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Breaking the Fear Barrier: Tips for Starting Your Entrepreneurial Journey

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Tips for Starting Your Entrepreneurial Journey

Starting your own business can seem daunting if you’re new to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial journey. It’s common to feel overwhelmed by the fear of the unknown and the idea that failure is inevitable. However, it’s important to remember that every successful entrepreneur has been in your shoes. By adopting the appropriate mindset and employing effective strategies, you can confidently overcome the fear hurdle and embark on your entrepreneurial journey.

Let’s explore some tips and strategies for overcoming the fear of starting your own business and setting yourself up for success.

1. Identify Your Fear – Entrepreneurial Journey

As an entrepreneur, it’s important to identify your fears because they can hold you back from taking risks and reaching your full potential. By acknowledging your fears, you can confront them and find ways to overcome them. Fear of failure, for example, is a common fear among the entrepreneurial journey.

By changing your mindset towards failure and perceiving it as a chance to gain knowledge and improve, you can conquer this apprehension and take well-thought-out risks to drive your business toward progress. By identifying and confronting your fears, you address the challenges of the entrepreneurial journey and achieve success.

2. Educate Yourself

Acquiring knowledge is empowering; the more you learn about the entrepreneurial journey, the less daunting it will appear. Attend seminars and workshops, read books and blogs, and listen to podcasts that focus on the entrepreneurial journey. This will help you gain knowledge and build a network of like-minded individuals who can offer support and guidance.

3. Start Small

Starting small can help alleviate some of the fear of starting a business. Instead of jumping in headfirst, consider creating a side hustle or launching a small project that aligns with your long-term goals allowing you to test the waters, gain experience, and build confidence without taking on too much risk.

4. Develop a Plan

To begin, establish specific objectives and devise a plan to accomplish them. Create a business plan, a marketing strategy, financial projections, and a timeline for launching your business. A well-defined plan can keep you on track and motivated during difficult times.

5. Surround Yourself with Support

Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey can be isolating, and having a reliable support system can be invaluable. Enlist the backing of encouraging family and friends you trust with your vision. Additionally, consider joining entrepreneurial communities and networks where you can engage with other ambitious individuals who can provide guidance, constructive criticism, and encouragement.

6. Embrace Failure

When it comes to entrepreneurship, fear of failure can be a significant barrier to success. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to remember that failure doesn’t signify defeat. Failure can be a valuable lesson that helps you mature and enhance your skills. Acknowledge failure as a natural aspect of the journey and utilize it as a chance to learn and pivot.

7. Take Action

Taking daily action steps can alleviate any feelings of doubt and reluctance. Don’t let fear paralyze you or hold you back. Instead, take small steps each day toward your goal. Focus on essential tasks such as conducting market research, networking, refining your business plan, or launching a pilot project. Taking action, however modest, can help develop momentum and confidence.

8. Practice Self-Care

As an entrepreneur, getting caught up in the hustle and grind of building a business is easy, but it’s important to prioritize self-care along the way. Taking care of your physical and mental health can help you maintain a clear and focused mind, boost your productivity, and reduce stress and burnout. Taking care of yourself is crucial to your personal and professional success. So, set aside time for self-care, and remember to celebrate your wins!

In Summary

In conclusion, starting a business can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. By identifying your fears, educating yourself, creating small, developing a plan, surrounding yourself with support, embracing failure, taking action, and practicing self-care, you can break through the fear barrier and confidently start your entrepreneurial journey. Remember that every successful entrepreneur has faced fear and uncertainty but overcame it by taking action and believing in themselves. You have the opportunity to create something from scratch, be your boss, and make a positive impact on the world.

 

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you want to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Thinking Outside the Box: Using Imagination to Grow Your Small Business

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Creativity and Small Business Growth

If you’re a small business owner, you’ll likely know that building a successful enterprise requires hard work, dedication, and perseverance. However, more effort may be needed to stand out from the competition; this is where imagination comes in handy. Thinking outside the box allows you to be creative and unconventional when growing your small business. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can use your imagination to grow your small business.

1. Start with a Mindset Shift 

The first step to thinking outside the box is to shift your mindset. Instead of thinking in terms of limitations, start thinking about possibilities. Let go of your preconceived notions about what’s possible and what’s not. By opening up your mind to new ideas and approaches, you can generate new solutions to old problems.

Try asking yourself, “What if…?” or “How might we…?” These open-ended questions can help you break free from conventional thinking and develop new and innovative ideas. For example, if you own a restaurant, you might ask yourself, “What if we offered a vegan menu?” This exercise could help you tap into a growing market of health-conscious diners.

2. Embrace Creativity 

Imagination and creativity go hand in hand. To think outside the norm:

  1. Allow yourself to experiment with new ideas and approaches.
  2. Don’t worry about what may or may not happen.
  3. Be open to taking risks and trying new things, even if they don’t always work out.

One way to embrace creativity is to encourage brainstorming sessions with your team. During these sessions, encourage everyone to share their ideas, no matter how wild or unconventional they may seem. Try to generate as many new ideas as possible and scale them down to the most feasible and likely to produce results.

Another way to foster creativity is to expose yourself to new experiences and perspectives. Be bold, attend networking events outside your industry, and seek opportunities to learn from other successful entrepreneurs. You allow your creativity to flow when you’re open to new ideas and perspectives.

3. Challenge Assumptions
Thinking Outside the Box

Sometimes, the biggest obstacle to thinking outside the box is our assumptions. We may assume that certain things are impossible or that specific approaches won’t work. However, challenging these assumptions allows us to open up new possibilities and generate fresh ideas.

For example, if you run a retail store, you might assume that your customers only want to shop in person. However, by challenging this assumption, you might come up with the idea of offering online shopping or curbside pickup. Thinking outside the box could help you reach new customers and increase sales.

4. Focus on Customer Needs 

One of the keys to growing a small business is to focus on the needs and wants of your customers. Consider how you can best customize your products or services to meet their needs by understanding their pain points and desires.

To do this, start by talking to your customers. Ask them what they like about your business, what they don’t like, and what they want to see more of. Customers offer valuable insights into how you can improve a product or service to serve them better. 

Another way to focus on customer needs is to observe their behavior. Look for patterns in their shopping habits, preferences, and complaints. Start identifying areas where you can improve your small business and meet their needs.

5. Look for Inspiration Everywhere 

Finally, to think outside the box, you need to be open to inspiration from all sources. Start looking for ideas and inspiration everywhere you go, from other small businesses in your industry to entirely unrelated fields.

For example, it’s common for hair studios to look to fashion trends for inspiration on new hairstyles and color palettes. Draw inspiration from successful restaurants on how they market their menu items or create a unique atmosphere. By looking beyond your industry, you can gain new insights and ideas to help you stand out from the competition.

Another way to find inspiration is to tap into your passions and interests. Think about other skills or talents and hobbies that inspire your creativity. How might you incorporate these interests into your small business? For example, you might host live music events at your café or restaurant if you love music.

In Summary – Small Business

Imagination is a powerful tool for small business owners. Start brainstorming to generate fresh ideas, solve old problems, and take your business to new heights. To harness the power of imagination, start by shifting your mindset, embracing creativity, challenging assumptions, focusing on customer needs, and looking for inspiration everywhere. With these strategies in place, you can build a thriving small business that stands out from the competition and delivers real value to your customers.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you want like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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5 Content Marketing Ideas To Help Small Businesses

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Content Marketing Ideas

Content marketing is an excellent way for small businesses to reach their target audience. It’s relatively low cost and can effectively generate leads and build brand awareness. Here we share five effective content marketing strategies for your small business today.

1. Landing Pages

Landing pages are a great way to engage with customers, build trust, and generate leads. They can be used to promote products or services or collect information from visitors.

Landing pages are a key part of any content marketing strategy for small businesses because they’re highly effective in generating leads, driving sales, and increasing traffic to your website.

2. Email marketing

Email marketing is an inexpensive and effective way to keep in touch with your customers. It’s also a great way to build relationships with them because it’s easy to customize emails based on their interests or purchase history.

You can create email campaigns through free services such as MailChimp, Constant Content Marketing, and AWeber; however, if you’re short on time and resources you can use one of these services or hire a professional who will help set up your email marketing campaign for less than $100 per month.

3. Blogging

Blogging is a great way to build credibility, trust, and rapport with your customers. It’s also free traffic—if you’re savvy about it!

For example: If you have a blog post about what it’s like to run the business of your dreams (and some so many people can relate to), then share it on social media channels. People will see that you’re not just another faceless company selling them something; instead, they’ll see a real person who has been in their shoes and wants to help them succeed at whatever they’re trying to do. And if they like what you wrote about your journey? Then maybe they’ll stick around for more content marketing from you down the road!

4. Case Studies

A case study is a detailed account of how your business helped someone else solve a problem. They’re usually written in the first person, so you can use them to show off your expertise, but they can also be used for promotional purposes. This makes them perfect for small businesses since they show how you can help others while promoting your brand.

If you want to create this type of content marketing, it’s best to choose a customer who was particularly happy with your results and write about their experience in detail. You might include some background information on what led up to the situation they were dealing with and any challenges they faced along the way. Finally, make sure that it ends on an uplifting note so that readers feel encouraged no matter what problems they might face in their lives (because let’s face it: most people have problems).

5. Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to attract new customers. They can help you show off your expertise, build brand awareness, and connect with new customers. Podcasts are a medium that’s relatively easy to produce and distribute, but they can also be very effective in increasing your audience reach.

Podcasting is an excellent way for small businesses to get their name out there because it allows them to share information about their products or services with anyone who can access the Internet or mobile devices. The key is to make sure that people know what they’re listening to so they’ll know how helpful it might be for them.

Conclusion Content Marketing

If you’re looking for new ways to content marketing your small business, the above list is a great place to start. These strategies have been proven time and time again as effective tools for building brand awareness and increasing conversions. They are also relatively low-cost compared with other options, such as paid advertisements or SEO, which can be expensive if not managed correctly by an expert in their field.

When it comes to content marketing for small businesses, there’s no “one size fits all.” So don’t stress if these five seem irrelevant to your brand; instead, use them as inspiration for coming up with something more unique that fits perfectly into your brand (and budget).

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you want to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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5 Small Business Growth Strategies To Get Your Brand Noticed

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Small Business Growth

The holiday season is perfect for your small business growth to get noticed in growth strategies. Many Small Business Growth benefit significantly during this time of year due to higher sales and more foot traffic in their stores. Holidays are also an excellent opportunity to promote your brand through cross-promotion with other businesses or hosting events that engage your community. Here are five strategies you can use to grow your small business growth over the next few months:

1: Cross Promote with Other Businesses

Cross-promotion is a great way to get your brand noticed during the holiday season. This strategy involves promoting another business’s products or services in exchange for them promoting yours.

It can be done on social media, in-store, or through a newsletter. You should focus on businesses with similar audiences and offer products that complement yours. For example, if you sell jewelry and they sell apparel, then it makes sense to cross-promote each other’s products.

Here are some examples of businesses that could cross-promote with you:

  • Online retailers with stores on Etsy & Big Cartel
  • Local boutiques or shops where you live
  • Bloggers who write about similar topics to yours

2: Host a Food or Toy Drive

We all know how important it is to give back to our communities and positively impact others. Hosting a food or toy drive is one of the best ways to do this. You can either collect donations from your customers or run an in-store donation drive by setting up a table in the middle of your store where people can drop off their donations, or both!

Just make sure that you promote your drive so that you get the most amount of donations possible. The last thing you want is for your customers not to know about it! Once the holidays are over, thank everyone who donated so that they know how much their kindness means.

3: Engage Your Community

It would help if you also considered creating a contest for your business. This could include giving away a gift card or other prizes to encourage people in your community to visit your small business growth. You can also ask for feedback on your products and services, which can help you improve them in the future.

Lastly, you could ask followers of social media or email lists what they think about working with your company and whether they would recommend it to others.

4: Consider a Virtual or Live Event

  • Virtual events are great for getting your brand noticed and building new customer relationships. These events can be held in several places, like on social media or via video conferencing platforms like Zoom.
  • Traditional live events can also be a huge success because you build customer relationships and connect with people in person. The difference between virtual and live events is that virtual is hosted online, while live events are held at a specific location. Still, both events can significantly impact the success of your small business growth by helping you to build rapport with new and existing customers.

5: Gift Guides

Another way to get your brand noticed is by creating a gift guide.

Whether creating your own or recommending products for another small business growth, you’ll want to ensure that your gift guide’s content is valuable and helpful to the reader. If they find what they’re looking for in your guide, they are more likely to check out other content on your site.

Gift guides can be created in any format—online only, print only, online, and print. Having both digital versions of gift guides available allows people who prefer one form over another access to all versions without needing additional tools to view them.

The holiday season is an excellent time for your small business growth to get noticed and grow.

Here are some of the reasons why:

  • It’s when people think about gift purchases, which means they’ll think about you and your brand.
  • The holidays are a great time to get creative with messaging, promotions, and marketing—which can lead to more word-of-mouth marketing opportunities for you. (That’s always good.)

Happy Holidays! We hope these tips will help you to grow your small business growth this holiday season.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you want to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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5 Common Mistakes US Startups Make When Entering the Israeli Market

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5 Common Mistakes US Startups Make When Entering Israel

The US market is flooded with their startups. As such, enterprising entrepreneurs are looking to overseas markets to make their millions. Many have set their sights on Israel. Below, we explore why that is and point out five common mistakes that US startups should avoid when entering the Israeli market.

Statistics and Facts of New Businesses in the US 2022

There are more than 70,000 active startups in the US in 2022. This proliferation of new business has its roots in former President Barack Obama’s “Startup America” program, launched in 2011. Through the Small Business Administration, the program administrated $2 billion worth of funding to promote high-growth entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs looking to swerve this market saturation are increasingly turning to dynamic markets in other countries. One that is capturing many startup founders’ attention is Israel.

Why Israel Is the Best Country to Expand Your Business (Common Mistakes)

Israel offers economic strength, a skilled, creative workforce, and a welcoming environment for US businesses. Its gross domestic product grew by 8.1% in 2021 and its fiscal policies support growth. Thanks to Israel’s startup culture, the country already has many ties with US companies, with US firms accounting for almost two-thirds of the 300+ research and development centers that multinational companies have established in Israel.

Environments don’t get much more welcoming. That said, expanding into a new market always has pitfalls, even for businesses with robust business growth strategies. With that in mind, here are five common mistakes to avoid when entering the Israeli startup scene.

1. Failing to Do Research on the Israeli Market

Common Mistakes: Market research is fundamental to any new venture, whether it’s launching a new product in your domestic market or a whole new venture overseas. The Israeli market differs from the US market, so you need to undertake market research to understand your target customers, their shopping habits, their appetite for your products, and the landscape in terms of competition. Fail to undertake appropriate market research and you’re setting yourself up to fail.

2. Not Translating Your Online Presence in the Hebrew Language

Common Mistakes: Launching your startup in Israel means you will need a Hebrew translation company on your side. Engaging a high-quality Hebrew translation service will provide you with the skills to connect online with your target audience.

When you translate a document from English to Hebrew, it’s about more than language. It’s also about respecting cultural nuances, delivering linguistic quirks such as jokes and idioms correctly, and taking care of practical details such as currency and date format conversion.

Professional Hebrew translation services can help with all of this, supporting you to deliver an online presence that’s an immediate winner in the eyes of your new potential customers. We’ve seen examples of this time and again, where firms have used translation well to get ahead.

3. Having No Multilingual SEO Strategy

Common Mistakes: Hebrew translation services aren’t only useful for website translation. They can also support you with developing a multilingual SEO strategy. Doing so is another essential step in successfully engaging with the Israeli marketplace.

Like it or not, SEO can make or break your brand when it comes to launching in a new country. Simply using a Hebrew translation company to convert keyword research you’ve undertaken for the US market isn’t enough – you need to use Hebrew translation services or native Israeli SEO specialists to help you undertake SEO research specific to that target market.

4. Forgetting to Create a CX Mapping

Common Mistakes: Another common mistake that US startups make when entering the Israeli market not creating a CX mapping. Mapping the CX journey means walking in the customer’s shoes as they engage with the various touch points your business provides, whether online, offline, or omnichannel. Again, undertaking this in only the US isn’t sufficient – you need to do it for each market you enter.

5. No Strategy for Your Target Market’s Cultural Preferences

Common Mistakes: Entrepreneurs need a keen sense of cultural understanding if they want to succeed overseas. As such, you’ll need a strategy in place for understanding Israeli customers’ cultural preferences and expectations when you launch your startup in Israel. From which holidays it would be crass to discount goods to those where offers are expected (along with a whole range of other cultural preferences), you will again need to undertake thorough research if you want to maximize your chances of success.

Final Thoughts – Common Mistakes

Scaling a business is about far more than simply finding funding for your startup, then adding staff and opening offices overseas. As we’ve shown above, it’s about developing a keen cultural understanding, paying attention to the linguistic landscape, and undertaking thorough research, from your target market to your keywords. By avoiding the common mistakes above, you will find yourself in a stronger position when it comes to establishing your US startup in Israel.

 

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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5 Unconventional Ways to Raise Money for Startups

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raising startup capital | raise money

Your startup has been in the works for months, or even years. You’ve thought of every detail, from its name and logo to how it will be marketed and sold. You’ve even formulated an exit strategy—but now you need to raise money to get your idea off the ground. In this post, we’ll explore five unconventional ways founders can raise capital without going through venture capitalists or angel investors: crowdfunding, competitions, pitch festivals, grants, and government loans.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a way to raise money by offering your product or service to a large number of people. The most popular crowdfunding platforms are GoFundMe, Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Crowdfunding is a great way to get validation for your business idea. If you can’t find any early customers, then no one will come back later when you’re ready to sell more products or services. It’s also useful for raising funds without having to give up equity in your business (more on this later).

If you’re just starting out, crowdfunding may not be the best option for you because there aren’t many people who have heard about your company yet and that means there may be a limited demand for what you offer. On the other hand, if there’s already demand for what you offer (for example: dog grooming products) then crowdfunding could be worth considering as an alternative financing option. This is especially the case since investors are looking at metrics like conversion rate when deciding whether or not they want their raise money involved with projects such as yours!

Idea validation competitions

An idea validation competition is a competition in which you, the startup founder, submit an idea for a new product or service that you want to build. The organizers of the idea validation competition will then assess it and award one or more raise money or prizes for the most promising ideas.

An idea validation competition differs from a pitch contest in that it does not require you to make a formal presentation on stage. Instead, your work should be judged based on how well you write about your business plan to raise money and how much research you have done into what users want in this market space.

In addition, unlike most pitch contests which take place at events like TechCrunch Disrupt or SXSW Interactive Festival (and where every presenter gets their stage), during an ideation competition everyone’s ideas are posted online so no one feels like they’re getting lost in the crowd.

The good news is that there are many different kinds of Idea Validation Competitions out there – some focused on specific industries like healthcare while others focus on sectors within technology such as FinTech(Financial Technology). And since these competitions are growing(raise money) increasingly popular among startups looking for funding they’re often open year-round with multiple rounds each month so don’t wait around – submit your idea!

Pitch Festivals

Think of a pitch festival as a cross between a job fair and speed dating. You get to meet with lots of investors and potential partners, all in one place. Pitch festivals are also great for gaining exposure for your idea—you can do it at events like SXSW Interactive or TechCrunch Disrupt that draw thousands of attendees from around the world.

If you’re planning on applying to pitch festivals, here’s what you should know:

  • Know your audience. Who are these investors? What are they looking for? How much raise money do they have available to invest? Do they prefer early-stage startups or later-stage ones? Do they like consumer products over enterprise software?
  • Have an elevator pitch ready. Even if you’re not sure someone will ask this question outright (and many won’t), it’s good practice to have something ready just in case so that you don’t waste anyone’s time when they try asking about your idea too early on in the conversation.”

Government grants

If you’re looking for funding and don’t have a lot of experience, grants may be a good way to go. While grants typically aren’t as prestigious as venture capital or angel investment funding, they can provide the necessary capital to get your business off the ground. Grants are often awarded to startups that are socially responsible, environmentally friendly, or innovative.

In order to qualify for government grants, there are certain criteria that you’ll need to meet some which include:

The startup must be registered as a business in the country where the grant is being offered. You’ll need to have a business plan, which means you’ll need to know exactly how you’re going to use the funding and what your goals are.

Angel investors

  • An angel investor is a person who invests in startups, generally when they are at the seed or early stage of funding.
  • Angel investors are not as concerned with financial projections and projections as VCs, but rather focus on other factors like the team or market opportunities.
  • Angel investors often invest their own raise money in startups and can also bring their professional networks to bear on behalf of your business. They may be willing to invest up to $25,000 in a company with no formal pitch deck, but expect you to have done some research about them before approaching them directly (e.g., social media accounts).
  • You can find angel investors by starting with your network (friends and family), then expanding outward based on those who have invested in similar companies previously.

Recap: Ways to raise capital other than venture funding

There are many ways to raise capital other than venture funding. Here are a few options:

  • Crowdfunding – A great way to get your name out there and test your product, but you have to prove that people want it.
  • Idea validation competitions – You might win raise money or be able to pitch at a prestigious event. These are great if you’re just starting out, but they can also be a distraction from focusing on making sales.
  • Pitch festivals – Same as above, but these tend to be more focused on startups with proven traction and products rather than ideas alone (though there are exceptions).
  • Government grants – Some governments offer non-dilutive funding for early-stage companies; it may take some time before these help you make raise money or even see any return on investment (ROI), but they’re an option nonetheless.
  • Angel investors/seed funds/VC funds – If you’ve already been rejected by VCs above this level then try pitching them again with more experience under your belt!

Conclusion Raise Money

Raising capital or raise money is a critical part of starting up your business. The more capital, raise money you have, the more resources you’ll have at your disposal and the more time you can spend figuring out how to use those resources effectively. But don’t worry—there are plenty of unconventional ways to raise capital that don’t involve selling equity or taking on debt (which could limit your ability to grow). If all else fails, crowd-funding campaigns might be a good place for startups to start when looking for funding opportunities.


Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Minority Entrepreneurship: How to Find Resources to Support Growth

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/
minority entrepreneurship

Many minority entrepreneurs have a great idea for a business but don’t know where to find the resources and support they need to make their dream a reality. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best places to find help and advice when starting your own business. We will also talk about how to generate leads for your products or services, and give you some tips on how to grow your business. So if you’re ready to start your own company, read on!

Ways to find resources & support

One of the best places to find resources and support for minority entrepreneurs is online. There are several informative blogs and online resources that offer advice and information on starting your own business, as well as providing a directory of minority-owned businesses. You can also find helpful articles, tips, and advice from other minority entrepreneurs on sites like Medium or Reddit and even on Instagram.

Another great way to find resources and support for your minority business is to connect with other entrepreneurs in your community. There are often meetups or networking events specifically for minority entrepreneurs, where you can share ideas, get feedback, and find potential customers or partners. You can also join online communities such as Facebook groups or LinkedIn groups dedicated to minority entrepreneurship.

Ways to generate leads for your business

If you’re looking for ways to generate leads for your minority business, one of the best places to start is by networking with other businesses in your community. You can attend local business events or meetups, or even connect with businesses online that could potentially complement your target audience. Another great way to generate leads is by offering free consultations or samples of your product or service. Providing samples or trial periods of your product will give potential customers a chance to try out what you have to offer, and if they like it, they may be more likely to buy from you in the future.

Finally, if you want to grow your minority business, one of the best things you can do is invest in marketing and advertising. There are many ways to market your business online and offline, and minority-owned businesses often qualify for special discounts on advertising rates. You can also get involved with minority business organizations or your local chambers of commerce, which can help you connect with other minority-owned businesses and get your name out there. In some communities, resources like Score are available for business owners and entrepreneurs.

Support Resources are Available for Minority Entrepreneurs

Minority entrepreneurship is a growing field with plenty of opportunities for those who are willing to put in the work. While it can be difficult to get started, there are plenty of resources available to minority entrepreneurs if they know where to look. 

With a little bit of effort, anyone can find the advice and support they need to start their own business and begin generating leads for their business. All it takes is some research and networking. By following these tips, you can find the resources and support you need to grow your business today.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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International Expansion for Your Startup in Houston Through Translation

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translation service

Few people know this, but Houston is the home and headquarters of companies that were once startups which became internationally well-known for their innovation and services. Not all startups have made that great leap forward despite how much easier it has become to expand internationally through eCommerce.

If you’re wondering what your startup can do to take that leap and expand internationally, then keep on reading!

Houston’s Startup industry in 2021

The New York Times reported that unexpectedly the pandemic had increased entrepreneurial activities in the US. For the past 40 years, entrepreneurship has been down. Many economists have pointed out that this led to stagnant job growth, poor economic resilience, and low innovation. 

However, the resurgence of entrepreneurship could bring back productivity and the dynamic aspect needed to rebound the economic recessions in the future. 

Houston is one of the places where you can see a boom in entrepreneurship. And there are several reasons why anyone would consider building their startup business in Houston, as it has a diverse and growing population, etc.

What’s more, Houston MSA’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) earned about USD 512.2 billion during 2019 while having 160,000 business establishments earning around USD 129.5 billion for exports alone in 2020. It is a clear indication that the business opportunities for startups in Houston are very favorable, especially if you plan to go global.  

Here are just some examples of startups that have gone international:

Elemental Coating (formerly known SurfEllent) 

SurfEllent’s startup story begins with the research of Hadi Ghasemi, whose research was licensed by the University of Houston. His research drew inspiration from North American Wood Frogs that could tolerate extreme freezing temperatures and survive the winter. 

They have since expanded their brand to cater to several industries locally and abroad that rely on automation, from marine to architecture. 

Last March 2021, they were given a grant worth $750,000 by the US air force to create “ice phobic” coatings for their aircraft.

Sysco Corporation

Sysco Corporation is a Houston-based company that has become one of the world’s leading foodservice companies. They provide support across 90 countries and operate across different continents.

In researching their marketing tactics and strategy, part of their strategy involved creating a blog dedicated to restaurant owners and professional chefs, featuring online recipe books and magazines, etc. 

Considerations When Creating an International Marketing Campaign and Strategy

Whereas Elemental Coatings, much of their marketing derived from news coverage and grants. Sysco Corporation, however, relied on digital marketing techniques through digital content to market their brand and company website.

Because of this, we’ve written some considerations when creating the perfect marketing campaign and strategy for international expansion, as follows:

Working with a Translation Company

The translation is what makes or breaks your international marketing campaign. For this reason, we encourage you to work with a translation company, especially if it’s your first time entering a foreign market, as they can guide you in how to best approach your target locale. 

We interviewed William Mamane, the Chief Marketing Officer of Tomedes, a translation company that has translated thousands of pages of marcom content for Fortune 500 companies for more than a decade now. When dealing with startups, Tomedes has assisted in translating and marketing their brands to foreign markets they plan to enter.

“Startups have the potential in bringing in innovation and technology that larger companies wouldn’t be able to provide due to constraints,” Mamane explained. “For any startup looking to go international, I advise that you take advantage of that flexibility into your marketing and business strategy. When expanding, you will have to consider changing some characteristics of your brand, your product, and services for your target locale. It’s all a matter of translating your brand so that your target locale can relate to it while retaining the essential aspects of your company.”

Local Market Research

When conducting research, a translation company can assist you with identifying your target locale, your locale’s culture, language, market, local competitors, demand volume, etc. You can conduct a feasibility study on your target locale regarding market opportunities and operations. 

It might seem like a no-brainer, but many entrepreneurs failed to take into account market research. By studying your target market, you can keep close tabs on your finances and reduce costs with your operations and marketing tactics.

Creating Content Strategy

Part of your consideration in creating a content strategy is translating your website. Gartner, a market research firm, reported that translating your website is necessary because about 66% of their survey participants said it’s important that the website is in their native language. 

A translation company can facilitate translating your website and digital content for your target locale, while at the same time helping with SEO. Your market research will be essential in your content based on the preference of your target locale. 

Online Platform Preference

During your research period, look into the online platforms where your target locale often uses. Some social media platforms, like Facebook, aren’t popular in countries, like Japan and Russia. 

Change Services and Products 

Again, marketing and operations go hand and hand. Sometimes, you will have to change certain aspects of your products and services for your target locale so that you can effectively enter a new market.

Be ready to change some things about your services and products because if you want to go global, you will need to go local.

Final Thoughts

Despite the pandemic affecting the global economy, entrepreneurship is on the rise, even in Houston. If you’re looking to expand internationally with your startup, working with a translation company is your best bet in ensuring that your marketing campaign becomes successful. 

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Podcast Recap: Business Growth Strategy & Execution with Mal McCallion

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business growth strategies

Growtion Founder & CEO Mal McCallion shares valuable business growth strategies and startup activities he has gained over the years. Over the course of his career, Mal has been involved with the launch of national brands such as Zoopla and Primelocation. He’s also contributed to the development of dozens of small-to-mid-size enterprises (SMEs). To listen to the full SOB The Podcast interview check out the video below. Here, we share 7 key takeaway points directly from the interview.

1) Importance of execution

Mal places a lot of importance on the execution of an idea or a plan. His own organization-growing is a blend of growth and execution; the philosophy behind it is that execution of growth is more important than mere theories. He believes that a theoretical plan that only relies on knowledge but not on actual practice or implementation is destructive for startups. So, he considers an executable plan a very important part of a business or startup strategy.

2) The essential aspects of growth

The three essential aspects of the growth of a startup or business are product, marketing, and sales, the rest of all the business operations are of secondary importance and if these three aspects are executed with perfection the other operations also become quite easy to handle. The product should be made while keeping the target audience in mind which helps in increasing sales and promoting word of mouth marketing among people. For the second step, marketing, social media is very important as it helps to gain a following and promote a sense of brand among potential customers. Lastly, sales are also essential because a common mistake that a lot of entrepreneurs do is that they hope that marketing would be enough for selling their product which, unfortunately, is a wrong notion.


3) The importance of Why

The main question that every entrepreneur or businessperson should ask himself is that why they are doing something. This applied in every single activity of business from meeting to management to marketing to customer relations to investor relations it is important to ask yourself that why are you doing this? This helps in clearing the vision as well as connecting with other people who share the same vision. It also helps in minimizing the distractions that surround a person.

4) Building a relationship with the customer

Building a relationship with the customer on a personal level is very important because that builds the reputation of the company and helps in better satisfying the customer as they feel themselves being considered important in it. A story or narrative around the product is very important; this helps in attracting customers who have the same vision as you and helps in gaining their trust.

5) Common mistakes of entrepreneurs

The most common mistake among entrepreneurs and business people is that they get carried away by the distractions that their environment offers. The immense amount of information that surrounds a common person in this age makes it very difficult to be decisive and this, in turn, can lead to a person pursuing a lot of different goals at the same time, which ultimately is destructive for the person or the organization. This is why the three important aspects of a business product, marketing, and sales have been mentioned which if focused on can help minimize distractions.

6) Steps of sale

Important steps of sales have been mentioned as the identification of the potential customers, engaging with them through social media or any other means, converting them into followers, and then, the most important step, urging them to actually buy their product.

7) Words for aspiring entrepreneurs

Lastly, he mentions that the pandemic has brought many opportunities for aspiring business professionals and entrepreneurs. The importance of working remotely and online has grown significantly which has made its effects on the business world giving rise to these new opportunities. People who want to be successful should recognize them and try to innovate their business accordingly to succeed in this domain.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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4 Powerful Key Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur

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4 Powerful Key Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur

Every Fortune 500 company existing today started as an idea — a dream, even. But with hard work, diligence, and the right plan, these business owners turned their tiny startup idea into a multimillion-dollar company.

Startups Houston – The point is that everyone starts somewhere, and who’s to say your tiny idea won’t one day grow into the next big thing? It’s possible…you just need to know where to start!

It takes a lot to become a successful entrepreneur. These are the first four baby steps you need to take in order to get your idea off the ground, but remember: hard work is required throughout your journey!

  1. Settle on Your Startup Idea

It’s one thing to have a tiny idea or a concept, but before you can truly be an entrepreneur you have to have a fully realized business idea on your hands. It’s not enough to think “what if something existed that solved this problem?” It has to be more concrete: “I have a solution to this real world problem.”

This isn’t to say you have to have the entire business ready to go from the jump. Worry about branding and packaging design later; these are extemporaneous details at this point. The very first thing you have to do is fully realize your startup idea and get it onto paper.

  1. Set Some Realistic Goals

Now that you know what your business is going to be, ask yourself this question: what do you want to do with it? Is it a restaurant franchise you want to take global? Is it a QVC-type product you can sell in rotations? Or is it a social media management company that you wouldn’t mind selling off in five years?

No one’s saying you have to plan out your entire business’ longevity and stick to some rigid plan, but a business made without goals in mind is a business that won’t succeed.

  1. Gather Data

Startups Houston – Before you can shop your idea around to people who can help make your dreams reality, you have to have some sort of hard data on hand that proves your idea is a good one. For instance, you’ve made a prototype of a small machine that professionally cleans toilets, sinks, and other bathroom fixtures. How does it work? Who all have you gotten to try this product?

Now think about harder data: what is the market for this product? Who will buy this product? How much does it cost to make vs. how much you’re willing to sell the product for? From concepts to facts and figures, you need to gather data that will convince people your product is worthwhile.

  1. Pitch Your Idea

Startups Houston – Finally, you can’t truly know how the market will react to your product or business until you actually pitch the idea. Depending on the type of startup you have in mind, this could be distributors or partners interesting in pushing a product. It might be your initial group of startup employees or a company that you want to B2B partner with.

When you pitch your business idea to interested parties, some may not be enthusiastic — and that’s okay. Listen to feedback. Sometimes you need to start all the way back at square one, but this information is vital to creating a startup that truly succeeds.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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