue opportunity. However, I need to be generating revenue in order to get the money to replace the machine. And needless to say, there are MANY other higher priorities ahead of the espresso machine waiting to be addressed. Again, firefighting.

It's an understatement to say that I'm annoyed with the banking establishment right now. I have been trying for years to work with numerous banks on my financing needs and to make sense of the debt load I'm carrying. I have a day job that pays me well, a house that I own, good credit, and a demonstrated ability to pay all of these bills despite the fact that all the payments and interest rates are killing me. And I still couldn't get a single bank to help me with a refinance/consolidation deal BEFORE the current crisis. Instead, they "invested" in a housing market ripe with bad faith negotiations on both sides of the equation -- from their own lax underwriting and credit requirements to consumers' dishonesty about their income and ability to pay -- and now the environment is even worse for me to get my deal. I heard a story on NPR recently about a guy on the East Coast who secured a "no income verification/no documentation" mortgage for over $500,000 and he was only making about $35,000/year. How in the world could that have happened?????

The banks would have been much better off investing in me and my financing needs. At least they'd be getting paid instead of having to rely on a taxpayer-led rescue that only God knows if it will actually work to get this economy moving in the right direction.

Thoughts on the Financial Crisis

2008-09-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Restaurants are on the front line of consumers' sentiment about their disposable income. Therefore, we first saw signs of increasing food and energy costs and the sub-prime mortgage fiasco in Spring 2007, well ahead of when the bad news started to get reported at the end of last summer. After reading those initial signs, I was convinced that we permanently lost a segment of our customer base who was teetering on the edge of personal economic failure and living beyond their means in houses they could not afford.

I could live with losing the "sub-prime audience" because I could still count on our core customers who still felt secure in their jobs and their investments and were hopeful about their future prospects. However, the meltdown on Wall Street and the collapse of big banks of the last several weeks and the resulting impact on the economy and credit markets have changed that picture dramatically. Now even my most affluent, fiscally prudent customers are running for cover. I have never seen anything like it.

I've discussed many, many times in this blog about how important it is for communities to support their small businesses, especially during a downturn. As consumers pull back on spending and banks stop lending, that leaves small business owners like me in a terrible spot -- not generating enough revenue to cover expenses, much less take home a profit, and having no access to working capital to get by in the meantime.

Before the current credit crisis, I was not successful in getting banks to give me the level of financing that would help me build a stronger foundation for the business and position it for future growth. Now there is not a bank on this planet that will work with me, even the ones with whom I currently do business. In fact, just two days ago, I called one of my credit card companies to request a credit-line increase on a Visa card from $7,000 to $10,000, a measly $3,000 just to give myself a little more breathing room. I have good credit and have been paying the bills on time, and they STILL denied the request.

So much is at stake -- my investment in my business, my community, my employees, my financial future. I'm holding on as tight as I possibly can given sales are seriously suffering. I’m hustling every single minute of the day as the banks and elusive “angel investors” are not there for me.

This crisis is very close to home, and like many citizens, I'm outraged that our government is going to spend nearly $1 trillion to bail out Wall Street. I understand that we must do what's necessary to prevent a total collapse of our financial system, but where are the counterbalances to increase consumer confidence to get them spending their money with some hope and certainty about the future and the direct investment in the communities where folks are really hurting?

In It Together - Strong Communities Need Strong Local Businesses

2008-08-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

We're all in it together. If my fellow neighbor, whether he or she is right next door or clear across the country, is suffering, I must not be doing so well, either. Even if I'm not about to lose my job or battle with a bank to keep my house from getting foreclosed, someone else is, and that greatly influences how I behave. And the constant bad news that's getting reported doesn't give me any confidence that the situation is going to improve any time soon. So I wait it out, hunker down until the light shines again...

Sure, I know times are tough for a lot of people, and they're making serious choices about how to spend their hard-earned cash. Gas prices, while having come down in the last few weeks, are still hovering close to $4/gallon. Food prices are on a relentless rise, and the experts are predicting that we're in for a long winter when you look at what's likely to happen with natural gas prices.

However, there has to be a middle ground here. Most people have retreated so far "underground" and pulled back so much that it's having a tremendous impact on the small business owners who create the vast majority of our community's jobs and generate so much economic activity. The last six weeks in particular have been extremely difficult for my business, despite having a steady stream of must-see blockbuster movies.

Folks have simply "disappeared." I'm closing up shop early, sending staff home to get them off the clock, cutting back on my own spending to keep inventory levels as low as possible so nothing goes to waste. You can see the ripple effect -- my vendors and business partners, many of whom are small businesses themselves, like our prized local wineries, feel my pain because restaurants like mine are not placing large orders.

You know where this is going eventually if we cannot convince our customers to continue to support us, make room for us in the personal and family budgets, rise above the bad news, and realize they're doing OK. We can pull through this tough time because we've been here many times before. A little Barack Obama: "Yes, we can!"

Yes, we're in it together. Grab a group and hit the happy hours. Visit a winery. Order some flowers from the local florist. Reserve a birthday party at my restaurant. We'll all be better for it.

Elevator Pitch

2008-08-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

When I competed in the Make Mine a Million $ Business program, I had to deliver a three-minute elevator pitch before a live audience. If you've never developed an elevator pitch before, it's a very useful exercise to help you get very clear about the messages you want to communicate quickly about your business.

At this point in the company's life cycle, I've decided that it's time to venture back into the world of angel investing and figure out how to engage with people who are investing in concepts like mine. I have a lot of what angels are looking for: 1) Track record; 2) A lot of my own skin in the game; 3) Long-term potential; 4) Plan for success. They have to be out there, and as a first step, I've submitted an application online with an angel investor group that specifically focuses on minority-owned small businesses.

The web site's sponsors strongly encourage entrepreneurs to submit a video that tells their story. Knowing that I do my best to promote the business when I am actually given the opportunity to say the words and point to the examples myself, I turned my live elevator pitch into a video, complete with music and graphics. I learned iMovie on my Mac in a couple of days and was off and running!

Here it is. Let's hope it lands me the million-dollar deal!

Thoughts for Morgan

2008-08-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

Not to be too terribly trite, but it is indeed incredible how every day we're reminded just how limited our time is on this earth. At any moment, something can happen that significantly changes the plan you created for your life.

Oscar winner Morgan Freeman, my dear friend and mentor who a few of my friends and I just saw on Broadway and kicked it with over dinner and drinks after the show in mid-July, was seriously injured in a car accident near his Mississippi home on Sunday, August 3. While he suffered a few broken bones, sprains, and bruises and underwent surgery, he is doing well and is on the road to recovery.

For well wishes, Morgan has specifically instructed that he does not want any flowers or gifts. Instead, you can post a message at his blog at the PLAN!T NOW web site at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ZH7feVFWLeMZ5kJGoUazhXv1WFAMhW9u-BLBY7QEw7KtubMvDOJ2E96UaynPxz0y7X6wQYDUSgYjLpT6-gN0pFjWGHHdSzmIWBn_qYxvieAAjMi4KrIxyzAEkgiOmkE1 or you can write to him at the following address:

PO Box 16548
Encino, CA 91416
In care of Morgan Freeman

Get well soon, Morgan! I love you.

If I Had a Million Dollars...

2008-07-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, I heard the Bare Naked Ladies' song, "If I Had a Million Dollars," and I thought to myself, "Problems solved. Mission accomplished."

But seriously, as I'm putting together my plan to grow my business and take it to next level, $1 million is about the right number to really make a difference -- quit my day job, put the current concept on the path to long-term success, and open my second concept.

I'm one of the most connected people I know, and I have yet to find a way to break into the club of people who are funding entrepreneurs like me and believing that what we're doing is worthwhile and eventually will make money. Where are these folks?

Making the Intentions Clear

2008-07-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

I have three things that I want to do right now:

1. Increase sales.
2. Get scale.
3. Develop a highly visible, wildly successful, first-class celebrity fundraising event.

To increase sales, we have to overcome the bad news that's plaguing consumers right now. (See previous post.)

I won the Make Mine a Million $ Business award and must develop a plan to grow the business to a million dollars in revenue. The only way I can do that is to get scale, i.e., launch my next concept, for which I've already developed the business plan. However, I need investment capital, and with investors retreating and the banks taking a beating and not being especially keen on lending money to small businesses these days, I am having a hard time figuring out how to make this work. I know the money is out there. I have to find it.

For my celebrity event, it's going to AMAZING!!! It's the one thing that excites me these days because it's right up my alley -- strategy, planning, developing ideas for events, connecting people, tapping into my network, making things happen. More about it once I'm free to disclose the details.

Here's what I want right now. I'm putting it out there in the universe in order for it to be so.

July Again

2008-07-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

Here it is July again, and I am in the same mid-summer bind I always find myself. This time it's worse because not only am I competing with vacations and good weather, but I'm also finding that everyone who is sticking around is extremely concerned about the economy. Uncertainty about the future is forcing people to keep their discretionary income in their pockets, and on some people's list, the last thing they feel they can afford is dining away from home.

This is especially acute for me this time around because I'm at a crossroads in my life, where I really need to put my Nikes on and "just do it." I want to own my business, be my own boss, run my own company, deliver social and economic value to my community, make millions, and become famous along the way. But instead, I remain in this awful, muddled space where I must continue working my day job because I need it to pay the bills in the absence of steadily growing, predictable cash flow. I want to make the break, finally cut my ties to Corporate America, but if I step out, I'm falling flat on the ground because there's no safety net. Every poor sales day keeps my goal that much farther out of reach.

A lot of my fellow business owners are struggling along with me to convince everyone that the sky is not falling. Despite record energy and food prices, which I, too, am feeling the brunt of every single day, I want to see more people set aside some "fun money" and support local retailers, restaurants, coffee shops, and the like. Incessant reports of bad news sell newspapers and magazines, just like non-stop alerts and live shots on TV about bad weather keep people in their homes glued to the sets and afraid to leave for fear of getting swept up in a snowstorm or something.

Overcome the psychology.

Make Mine a Million $ Business - Wow!

2008-06-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I applied for “Make Mine a Million $ Business,” a program that Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence and American Express have developed to assist women small-business owners with growing their businesses into million-dollar enterprises. I was one 16 finalists selected for the Pacific Northwest Competition that was held last week in Seattle, and oh my God, I was a winner!

This is a story of how the universe works in mysterious and wonderful ways. I actually applied for this program a couple of years ago and didn't make the cut. I think my business was too new and I needed more time to build a track record. In addition, I believe that most people are not all that crazy about restaurant businesses, and there probably was some discussion around whether or not my concept would actually make it in the long run.

My friends are always on the lookout for anything on the market that could potentially help me and my business. A dear friend sent me an email with information about Make Mine a Million $ Business. Initially, I dismissed it, telling him that I had been down this path once before and probably wouldn't make it. But something inside my head said, "Check it out again. Things could be different this time..."

I put together a highly professional, thorough package that showed everything that was unique, interesting, and cool about Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. I submitted it and "let it go," as they say.

Well, here's where things get interesting: I received a call from Count Me In because the staff members were reviewing old applications and came across the one I submitted the first time around. They called to encourage me to reapply because my last submission was strong and just missed the cut. I told them that I had already submitted the application for this year. It turns out that they called me before the databases of new and old applications were synchronized.

Next thing you know, I'm on a stage in Seattle delivering my three-minute pitch about my business and why I should be a winner for this program. The audience was packed with women who already have their own business, those aspiring to own one, and everyone else in between. With the judges right in front me, I took to the podium like a fish to water and just "let it flow." I was in the "zone," kind of like Michael Jordan on the basketball court where everyone and everything fades into the background, the basket looks really big, and you know you just cannot miss.

It was amazing. Now, the hard work begins because winning is the first step. Now I really must commit to making my company a million-dollar enterprise and get a strategy for growth right now, despite the continuing woes in the economy, record gas prices, and everything else that's standing in the way of progress. Over the weekend, I met with my team at the restaurant to put this in perspective for everyone: To get to a million dollars in revenue, we have to more than double our business. I've challenged my team to step up and help me make it happen.

In addition to winning some cool prizes (check them out at http://www.makemineamillion.org/site/index.php?id=137), I met 16 amazing women entrepreneurs who were my peers as finalists in this program. These ladies truly inspire me because they are tackling some business opportunities that have awesome growth potential. I'm fortunate and grateful to have them in my network.

I'm honored and blessed. Join me in taking my business to a million dollars and beyond...

Sex and the City - The Magic of Cosmos

2008-06-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

If ever there was a movie that was made for the concept of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, it was Sex and the City. I've been anticpating the release for months because it's the one movie that appeals directly to my coveted demographic -- women ages 25-45 (and even some in the 55+ set) who were fans of the HBO series and identified so closely with the lives, romances, trials, and tribulations of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. I've also been hoping that my decision to locate my restaurant next to a movie theater would finally pay off.

Here it is Sunday morning after the SATC opening weekend, and all I can say is, "Wow!" After a pre-funk happy hour event, fabulous collaboration with the Grand SalonSpa, sweepstakes for great prizes, and $5 cosmos, we had our single best sales day at the restaurant on Friday. Knowing that we struck a chord with the $5 cosmo promotion, we kept it going on Saturday and our sales were very strong that day, too.

It was non-stop hustle for my team and me, and many conversations and interactions with customers, friends, and supporters who came for the celebration are a blur. We were short-handed, unfortunately, but we managed to do an amazing job, and I am very proud of my team for remaining calm and collected under the pressure. Most customers were completely flexible and understanding, and for that, I thank you for your patience.

On the other hand, for the few who weren't so understanding, I want you to know that I read the feedback you left on my comment cards and took it to heart. Certainly, we can always do a better job. However, I'm constantly amazed at how many people will walk into a restaurant that is absolutely overflowing with people, immediately get tunnel vision, and block out everyone else in the room: "I don't care how busy you are. I'm catching my movie in 20 minutes and need to be served RIGHT NOW!" I'd be willing to bet that these are the same people who stand in line at Romano's Macaroni Grill or the Cheesecake Factory for an hour or more without complaint, but they cannot be gracious and patient enough to wait at small, locally-owned restaurant. Why am I held to a different standard? Why is the bar higher for me?

You knew it was opening weekend of a big Hollywood blockbuster, you did not plan ahead, and you somehow make me responsible because I cannot serve you at lightning speed because I've got a packed house on my hands. I do have a special "Movie Express" menu for the folks who are in a hurry, but when we have so many people that we have a 20 or 30 minute wait for a table, even that option may not be fast enough. At that point, I recommend "fast food" because that's what the McDonald's of the world do best.

Gas in the SUV Wins Every Time

2007-11-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

All year long, we've been out front on the gloom and doom that analysts and newscasters have been reporting about the economy -- sub-prime mortage fiasco, credit crunch, abysmal consumer confidence, skyrocketing energy and food prices, the protracted wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Inevitably, all of this has become the classic self-fulfilling prophecy. If everyone thinks it's bad, it must be bad, and it's not like some brave soul will actually stick his or her own neck out and take the chance that it probably won't get cut off. Like a school of fish, everybody moves en masse. It's not safe until EVERYONE thinks it is.

What this means for me is that I'm suffering double-digit revenue declines over last year. I'm not alone here. I have spoken with other small business owners, and they are seeing the same thing. Beaverton on many days and nights of the week is a ghost town. Our customers have retreated to the safety and comfort of their cul-de-sacs where they're sharpening their pencils on their personal finances and reeling in their discretionary spending. They're afraid of losing everything they've worked so hard to build and making very rational, emotionless decisions. I completely understand that, for no one is sitting at his or her computer with the Quicken or Microsoft Money file and saying, "Maybe I'll hit my local neighborhood bistro or bar because it's very likely to have no customers tonight." When you're faced with putting $50 of gas in your SUV so you can get to and from work or spending that money on dinner and a movie, the SUV wins every time.

After two years and 10 months in business, I know one thing for sure. When the big guys sneeze, I catch a cold. This morning, I spoke briefly with the senior VP of business development at Darden Restaurants, which operates Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and other multi-unit concepts. I got the wild and crazy idea that Darden would be interested in my business, a "knight in shining armor" of sorts who would recognize the beauty and elegance of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar and rescue me from my troubles. Talk about rational decisions: Darden doesn't even look at a potential restaurant for purchase until it's grown to many, many locations and has been operating for decades. While he was impressed that I even shot for the stars, my "knight" turned me down ever so honorably and gently. But I digress...

In this phone conversation, the VP asked me if things were still going slowly, and when I answered affirmatively, he shared with me that Darden is feeling that same pain. Sure, they feel it, too, but when a Red Lobster is a quarter full on a Monday night, you can be guaranteed that I'm closing early because I won't have a single table for dinner all night, as was just the case last night.

I have never worked so hard in my entire life for so little money. I'm putting in extremely long days and nights with balancing a corporate career and a small business. When you amortize the hours I work over the money I make, I don't think I'm even clearing minimum wage. I wake up every single morning to bank accounts that don't have nearly enough cash for me to function. I'm highly leveraged and I am panicking constantly about my financial commitments and getting phone calls from creditors and vendors who want to get paid. I have no good response for them, for there are days that my restaurant does not even hit the $500 mark and I have no way of generating any additional cash otherwise. For those you who are not familiar with restaurant economics, my light bill alone generally exceeds $500/month. So when I cannot make enough money in one day to pay my light bill, something is terribly wrong.

I simply beg for more time, hoping and praying to catch a lucky break or a breakthrough. Perhaps my customers will get into the holiday spirit this year and defy all the projections of slow Christmas sales and low expectations about the performance of the market.

Or maybe the knight is coming to the rescue. If you're coming, I need you like "yesterday." I'm ready for a ride that's on the way up the hill. I know all too well what it's like to be going downhill and it's not fun.

Back to School

2007-09-11T07:48:00.001-07:00

It's back-to-school season and everyone is focused on all the activites that center around their kids and school life -- fall sports, PTA meetings, parent-teacher conferences, homework, etc. It's like a ghost town around here, and for those of us who don't have kids or they are long gone and you've got an empty nest, it's a good time to go out and explore because shopping centers, theaters, and restaurants aren't crowded with people.

I'm using this slow time to catch up with friends and hit a few new spots. I went to Milo's City Cafe over the weekend, a place known for its brunch, and it was delightful. When my girlfriends and I showed up, we were practically the only people in the place on this particular sunny Sunday afternoon. I've got a few more places on my list to check out in between my business trips and other projects I'm working on this month.

Hope to see you out there exploring along with me.

Cheap-Ass People

2007-09-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd have to say this out loud, but I cannot stand cheap-ass people. I'm all for people who are frugal, thrifty, pennywise, and conservative about their finances, but there's a difference between being conscious about the money you spend and just being downright cheap.

As a marketing person who understands the value of my brand, I hesitate to discount frequently, for I dilute my brand's value with every cent I give away. At the same time, I completely understand that in order to attract a certain segment of population, a business must do a certain amount of discounting to build the customer base.

For students of marketing, you'll appreciate that much of the discounting I do at the restaurant can be described as a "loss leader" strategy. We create the perception that you're getting a great deal to encourage you to spend more money because when you see that you're getting your dinner for half price or enjoying a free appetizer, you'll feel free to indulge in a cocktail to start or dessert to finish off your meal.

However, I never realized how many "bargain shoppers" are out there who are hunting for the best possible deals they can get and will not spend a nickel more than the minimum requirement to get the discount. For example, let's say a friend gives someone a gift certificate to use at a restaurant that she's never tried before. That person then goes into the restaurant and studies the menu in search of the precise combination of food and drink that she can order for the face value of the certificate without going over. She's had a fabulous meal at her friend's expense, and the restaurant never sees this customer again...

Why? Why do people do this? Honestly, you didn't pay for the meal yourself. Make it a night out to enjoy with friends and use the certificate on a substantial meal that makes the discount worth it.

For those folks who are going out with a group of friends, it's very easy for one or two to "hide" behind the group and totally "cheap out," sitting there "mooching" off the group's appetizers, nursing a cup of coffee and a glass water, and getting out of a place having spent about $10. If you take the time to plan ahead for a night out, get yourself ready, hook up with other people, and burn precious fuel in your car to go somewhere cool and hip, then why do you not think to make it a night out and spend some money? Really, what's the point in going out at all? That's when your Netflix subscription and your big-screen HDTV are a much better bet because if you're not going out to "go out," then really you should just stay at home.

I'm not saying don't take advantage of the deal, but rather approach the deal in the same spirit in which is was offered, i.e., as an incentive for you to do something above and beyond, that's out of your ordinary routine where you indulge a little and enjoy yourself a little more because you are getting more than you bargained for. If it's all about the bargain, there's really not much fun in that. Getting over all the time only gets you so far in life.

Getting Slammed Online

2007-08-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

In this Web 2.0 era where the "technorati" rule and the "blogosphere" spreads ideas, conversations, musings, and commentaries on an endless array of topics, I am happy that the Internet has evolved into this social medium where people who never had an outlet to be heard can have a voice. However, I must say that I don't really get the anonymous "armchair food critics" who feel compelled to share every bad experience they have at a restaurant online and slam a place in a way that's not only unfair but also is completely mean spirited and counterproductive.

I take the comments I get from customers very seriously, and I use that feedback as opportunities to train my staff so they can be aware of service or food issues and improve for the next time around. What's good about the restaurant business is that you can essentially start over every day. If you have a bad night, chances are you won't have two in a row because you can quickly recover from the missteps and move on.

But some of the reviews I see posted on various sites, particularly ones where I "pay to play," distress me because the commentators tend to rant, jump to conclusions, accuse us of being incompetent and say things like, "How is this place still in business?" with multiple question marks and other punctuation for emphasis as if the readers will miss their points. It's as if they think we deliberately set out to make their experience a bad one.

Not that I expect everyone to have a fantastic experience at my restaurant, but come on, folks. We're human. We make mistakes. We want to hear about it right then and there. Don't suffer through a service issue or consume food you don't like at a restaurant, get mad as hell about it, and wait until you get home to jump on your PC and anonymously take your frustration out on a web site. When you do that, there really isn't anything I can do to reach out to you personally to make good on that as the owner of the business. And you can always send email to monique@dessertnoir.com if it really does get that bad...

I want the feedback but I want people to be constructive and informative about it. I get put off when you get nasty, suggest that we are not capable or competent to do what we've been doing for two and a half years pretty consistently now, and bury me in ALL CAPS, ?????, and !!!!!.

I know that for every poor review we receive there are dozens of happy, satisfied customers who will come back and help us with spreading the word. I see those customers for myself every day, but they are not usually the ones who are out there blogging to the world about how great we are, unfortunately.

I take comfort in knowing that even some of the most highly respected, well-established restaurants in town get slammed online, too. Even my favorite fine-dining restaurant with perhaps the most well-known chef in town that I've been patronizing for over 10 years has a few "dingers" out there.

Pressing on to rise above the negativity and deliver to a vision that I know most people appreciate and support.

PCC Class This Fall

2007-08-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

I'm really getting excited about the fall. I'm going to be teaching a class at Portland Community College focused on women in business. Ladies, we're going beyond the conventional wisdom about entrepreneurship and will talk about the skills you need to face situations that will test your resolve, strength, and spirit in today's business world. We're going to work together to help you prepare for this journey and figure out how you're going to raise the money you need, market your concept, and network your way to people who will deliver value to you and your business. We're going to talk a lot about what it takes to be a diva who does business.

Sign up at the Portland Community College web site. My course is titled "Divas Doing Business" and it's taking place on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon on Sept. 29, Oct. 6, and Oct. 13.

Listening to Me

2007-08-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Our mothers were so right to advise us as we were growing up that if you surround yourself with people who don’t have anything going for themselves or don’t have your best interest at heart, it doesn’t take long for you to go down with them.

Over the course of two and a half years of being in the restaurant business, I have sought the wisdom of and hired people to work for me who were so-called "experts" about this industry -- advisors, fellow restaurateurs, chefs, general managers, suppliers/vendors, etc. I also have received a lot of feedback directly from customers about what Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar should deliver in the marketplace. I experimented with different ideas to interest people in the concept, bowed to pressure to change the focus and expand the menu and wine list, and worked with so many people to find that "one thing" that would finally help the restaurant catch fire and result in a line out the door.

After a lot of analysis and soul-searching about the right path for me and my business, I decided that unless I started listening to the voices in my own head and heart, I was going down. Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar had evolved into a restaurant that was trying to be all things to all people. With 60 seats, a small kitchen, and less-than-stellar foot traffic most days of the week, we carried a lot of inventory in anticipation of satisfying every unmet need. The place also was devoid of my personality, which is vibrant, organized, lively, and full of energy, and it felt like there was dark cloud hanging over it. I remember walking into the kitchen one afternoon a couple of weeks ago and having an "out-of-body-experience" as I witnessed the disarray of the office with papers and junk strewn across every surface and watched the staff go through the motions, performing their tasks with little heart and spirit and complaining constantly about every order, every customer, and every little thing. I thought to myself, "This is not the place I built. Somebody has transported me to another dimension."

Also, we were giving food away in portion sizes that could not possibly be consumed in one sitting. Many customers got hip to this, arrived at the restaurant in large groups, and immediately requested that we split their meals, which means they got a 2-for-1 or even 3-for-1. Other more discerning, discriminating customers were appalled at how much food they were getting and even complained directly to the staff and the chef himself, begging him not to put so much food on the plate. I was going broke purchasing to-go boxes and watching whole plates of excess food get dumped into the garbage. How were we supposed to make money like this?

It just so happens that personal circumstances forced the executive chef/GM to move out of town, but I'm a firm believer in "things happen for a reason" and "timing is everything." This is the dawning of the new age of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, ladies and gentlemen. I decided not to replace the executive chef/GM and instead gave my team the opportunity to step up. They have embraced the challenge enthusiastically and we're already taking steps in the right direction.

We are getting back to basics and executing the original vision that I laid out for this business -- dessert first, kick-ass cocktails, and small plates and appetizers. We changed the menu a few days ago, and the vast majority of customers are excited and pleased about what we've done to get back to our core expertise.

However, there are some customers who've complained bitterly that the extensive menu of entrees, pastas, and the like are gone. Sorry to disappoint them, but we can no longer afford to be something we're not. It's "Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar" for a reason, and I'm getting back to my vision and the reasons why I invested this money and time in the first place -- to deliver something unique and sophisticated in my own niche in Beaverton. If you want a lineup of pasta, go to an Italian restaurant. If you want a steak, hit a steakhouse. If you want great dessert, cool ambiance, tasty cocktails, and savory small plates, come and see me.

Dilbert and Only 50 People a Day Away

2007-06-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

As Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar hits the two-and-a-half-year mark this summer, I ask myself, "Why is it still so hard for us to soak ourselves into the collective suburban consciousness of Beaverton, Oregon?" After this length of time and being only one of a handful of upscale dining concepts in the area, the light should be going on in people's minds automatically and I really am at a complete loss as to why it's not.

I was comforted knowing that I'm not alone in this respect when I was recently reading an entry in Dilbert creator Scott Adams' blog soliciting ideas for how to spread the word about his restaurants in California (http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/05/oh_great_blog_b.html). Rightfully so, he steered the commentators away from the usual, most obvious suggestions, like anything related to the "DNA" of the core concept -- i.e., food, service, location, value, or advertising/promotions. (God help me if one more person says to me, "Well, you should change the name because I thought it was just dessert...") That's because in the restaurant business, the guy or gal with the best food or service doesn't usually come out on top. Just look at any chain like Cheesecake Factory or Olive Garden and you'll understand why that's true.

If Scott shares our pain and he's a celebrity with all the benefits and cache that status brings, you can imagine how hard it is for me. Like him, I haven't sat inside my "Field of Dreams" hoping that "if I built it, they would come" as I've spent thousands of dollars on promotions and special events, music, sponsorships, charitable events, donations, advertising campaigns, direct marketing, publicity, celebrity appearances, and everything else we can possibly do to generate buzz and excitement and get butts in my seats. In fact, I recently pitched a VC firm in Los Angeles to invest in my business, and while they passed on my deal, they commended me for having enough savvy and experience to focus my presentation on the accomplishments and activities to build the Dessert Noir brand because it's all about how you position and market your concept. The partner who evaluated my pitch shared with me his woes and frustrations about restaurant owners who say, "Hey, we have fanastic food and our chef is dynamite" and have no clue about how they're going to get anybody to experience it.

Still, the masses are not "discovering" us on their own and the place sits virtually empty most of the time. By my and my executive chef/GM's calculations, we need only 50 additional customers per day -- that's 25 people coming in for lunch and another 25 coming in for dinner -- to turn the corner. From a marketing perspective, this should be a piece of cake. It's 50 people. All of the "air cover" we've sent up and the "ground war" we fight on a daily basis should get us these hits. Hey, I could "wrestle down" 50 people on the street and drag them into the restaurant.

However, it's not happening, and I'm perplexed that we cannot seem to get so few additional customers on a daily basis given everything we've done to spread the word. I can no longer afford to spend thousands of dollars on big marketing campaigns just to reach 50 more people each day, and I am SO OVER giving any more food away!

I am dialed into the online chatter and buzz about places around town, and there doesn't seem to be a bad vibe or negative undercurrent circulating in the market about us. A lot of people tell us when we've screwed up, and we've done a good job to fix issues immediately. Our regular customers love us and keep coming back, and they bring us their friends and family, who sing our praises and help spread the word.

But it's still not getting me 50 more people a day. Do the chains have such a stranglehold on this town that those 50 people are choosing to spend their money there instead of at our place? Could it really be that people just still don't know that we exist, despite being next to the only movie theater in Beaverton? Are people just that wrapped up in their everyday lives that they cannot tune in long enough to catch a glimpse of one of the nearly 30 press stories that ran in the newspapers, on the radio, or on the morning TV shows about our restaurant?

Fifty people makes the difference in my ability to pay my bills in full and on time or else I'm relegated to hustle month to month to keep creditors off my tail. Fifty people makes the difference in whether or not I can pay my rent or have to constantly negotiate with my landlord and beg for his patience and understanding. Fifty people makes the difference between covering the payroll or dedicating my entire paycheck from my day job to cover my employees' paychecks so they can pay their bills. Fifty people makes the difference between keeping the peace at home or fighting with my husband about the future of my business.

We are talking about 50 people. Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar should not fail on account of 50 people.

Culture of Going Out

2007-05-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

In the words of The Tipping Point author Malcom Gladwell, are people in Beaverton capable of "transforming their behavior"?

There's evidence and strong market indicators that they are, for I've built a business based on this being true and have been leading a one-woman parade to convince the world that Beaverton can develop a "culture of going out" on par with other suburbs of major metro areas like Phoenix, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, and Atlanta. This means we're all not cocooned in our big houses on our cul-de-sacs wrapped up with the kids' non-stop activity schedules and watching our Netflix or Blockbuster movie rental. We get out and explore, discover new and exciting things about our community, and make it a point to support local businesses.

However, it's a significant uphill struggle as Beaverton's residents continue to perpetutate these stereotypes and misperceptions about "suburbia" as we line up for hours at the Cheesecake Factory, wait several cars deep in drive-through lines at fast-food joints, and hang out on patios at Starbucks. This fuels Portlanders' bias that nothing cool or exciting could POSSIBLY be happening west of the West Hills. Read any issue of Willamette Week and you’ll find more than one story dissing the suburbs.

How can you stand for people putting down Beaverton any more? We have taste. We have culture. We have great places that add local flavor to this community, but you're still not coming out. Is it because you don't know what's available right here in your own backyard?

I’m working on big things that require the “transformation” to happen today, like bringing more celebrity power and national recognition to Beaverton. No one will be interested in doing an event, making an appearance, or bringing something big to Beaverton if people aren't coming out regularly and supporting the community. When I work on projects like this, the first question I'm asked is, "How many people do you anticipate will show up?"

Therefore, I cannot be the one-woman parade any longer. I need my fellow Beaverton citizens to join me. Be the “domino” that knocks the others down. Grab your friends and family by the hands and drag them out of their offices and houses to go out with you. And then they need to do the same to keep the buzz going. Generate word of mouth about great places and spread it like wildfire.

Don't keep "secrets" to yourself, like I've been hearing from some of my customers lately who don't want Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar to get "discovered." They are afraid it won't be a nice and quiet place if too many people find it. That's counterproductive for most businesses unless you're willing to pay high prices for exclusivity. Most small businesses need as many people as they can fit every single day.

Come out, Beaverton. You're missing some good stuff.

Every Day I Write the Book

2007-03-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

Starting a business is extremely difficult and risky and not for the faint of heart. You are responsible for everything in the operation, and at the end of the day, you are the “throat to choke.” Particularly in the start-up phase as you get up and running, you become synonymous with the business, making it your top priority in your life whether you like it or not.

Women entrepreneurs have it especially hard. While our male counterparts certainly have difficulties running their businesses, we face challenging circumstances and encounter unique situations that oftentimes make our journey a longer, harder one to travel. The conventional wisdom preaches that if you have what it takes to be your own boss, follow the step-by-step process to turn your idea into a viable business, and work your plan, success should be well within your reach. However, nowhere is it written in these countless books, articles, and how-to guides that you must leap over many hurdles to get access to capital, overcome the perception that a woman-owned business is not a high-growth opportunity, and constantly justify your existence to “good ‘ol boys” with the power to decide if you’ll land that big client or get that critical bank loan.

And that’s not all. As a woman, your life is a balancing act as you strive to have a successful business, manage a household, be a great wife and mother, be a girlfriend and confidant, and still have time to pursue other interests. Where exactly in the business plan should you write, “Get to my yoga class three times a week” or “Take my husband out for a date on Tuesdays”? How exactly should you handle the pressures of your husband wanting sex when you’re dog tired, the bank denying your small business loan for the third time, creditors calling and threatening to go after your house, your kid’s school play happening on the same night your biggest client’s project is due, or your rock star employee resigning after you closed a major business deal?

Then why do it? Many benefits and rewards accrue to the risk-taking woman with the vision to start a successful business. Set aside making money for just a moment because that’s certainly the primary reason for going into business in the first place. You get a tremendous high and sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when you see what you originally brainstormed on a napkin over lunch with a friend become an actual living, breathing business. You join the ranks of the very few people in this world who decide to bring a dream to life and risk a lot of themselves personally and financially to make it happen. You create jobs where they didn’t exist before, contribute to the economic growth and vitality of your community, and become a visible role model for the next generation of women entrepreneurs. For me, this experience has helped me grow professionally and personally so much more than I would have if I had settled only for the promotions and rewards of my corporate career.

My experience with Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar compelled me to write a book, Divas Doing Business: What the Guidebooks Don't Tell You About Being a Woman Entrepreneur. It's the story behind the story of being a woman entrepreneur, one of courage, hope, purpose, and undying commitment to success for all women who dare to pursue their dream of entrepreneurship. It is the companion book that you read alongside the traditional how-to guide to gain insight about situations that test your resolve, strength, and spirit in the real world with your business. Also, you will meet successful women entrepreneurs who started with a great idea, gut feeling, or vision to deliver a product or service to the market and are now making their mark by inventing breakthroughs, rising head and shoulders above their competitors, commanding the respect of their peers, and sparking cultural trends and social movements.

We are in this together. Divas, hear me...

Two Years of Dessert Noir

2007-01-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

For nearly two years, I have dedicated my life to Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. The journey has been at once very stressful, challenging, rewarding, enlightening, and satisfying.

My team and I have accomplished a lot with the restaurant. Our revenues have significantly improved year-over-year, we are efficient and lean, and we have dramatically cut our losses. Our strategy to get the word out has been paying off – nearly 25 press stories on local TV and radio and in newspapers and magazines, critical acclaim, and local awards in the two years we’ve been open. In addition, we’re gaining national recognition. A prominent food writer with Ten Speed Press is highlighting the restaurant in his upcoming book on chocolate and coffee, and I’m starting to get the attention of national media outlets. And of course, celebrity appearances from people like Morgan Freeman and Mike Rich generate lots of buzz.

And then there are our great customers, many of whom have been supporting us since the beginning and give us great feedback and encouragement and help us get better every single day. We've served as the host of your birthday celebrations, holiday parties, blind dates, romantic dinners, anniversaries, rehearsal dinners, girls' night out, and receptions.

With all this, we still can't get hot and stay hot. I ask myself every day:

Why isn't there a line out the door of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar?
Why are people waiting in line for two hours at the Cheesecake Factory and won't wait 10 minutes for a table at my place?
What keeps the people of Beaverton from coming out Sunday through Wednesday?
Why can't we make any money?
Why is this so hard?

A few answers:

Great places take a long time to get "discovered."
Forces greater than me -- energy prices, layoffs, war, weather, suburban lifestyle patterns, Hollywood -- and oftentimes in combination, spin me around like a little girl does her ragdoll. When they're through with me, I've been tossed around so hard that I can barely pick myself up.
Unlike chains, who have enough locations to take the good with the bad, my single location is at the mercy of everyone who chooses to come or not come there to eat. Bad hurts like hell for me.
There is a lot of competition for people's mouths.

I get a lot of email and talk to many, many people every day about how they are glad that Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar provides them with a local alternative to the corporate chain game. Everyone encourages me to keep going and hang in there, for it's just a matter of time before we see "lift-off." Well, I'm still on the "launching pad" waiting for ignition, and we've been "counting down" for over two years.

Here's what I ask of my community:

Support me and other local entrepreneurs who are pursuing our dreams and trying really hard to make a living doing it. Shop at local places. The big guys like Banana Republic, Cheesecake Factory, and Stanford's are doing just fine and they're going to get their money. Show some love to people like me who lie awake at night worrying about paying all their bills. Trust me: The guys (and yes, guys) running the chains are sleeping just fine.
Come out before the weekend. There's nothing wrong with stopping by a local restaurant for happy hour on your way home from work on a Tuesday. It's just fine to pick up a gift for someone on a Wednesday. Small businesses need "butts in seats" and "feet on the street" every single day of the week to make it. We don't get enough business on the weekends to carry the rest of the week. It's expensive to sit on a place hoping that people will come through the door. If we serve five or 500 people at my restaurant, I still have the same gas bill and rent payment no matter what.
Spend money. As small business owners, we cannot make money unless you spend it. That means going to a restaurant and having a real meal and not just sitting there with your book or magazine and sucking down endless refills of Coke or coffee. That means going to your local salon for your hair appointment and buying products and tipping your stylist. When you don't spend enough money, we have to make it up somewhere. I don't know any small business owner who's sitting on a ton of cash in the bank and can afford to do his/her venture as a "hobby."

I need you, Beaverton and beyond, to recognize that if you want places like Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, Mingo, Mocha 'Roma's Coffee Company, Falk Hardware, Beaverton Florists, Ray's Watch Repair, and the other small businesses that bring local flavor, character, and economic growth to our community to survive and thrive, then you have to do your part. Invest in your local businesses. After all, we're the ones who are employing 90 percent of your sons, daughters, wives, husbands, grandkids, friends, and others you know and love. I'm sure you want them to keep their jobs.

October at Last

2006-10-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting with great hope and anticipation for the month of October to get here. August and September were particularly challenging as the business encountered the traditional seasonal slow-down with late-summer vacations and Back-to-School. I was very happy to close the door on the last six weeks, for sure.

I look forward to this month as people settle back into the rigors of work and a normal routine and get into a festive mood with the upcoming holiday season. Speaking of the holidays, Powell's City of Books is opening next month two doors down from Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, just in time to pull in the holiday shoppers. Hollywood FINALLY will deliver some movies that people want to see, like The Guardian with Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner, Man of the Year with Robin Williams, and Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers, that appeal across a wide audience. And I'm ready for the rain, quite honestly, because then it will feel like fall in Oregon.

Look for big things from me this fall. I think you'll be amazed at what I'm going to attempt to pull off.

Thinking Back, Looking Ahead

2006-09-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, I am thinking back about where I was on that day and how life in our country changed forever. Being originally from New York City and a frequent flyer to places all over the world, I could have been on any one of those flights in New York, Boston, or Washington that day. In fact, I had been on the United Airlines routes before at one time or another. It just so happened that I was instead scheduled to travel on a flight from Portland to San Jose. Needless to say, I didn't go anywhere...

About two months after the attacks, I made a pilgrimage to New York City, my hometown, to visit Ground Zero. Not only was the World Trade Center a landmark that defined the city, but it was also a symbol of pride and joy for me as I was growing up. Also, on a visit to the city a year prior to the attacks, my mother and I stayed at the Marriott World Trade Center hotel. The pictures in the media were heartbreaking, but I knew they couldn't capture the scale of the destruction. I had to see it for myself.

Two months later and the site was still smoldering. There were gaping holes in the ground where the buildings once stood and the sky was strangely empty without these skyscrapers to fill in the space. Piles and piles of concrete, steel, and glass were several stories high, and it was not hard to imagine the scene where rescue workers raced to save lives amid all the chaos. I walked the prescribed route the NYPD and FDNY laid out to keep visitors and mourners at a safe distance and viewed the makeshift memorials and postings with pleas for any information about missing friends and loved ones. I witnessed people from all walks of life and around the world who quietly cried, prayed, reached out, and searched for any explanation for why someone would inflict this kind of pain and destruction on innocent people.

I could go into a political commentary about how the events of the last five years have unfolded, but I'll instead continue to look ahead with hope and optimism. I believe people are fundamentally good in this world, and there are more of us who want peace and goodwill than those who want war and despair. As the song goes, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..."

Willingness to Help

2006-08-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

I received several comments and emails about my last posting on Marion and the bus ticket to Charlotte. One reader from Australia even sent me a note! This simple story of one person reaching out to someone in need struck a chord with readers.

Earlier this week, I had a lengthy conversation with a new friend, who despite having only met me once before, noticed immediately upon seeing me on this occasion that something had me worried and preoccupied. He outright asked, "Monique, what is wrong with you? What is on your mind and why are you so stressed?" I was "guilty as charged" and he bought me a Cosmo when I began to relate to him how hard it is for me to balance everything that's happening in my life -- my day job, the business, not having all the resources/money I need, my personal life, etc. As a successful person who's taken years to build a fantastic career in his own right and the owner of a restaurant that's still not making lots of money after several years of operating, he could completely empathize with my situation. But he was hard on me and got all over my case about keeping the stress under control.

I also lamented about the numerous people and institutions (banks, finance companies, investors) to whom I've reached out for help but refuse for all the formulaic reasons that these people always give for not wanting to take a risk that an idea might just be a winner. I have a great story, the track record is getting established, and I cannot get anyone outside of a few dear friends and family who've been with me through my entire entrepreneurial experience to recognize the real value and potential here. I'm loathe to keep going back to these same people whenever I'm "stuck." Therefore, I've been figuring a lot of things on my own, taking risks that everything is going to work out in the end.

It's so "foreign" to me because I'm the kind of person who'll give you the shirt off my back and the last dollar in my wallet if I can help you get ahead or to where you're going. Whatever happened to the people "out there" who support entrepreneurs and visionaries because they believe in their spirit, understand the difference they're trying to make, and know it's the right thing to do? These days everyone is looking to make a quick buck right now and they have no appreciation for the long-term picture.

To illustrate my point to my new friend, I told him the story of Marion. He was fascinated and captivated. He asked if I had written all this down because he thought it was a story that needs to be told to a broader audience. Perhaps it could be the subject of a short film, he advised. Wouldn't that be totally cool?

In the meantime, I pray for guidance and wisdom through all of this because I know I'm on the path to success. I just need more time and little more help.

Marion and the Bus Ticket to Charlotte

2006-07-31T08:16:00.000-07:00

I was in Atlanta on a business trip last week. After an event and an impromptu meeting lasted well into the evening on Thursday, I went to the hotel's bar in search of a late-night snack, only to find the kitchen was shut down. Having been in New York City the week before, imagine my shock that I couldn't get served at 1:00 in the morning!

Well, at this hotel, the only late-night dining option was room service. Not being one who particularly cares for room service because it winds up being too expensive and takes too long, I hit the street in search of some place in downtown Atlanta that would be open when a man named Marion approached me to ask if I needed help. This brotha couldn't have been much older than me, but he looked aged with worry. He was worn, tired, and dirty, and I thought for a split second that he either had bad intentions or was insane. But when he asked how he could help me, it felt warm and genuine, like what you'd hear from a "Southern gentleman." He wanted to make sure that I'd be safe walking the streets alone in the middle of the night. At that point, I decided to tell him I was after some late-night dining that was close.

Marion had just the spot - The Landmark Diner, open 24 hours and only a few blocks away from the hotel. As we casually sauntered down the city streets, Marion related to me an unbelievable story about getting suddenly fired from his under-the-table job two days before and finding himself on the street when his boss booted him out of the Winnebago where he allowed Marion to live. Being originally from Charlotte, N.C., Marion had been trying to raise enough money for a bus ticket back home - performing odd jobs, selling articles of his clothing and accessories, helping tourists on the streets, advising people about 24-hour pay-to-park lots, and the like. He even went to the bus station to help passengers with luggage for tips, but the staff wouldn't let him hang around the station without having a ticket. He hadn't slept nor eaten. Needless to say, he was having a hard time at this, for most people who see a black man in this state think the worst and fear for their safety.

As we walked, Marion began the story of his life, a tragic tale of parents who died in a house fire, a four-year old daughter who died after a fatal asthma attack, uncles who were serving life prison sentences. All he wanted to do was live an honest, simple life and escape the downward spiral. He went to Atlanta seeking opportunity, and then in just two days, his world changed.

Whether I believed all this or not was irrelevant. I thought to myself as Marion and I walked down the street together that God placed him in my path for a reason. Marion told me of person after person who passed him by, wouldn't help him, didn't believe him, wouldn't take his plight seriously, and jumped to the conclusion that he was a scam artist or criminal. I realized many parallels between Marion's situation and my own. When it comes to my business, I, too, constantly make the case for people to support and invest it -- the many banks, potential investors, and others who have the wherewithal and means to help but choose not to for one reason or another. When I'm networking my way around this country to get to the right people who can potentially help me, I do the equivalent of what Marion did on the streets of Atlanta, getting in front of anyone who will listen to my story and praying they won't "pass me by."

So I took that risk and reached out, thinking my problems seemed so small in comparison to the circumstances of survival that Marion faced in trying to figure out how in the world was he going to get back home. He said he had been "arguing with God all day," and I responded, "Stop arguing with God. He brought me to you, my brother, and I'm here to help you."

Marion was $8.25 short on the bus fare. When we arrived at the diner, I offered to buy Marion something when I ordered, and needless to say, he accepted it. We took our orders to go, and I gave him $10 to get him over the hump on the bus fare. He lit up with excitement as he was going to eat a decent meal and get on that bus at 6:00 a.m. As he walked me back to the hotel, Marion began planning the two-to-three mile route on foot back to the bus station. Then his conversation began to head down the path of "I wish I had done..." and "I should have done..." and "I would have done..." I interrupted him and advised him to think forward to that bus ride home and how the next six to 12 hours were going to shape. There was nothing he could do about what happened in Atlanta. It was time to start thinking about how he was going to change those circumstances once Atlanta was in the rear-view mirror.

And he had a plan: Go back to his family's house, which had been abandoned, and fix it up so he could live in it. His grandfather left him vintage shotguns that he planned to sell for some immediate cash. Visit the mother of his daughter and continue to help her with the funeral and burial expenses for their daughter...

It's the journalist in me who can pull this much out of someone in about 40 minutes. Marion needed to talk to someone who'd listen. I didn't say much, only giving him bits and pieces about me to reassure him that we had something in common, not the least of which was being a fellow human being who cared enough to get out of my own head for a short amount of time and be there for somebody.

What I need to keep my life and business venture on a path toward success is so trivial in comparison! I prayed to God to take care of Marion. I wished I could have thanked Marion for the recommendation on the Landmark Diner. When I returned to my hotel room, I enjoyed a fabulous gyro. In fact, I returned to the Landmark Diner the next evening for another late-night dinner, and one of the servers who had seen me with Marion the night before asked, "Hey, where's your boyfriend?" I replied, "I hope he's home in Charlotte..."

I do not expect to be rewarded for reaching out and helping Marion, but I know that the good I did for him will help me in some way, even if to put everything that I'm going through in the proper perspective. Always a story! :-)

New York Makes Me Happy

2006-07-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks, I have received great feedback from people who have taken time from their busy schedules and hectic lives to actually read my blog. I'm honored that you are reading my musings and following me on my journey.

I've received emails from people I don't even know who appreciate what I'm trying to do with my business, want to see it be a success, and encourage me to hang in there because it is going to work. Others have pointed out the seemingly negative tone that came across in the last couple of postings and suggested that I focus on the positive things that are happening in my life and be the happy, energetic, and outgoing person that they all know and love.

The past few weeks have been a mix of extremely "high highs" and "low lows." Not to bore you with the details, but one highlight was that I spent most of last week on a business trip to New York City, my hometown. Billy Joel was right when he wrote the song "New York State of Mind." When I am immersed in that non-stop, 24/7 energy, I rediscover happiness and hipness and I blend right back into a city life that knows no boundaries of space or time.

New York City is a place where people ooze into the streets no matter what night of the week it is, and they are all moving with a sense of purpose. It's a place where I can meet an old childhood friend at a bar that specializes in Russian vodkas on a Wednesday evening before he and his girlfriend go to the premiere of an independent film that a friend of theirs has worked on. It's a place where another great friend of mine in New Jersey can call me at 7:45 pm on that same Wednesday evening and within an hour, I am in a taxi heading from my hotel in Midtown to Penn Station, riding a commuter train to Newark, and sitting in a fantastic tapas and wine bar in that city's Ironbound District (think Pearl District for those of you here in Portland) having a fabulous dinner and cocktail.

And by the way, the taxi and train were under $10 total to get there, and dinner was about $45 between the two of us. When I got back into the city after dinner, I decided to forego the taxi and instead walk the 20 blocks from Penn Station back to my hotel and enjoy the late-evening vibe of a beautiful summer night. Now that's living!

Keeping Faith, Finding Strength in Difficult Times

2006-07-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I've written in my blog, for I've been consumed with other more pressing matters like keeping my business running and holding on to my day job. In between time, I took a few days off for an annual retreat with my husband and a couple of friends to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Admittedly, I needed the time to relax, but my mind was completely occupied with the on-going challenge I face to put more butts in seats at my restaurant.

After nearly a year and a half, we still "inching" our way along. Despite all the marketing outreach, great reviews, regular media coverage, and special events and activities, we are not packed at any other time except Friday and Saturday nights. I spend money ahead of revenue in hopes of hitting something that will resonate with people and finally get them off their tails and into my restaurant. Music is the big one: Being one of only a handful of venues doing music in Beaverton should give me differentiation in the market and attract more people to our spot. Every single week, I pay live musicians and DJs to perform for our customers and I'm not seeing the benefit to the bottom line at all. What music has become is yet another cost of doing business for me, and now that it's woven into our concept's fabric, it's incredibly difficult to pull back on it for fear of becoming another restaurant that's just like everyone else.

It all makes me want to holler! I'm struggling to keep the faith and find the strength to continue in the face of all the challenges. I lose a lot of sleep and miss a lot of meals because I'm too stressed and too preoccupied with what needs to be done to ensure the business is successful. My survival in this business depends on increasing the number of customers who come and spend money with us RIGHT NOW. Like tomorrow. Like this week.

Everyone says they want strong local businesses in our community, but it's not enough to say it. You have to come out and do it. For the sake of my health and sanity, please...

Patience, Young Woman

2006-06-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me, it goes without saying that I'm probably the world's most impatient person. It's in my nature to want things to happen right now, especially when I've been working so hard at making something successful.

I'm getting extremely impatient about my restaurant, Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, for it has been open nearly a year and a half, and it is still not making any money. The on-going issue is awareness. It doesn't seem to matter how much I do to try to spread the word about the business, we creep along at a snail's pace, inching ever so slowly toward breaking even. For some days, the sales are good, but for most, they aren't so good. And it's not because we suck -- people simply have not discovered us in the mass numbers we need day after day to make the business profitable and worth the investment of time, energy, and resources.

In the meantime, while I'm hustling and negotiating to keep the business alive and holding on for my dear life, I recently paid a visit on a Saturday night to the newly-opened Cheesecake Factory at Washington Square. I was absolutely astonished at the line out the door and the amount of time people were waiting to get a seat at this monstrosity of a restaurant that serves mediocre, mass-produced chain fare. Parties of three, four, five, and six people were standing around the lobby and outside the front doors with these ridiculous buzzers in their hands, anxiously anticipating these things to sound off to signal their tables were available after waiting as long as two hours.

On the "sneak tip," I actually plucked a party of five out of line and encouraged them to come to my restaurant instead of putting up with the CF's foolishness. I called ahead to my staff to reserve the table and this party was in and out in the amount of time that they would have waited in line at the CF. They enjoyed great food and service from my staff and live music from a blues/jazz pianist, and they complimented me on how outstanding their experience was.

As much as residents of our community say they want to support small businesses and nurture unique local concepts, most people still get their coffee from Starbucks, eat at chain restaurants, and shop at big-box retailers. I encourage you to switch it up a bit and break away from the crowd. Support local businesses because it's people like me who are employing the vast majority of your friends and family, and if we don't make it, there are huge consequences for our local community. Does anyone really want the chains and big brands to dominate our local landscape? Competition and variety are good things for a healthy, vibrant business climate in this town.

Sure, it's OK to get your latte from Starbucks every now and then, but how about trying Mocha 'Roma's, the fantastic local coffee roaster on Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy across from Jesuit High School? (God help Mocha 'Roma's because Starbucks recently opened a store right across the street...)

Support local businesses, please. And do it now. Remember, I'm impatient and while I get lots of feedback from our customers that they are thrilled to have something like Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar in the community, I need more of you to get your butts in my seats right now.

Throw One Down Field

2006-06-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

People turn to sports analogies when describing business strategies and tactics because it's easy to make the connection:

Have a game plan.
Build a team of dedicated, committed players.
Be in it to win it.

Sometimes you get to a point when you've been following the plan, scoring points, and winning the game, but you need to break away from your opponent to ensure the team has a secure victory. Breaking away means taking a risk, like "throwing one down field" or "shooting the three," because you may surprise yourself and your team if you actually score.

Because I'm an eternal optimist whose vocabulary doesn't include the word "cannot," I've thrown a few passes down the field while working the game plan for Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. These include pitches to national media -- Food Network, People Magazine, USA Today, National Public Radio, and others. I've sent packages to Oprah and Al Roker. I've sought investment in my company from really rich people who didn't know me from a hole in the wall, and to my surprise, some of them even had the decency to respond to my inquiry, even if it was to turn me down. I landed one my best mentors that way.

I haven't scored yet, but I'm still trying, for the payoff will be huge for the business and will allow us to take this operation to the next level faster than working the current plan. True competitors are never satisfied with just winning, for it's how you win the game that defines the victory -- with integrity, courage, honesty, and your best effort.

Watch for me on Oprah! :-)

Beaverton Bias and the Chain Game

2006-05-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

As someone who’s been living in Oregon for 12 years now, I’ve always settled in the westside suburbs mainly out of convenience and proximity to the high-tech companies where I’ve worked. Originally being from the East Coast and having spent time in large, cosmopolitan cities, I’ve always been attracted to the buzz and energy of a strong downtown, and I’ve done my part to support local Portland restaurants even though it hasn’t always been terribly convenient to get to them. A lot of the thrill is in the adventure, and more often than not, I’m not disappointed when I find a great place to eat and drink in the city.

On the other hand, Portland folks don’t have a lot of “love” for the suburbs, especially Beaverton. It appears that food writers and reviewers, lifestyle reporters, and other trendy people cannot possibly imagine that something interesting and cool could be happening west of the West Hills. As such, independent restaurants that dared to take on the chains in this part of town are struggling for visibility and recognition.

Great independent suburban restaurants can beat the chains at their game by winning hearts and minds and changing attitudes about the suburban restaurant landscape. At the same time, suburban residents must expand their own horizons and support locally-owned restaurants. When you support a local business, your money stays right here and doesn't line the pockets of some big corporation who doesn't really care all that much about the community. The more you support local businesses, the more we as business owners are able to give back to our community. So don't stand in line for two hours on a Friday or Saturday night at the Cheesecake Factory waiting to be served mediocre, mass-produced food. Instead, come to Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar, where you'll likely not have to wait for a table, you can hear local musicians and see the work of local artists, and your money goes into the Washington Mutual Bank right on the other side of the Cedar Hills Crossing shopping center.

Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar - The Philosophy

2006-05-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

I'm the owner of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar in Beaverton, and the restaurant has been open for 15 months. We've passed that critical first-year milestone, and every day that we're still in business is a day we defy the odds.

Growing up, I never really imagined that I'd own my own business; therefore, I came to entrepreneurship in my 30s after discovering a niche in the suburban restaurant market between the casual-dining chain game and fine dining. Why not create a place that gives you the value you expect from a chain but the quality you expect from fine dining? Make dessert the hook, but give folks real food that's just as good. And don't go "over the top" with it -- ensure what we do is expertly handcrafted and presented, but definitely make it approachable and familiar. How many times have you been in a high-end restaurant and ordered dessert that was so intricately and delicately plated that you were afraid to stick your fork in it?

Restaurants don't stop at fantastic food. It's about the experience. Offer great atmosphere, ambiance, and good service -- like places that you find downtown -- that's close to where people live and work. Have live music since just about every potential venue in the suburbs has eliminated its music program. Open your walls to local artists who want to show their work because they can't get gallery space in The Pearl. Host special events and support local charitable causes that bring celebrities like actor/comedian Sinbad to hang out with your people. Promote weekly specials like Martini Mondays with the NW Poker League and "2 for $22 Tuesday" -- i.e., 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine for $22. Warm their spirit, touch their souls.

And that's the philosophy behind this little restaurant concept I started. It's been enormously gratifying to guide the business and I'm constantly learning. It's also very rewarding to know that I've created jobs and I'm having a positive impact on the Beaverton community. I have a wonderful executive chef/general manager, Ian Farquhar, who manages the operations and keeps everything humming along while I still have a full-time career at Intel Corporation.

On the other hand, the day-to-day struggles wear me out, and my ability to overcome adversity and challenges is tested time after time. Awareness is our primary challenge and word of mouth spreads ever so slowly. Thank God we don't suck!! Customers love the concept and they give us high marks. However, despite being located next to a brand new movie theater at a newly-revitalized shopping center, people in the suburbs don't come out of their cocoons until Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, leaving me with an abyss the rest of the week. The on-going conflict in Iraq, high gas prices, and other factors beyond my control don't help my situation in the least, but I do everything I can to promote the business and generate butts in seats despite the obstacles. I wish, for the life of me, that people in Beaverton will come out en masse to support my locally-owned business once and for all so I can sleep at night. What is everybody waiting on? Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar is here!!

I've put a lot of faith in God that I'm making good decisions and choices as His guiding light illuminates my path. I also have a lot of faith in myself that Dessert Noir will be a success. We are so close to taking off that I can see it very clearly, but getting there is taking longer than I anticipated and costing me more money than I planned. I'm at a crossroads, living day by day and praying that the additional resources will come my way and the line will be out the door with people dying to get in...

It was only a matter of time...

2006-04-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

For those who come across my blog on purpose or by simply cruising around looking for cool and interesting stories about our citizens of the world, welcome to "The Business of Being Monique." As a "born communicator," I knew it was only a matter of time before I finally started my own blog. Now for the hard part: Can I commit to writing in this blog regularly so that it doesn't suffer from neglect and abandonment? Generally speaking, when I say I'm going to do something, I do it, and since I cannot seem to find time to get my podcast off the ground, the blog is the next best thing at this point in time.

I'll use this blog to inform you of what's happening in my life and what's on my mind. I'll share stories about working for a major high-tech corporation, running my own business, and just doing what I do, which is a lot of everything and sometimes nothing. I hope my energy and passion for living a full, rich life comes across in this electronic world.

Please read and respond. How fun and exciting it will be to interact with you!