Robin Moorad

Imago Summer & M3 Meetup Success

2009-10-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Imago Associates (www.ImagoAssociates.com) is weathering the financial downturn by doing what we've always done: providing high quality, used furniture to the commercial marketplace and managing successful liquidations of companies who are adding. moving or changing in some way. We've recently worked on projects with Women's Funding Network, Signal Demand, Rodan & Fields, One California Bank, Solairus and Mamasource. Quite a diverse group! We've also done some LEED consulting for commercial property managers. As always most of our business comes to us through our wonderful referral base. Thanks to you all.

A secret to our continued success is the relationship with the wonderful women of Count Me In For Women's Economic Independence. Back in July I was asked by them to spear-head a "meetup" group in San Francisco for entrepreneurial women. If you're not familiar with the "Meetup" concept check it out at www.Meetup.com. Simply put it's a website designed to use the power of the internet to bring people with shared interests together face-to-face.

We held our first meeting of the San Francisco/Bay Area M3 Race Group at the fabulous office of Eat My Words, Founder Alexandra Watkins ( http://eatmywords.com) and it consisted of members of One California Bank speaking about their wonderful mission to provide business banking to the underserved in California which includes---we KNEW THIS---entrepreneurial women. Great meeting. Great group.

Our next meetup...now you know what IT IS :)... was again held in the workplace of one of our esteemed members---and Assistant Meetup Organizer---Molly Fuller, Founder and President of Hands On Gourmet (http://www.handsongourmet.com) We met in her amazing kitchen and heard lawyer, Angela de la Housaye, De La Housaye & Associates and Jeff Brown, CPA of Jeff Brown, P.C. speak about the various business structures (LLP, S Corp, etc) and their legal and tax implications. Fascinating! Wendy Smith of Smith-Watkins ( http://www.smith-watkins.com) said about the meetup:

"The speakers ... were informative, enthusiastic and helpful. They clearly love their jobs, and we appreciated their willingness to share crucial knowledge with us. The setting was terrific, as was the food, and the women are great. This is a very encouraging environment for a woman business owner. ”

How cool is that?

Our next meetup is scheduled for October 26th in the headquarters of Nadine Johnson's Sous Kitchen ( http://www.souskitchen.com/in San Carlos) Our speaker will be Susan Knapp of A Perfect Pear (http://www.aperfectpear.com) who will share with us her experience participating in ABC's Shark Tank where she received a 250K investment in her business. Susan's tasty products have been seen on the Home Shopping Network and are available in fine food retailers throughout the U.S. Local girl makes good...money! Congrats to Susan. What a story she has to tell about the ups and downs of running and financing a successful food products business.

I cannot say how proud I am to have the opportunity to get to know all these fabulous women. Not a day goes by that one of them does not inspire me in some way through their attitudes and actions and sheer force of feminine WILL. I'm also very excited to say that as of today, our meetup, the San Francisco/Bay Area M3 Group (http://www.meetup.com/SF-BayAreaM3Racers) is the largest group of it's kind in the United States! Founded on July 17, 2009 we are 107 members strong and growing quite literally every day. Consider joining us!

Rofo.com

2009-05-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to participate as one of the "pilot" Service Providers for a very cool site called Rofo^TM.

Mike Gerrity of Rofo says,"Rofo.com was designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses who are struggling to find the right place to locate their business. Rofo targets users who are generally looking for less than 5,000 square feet and offers easy tools to identify spaces and rapidly connect with brokers and landlords who can help with their specific needs."

Imago Associates participates in Rofo's "QuickMove" program as the only USED and REFURBISHED commercial furniture provider. QuickMove simplifies your office set up into 3 easy steps:

Plan Your Space
Get Connected
Settle In

How simple is that? Along the way they offer professional tips and connect you with local service providers to get your space ready on-time and on-budget--- including move management pro Rachel Walls of the GoldenGate Company www.goldengatecompany.com.

The idea for Rofo^TM—which stands for Right of First Offer—came from the firsthand experience of founders Alan Bernier and Garrett Krueger from their days as commercial real estate brokers. While larger businesses typically had the people and resources on-hand to find and compare space, they saw entrepreneurs and small businesses struggle repeatedly in their search for the right place to locate their business.

SoRofo^TM.was born. Check it out at http://www.rofo.com/quickmove and click through to http://www.rofo.com/user/rmoorad for the Imago profile.

Greenwashing

2009-03-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged lately---shame on me---but am doing so now because I was just forwarded an email from a friend that drove me WILD!

The email included an "Environmental Statement", and an "Introduction Presentation" among other things---I won't say the name of the manufacturer but for those of you who received the same you'll know---meant to promote the sale of a cubicle product for office environments. Anyway, it, as so many things that cross my desk today attempts---badly---to support why this product should be promoted as "green."" Shame. Shame. Shame. It goes on to reference LEED points that "may" KEY WORD "MAY" be applicable to their products when considered for a LEED project. This particular piece is so ill informed that it references points that are in no way applicable if they had taken the time to research Credit Interpretation Rulings within the USGBC. I was just sickened. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, there have always been segments of industry who have presented themselves as something they are not for the sake of increased sales. I guess I'm particularly bothered by companies that present themselves as green only for financial gain. Don't these people have children? A conscience? Any sense of their participation in the global community?

I can only hope that decision makers will check their facts before opting to make a capital purchase based on such poor information.

There. I'm tapped out. Angry still but trusting that people will DO THE RIGHT THING.

Ride The Wave!

2008-11-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

I LOVE the article below titled “What Surfing Can Teach Us About Managing the Unexpected”

http://conversationstarter.hbsp.com/2008/11/how_to_anticipate_the_next_wav.html

For those of you who are NAWBO members you’ll recognize it from the link in today’s NAWBO Smartbrief---a super newsletter that I almost always find something of interest in. You can subscribe at http://www.smartbrief.com/nawbo/.

Anyway…in these unsettled economic times I find myself searching for ways to manage both my business and my mood. As a small business owner they are irreparably linked. What is the best course of action? Should I move more slowly or more quickly? Expand? Contract? Hide under a bush until it’s all over? Reading the attached brought a visual image to my mind so clear and compelling that I immediately felt at ease. Water. Ocean. Waves. The enormity of it. The seamlessness of it. My interpretation is this: business mimics the natural world with ebb and flow like the tide.

Don’t run from getting your feet wet. You can’t stay safe and dry on the shore or you’ll miss out.

Ride the wave!

Just discovered...Green Maven and Greenfly

2008-11-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

Doing some surfing during my lunch break---I was on a conference call so had a minute---discovered two very interesting sites:

Green Maven www.greenmaven.com

Described as: Finally a website that brings the best of the Green Web together. Designed for Mavens that just can't get enough of all things Green. Use it as a research tool, or keep up to date on the latest trends in the Green Revolution.

Currently have three tools:

· Green Search Engine : the world's first comprehensive Green Search Engine based on Google's Coop Search technology. Rather than searching the entire web, your search yields "green" results. Soon will have the ability for anybody to be a Green Maven and help contribute to the research of mapping the Green Web.

· Green News Reader : Integrates the best of the green blogs into one, easy to read format. We receive new stories all day long day from channels of the best news on the web. Read all the news channels at once, or switch channels to read any specific news source. Use the "Share It!" feature to send a positive news story to a friend, family, or co-worker.

· Green Directory : This is the source for our Green Search Engine. If you'd rather browse than search, explore the Green Web using our comprehensive directory. Note, naturally I asked that Imago Associates (www.imagoassociates.com) and GQA (www.GQAFurniture.com) be added :)

And Greenfly www.greenfly.com

Where you can determine the sustainability factors for your product or project design. This one I’ll have to play with!

Election Day 2008

2008-11-04T05:43:00.000-08:00

I was raised by my public servant father not to mix politics with business but today I simply can't resist. I believe that this is the most important election in my lifetime. For so very many reasons, both personal and global---and aren’t they the same, really? My heart has been pounding since I woke up. Yes, somewhere in the United States someone I don’t know is already casting a ballot. Please God let them do the right thing.

Let us all do the right thing.

My daughter is a teenager and consumed with all the things teenagers care about. I won’t embarrass her and list them here but anyone over thirty knows what I mean. Focused on her world the election is just peripheral, movement off to the side. Such a movement. I’ve tried to think how can I make this a memorable day for her? Something that she will be able to look back on and say, “I remember that day, where I was, who I was with…” in the same way we all remember special moments that, at the time, were not in our focus.

I decided today was about community. I’ve invited friends over. I’ll take time to prepare a special meal. We’ll eat and drink together. A community.

Please be a member of our global community today and vote. Appreciate the freedom you have to do so and the enormous opportunity that is offered to all of us today to participate in a process that allows us to confirm who we are and what we believe in.

For my part I have been telling anyone who cares to listen that I am visualizing Barack and Michelle and their beautiful girls on inauguration day. I imagine that it is snowing lightly and you can see flakes of snow on his coat. She’s opted not to wear a hat. I’m glad. She doesn’t need it. The girls are giggling. So much energy! I think they even have their chilly hands in a muff.

And I am brought to tears again. It is a wonderful new day.

There was lunch before Meet-up

2008-10-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

In addition the group of I mentioned yesterday---three guys in similar businesses to mine---I have, for more than ten years gotten together for lunch with another group to meetup.

This group was originally assembled around a shared need: we had all recently become middle managers and were struggling with managing up and down in our organizations. All from affiliated industries the group is composed of a combination of clients and service providers. Similar in age we did not know each other well when we began to meet. Again, it was the regularity of those meetings---this time once per month--- that contributed to our success. Also the size of the group, there are six of us. The optimum size for a good discussion and large enough that if someone was a “no show” it still was viable. We quickly understood that if we met in the same place---in this case Delancey Street in San Francisco--- (http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/enterrestaurant.php) at the same time (11:45 before the lunch rush), within easy reach of public transportation and valet parking---it was easy to organize and none of us had a good reason to skip. The dates are scheduled at the end of lunch and one of us sends a casual email reminder the day before or day of. Over time we have became such creatures of habit we could order for each other if someone was running late. We have had over-the-top-big burger days and many where we split salads. I only mention this because: WE ALWAYS HAVE DESSERT. So there. It’s a decadent pleasure as well as a business meeting. Now you know all our secrets.

The value of this group to our careers cannot be measured. It has transcended three jobs for most of us. In many cases the actual referral to a job opening came from this lunch group. Certainly we discussed each and every opportunity comparing notes about who we knew or could introduce to smooth the way. As a service provider I received many opportunities I would not otherwise have known about. Amazing.

Over the last ten years this group has become so important to all of us: we share (in addition to the business stuff) trips, kids, dogs and dates. Again, amazing.

Try a lunch meetup!!!!!

P.S. Take a look at Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty by Harvey Mackay, DoubleDay 1997 about networking. Described as "The Only Networking Book You'll Ever Need." It has tips that are relevant in any economy but particularly in the midst of a downturn…I saw it used for $3.89 today on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Your-Well-Before-Youre-Thirsty/dp/0385485468)

Before There Was Social Networking There Was Lunch

2008-10-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Was there social networking before Facebook and LinkedIn and MySpace and Plaxo? There was and we called it “Lunch.”

Business networking has been around since the beginning of time. The first time a woman exchanged a basket of berries for a necklace or chicken for help building a hut there was networking. Who had what you needed and what did you have to exchange? Who were the experts? How did you get to know them?

So in the 90’s (and before...but let’s not date ourselves TOO much!) there was lunch. Today I’m having a particular kind of lunch that I thought it appropriate to share. I thought everyone still did some lunching but didn’t realize until I was talking to Marcy Alboher (http://marcialboher.blogspot.com) when she interviewed me for the June issue of More Magazine (http://www.more.com/work-money/work/second-acts/reinvent-career-with-small-budget/) that something I take for granted might be considered unusual for others.

Here’s the thing: for several years I’ve gotten together for lunch once every six weeks or so with three guys who most folks would call “my competitors.” I didn’t know them well when it began, was in fact surprised to be included. We started by talking industry chatter---who knows whom, best places to get stuff, etc---and now it’s a “can’t miss” for me. I’ve made several very significant changes in my business as a result of the information shared including: asking for a larger deposit than I had previously (which changed my cash flow for the better), adding new vendors I didn’t know and most recently a new, green business that we’ve started together called GQA (www.GQAfurniture.com) . This group rocks for me!

I can’t recommend the concept enough---reach out to folks who have a similar business to yours and start to talk. Some guidelines:

Lunch is good. “Breaking bread” with people elicits a level of communication not found elsewhere. No alcohol keeps it on track so lunch is better (I think) than cocktails after work or dinner. It’s also more finite. Folks have places they need to be after.

Make it regular, schedule the next meeting at the end of the current one when everyone’s got their calendar. Be respectful. Don’t miss a meeting. Everyone is busy. Make this exchange a priority. Nothing ruins networking faster than unreliability. Be discreet. Some of the things you discuss don’t need to be repeated. Be honest and direct in your communication. Good communication involves trust. I think the reason a group of potential competitors can get together and share at this level has everything to do with trust. Have a loose format for the exchange: we routinely share business books or articles, vendors, current challenges. That said, over time the informal topics creep in and we’ve learned a lot about each others’ outside-of-business life. This is actually a good thing and maybe easier with a woman in the group (?) because familiarity breeds more trust.

The day I Made A $Million

2007-10-11T10:21:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted...a bit over a year in fact. It's been busy.

So today I sold my first million as a Sole Proprietor. How does it feel? I'm not sure yet. So far it's a day like any other day despite the fact that I've been counting down to this moment for a month or so knowing that is was close.

I suppose that things have been slowly changing---for the positive!---for awhile now. First of all, thanks to my part-time assistant, Lisa, I was actually able to TRACK the fact that I was close to a million in sales. She's such a Quickbooks whiz---http://quickbooks.intuit.com/----that I've been able to quickly check just where we are financially for some time. Big change over me managing that piece of the business. Big welcome change. Lisa has such a comfort level with the software, the thought process behind it, and basic accounting that she makes it seem so easy. Yes, the software is intuitive but my relationship with it never got past the blind date, "what shall I do next" phase. My gift is not managing numbers so my advice to anyone else out there with the same issue is, "Give it up to someone who loves it and go sell something."

And that's what I did. First big change.

Second big change was admitting that I am competent. Now why would that not be obvious? The only answer I can come up with is that, like so many of us I just assumed that I just couldn't pull it off. Not rampant insecurity just self-talk like: "you made the same mistake...again," "what were you THINKING?," "I will just NEVER get this..." etc.

Too much "never", "ever", "always" second guessing.

What I finally figured out is---drum roll please---what a waste of good energy. If you make a mistake or can't figure something out spend your time fixing the mistake or asking for help. Not beating yourself up. Sounds simple but I'm pretty clear it's taken me 51 years to really understand it. The Count Me In/Make Mine A Million coach provided through The Coach Connection ---http://www.thecoachconnection.com/---in my case, Bob Stolte, helped me with this one and so much more. The small tool that made the biggest difference was list making. Every day. Check it off. And journaling. Write it down. Empty onto the page all the swirling, incomplete thoughts that slow you down. It didn't hurt that i had to account to Bob once a week what my progress was...

Third big change was face your fears and get on with it. Talk to the bank or reach for a bigger customer or expand your business base or whatever it is you need to do but think you can't. Because you can. It won't always be a picnic but YOU CAN. Again, journaling and making lists. Get a coach. Ask for help.

And then relax. Take a deep breath. And do it again.

On to 2.4 million!

How I spent my summer vacation and hired a bookkeeper and a web designer and...

2006-09-04T15:50:00.000-07:00

Why do I always seem to begin blogs with a sigh as I look back over all that has been accomplished since I was last writing to you? I guess "that's progress," as they say.

August was an amazing month of firsts:

First first. I had my first face-to-face meeting with my new web designer. After going through a lengthy process---as described in last month's blog---we are underway. I'll see their proposed design this week. I spent a portion of the day today---yes, it's LABOR DAY---writing copy in the hope that I'll love what the designer has done and be able to drop the copy in and publish shortly. More soon on the web design front.

Second first. I've decided to hire a part-time bookkeeper and had no idea where to begin so I reached out to my Make Mine A $Million network with the following questions:

Do you use an accountant? I use a CPA for taxes including my quarterly sales tax prep.
A separate bookkeeper? I don’t but think I should to get more consistent assistance less expensively that my CPA…
What should I expect to pay a Bookkeeper?
If you use a bookkeeper what sorts of things are your responsibility and which are hers? I’ve heard horror stories…
Do they come to your office or work remotely on a second copy of your financials (like Quickbooks)?
How did you find your bookkeeper?
Are there trade associations or certification that I should look for?

The response was nothing short of amazing. I am so lucky and so in awe to be a part of this group. Excerpts from the responses included these tips that were especially appropriate for me:

1) Check out the Intuit web site for Quickbooks ProAdvisors.

2) A great link: http://www.gaebler.com/Choosing-Accountants.htm

3) Reference to Costco Business Service and to their 800 phone service Accessline:

"I use Costco business services for my payroll, which is processed through Intuit Payroll Services. It then downloads directly into my Quickbooks check register. Costco gives me a discount--I think I pay about $27 for 3 employees every 2 weeks.

Costco Business Services also gives me the cheapest rate for credit card processing. I was able to buy my credit card processing machine on E-Bay from a remanufacturer, and saved quite a bit of money. I think the discount rate on Master Card and AmEx is liek 1.57%, which was much cheaper than my bank."

"Costco has all kinds of business-friendly services...

In addition to the services already mentioned, Costco also has a phone service called Accessline. It an 800 service at very reasonable rates that includes many features such as auto attendant, conference calling, findme (i.e. if I don't answer my office phone, ring my cell phone or if it is before X time ring one number and if after that time, ring another), voicemail, etc. The rates through Costco are much lower than you'd otherwise get. We found our webhosting company through Costco and now pay MUCH lower for more features than we used to have.

Both my American Express Corporate Card and my American Express Business Line of Credit came through Costco (at substantially reduced fees and rates). We order our business checks through them, and of course get much of our software, office supplies, etc. there too. We've gotten a number of desks, computer monitors, and various business equipment over the years - even our cell phones...

Let's just say that I get my money's worth out of the Executive membership 2% rebate!"

Who knew?

As the result of all the great input I interviewed several bookkeepers (using the Intuit web site as a starting place) and believe I've settled on one whose skill set and temperment suit my needs.

Third first. I've met someone who is going to assist me. I've struggled---so many of us have I know---in trying to decide can I afford to bring someone on and can I afford not to? Well, I've found a way to try it out while billing the time to a specific project. Yea! She's not familiar with my specific industry but has loads of great business experience. She's my age and seeking a new challenge. It's a great situation for us both because as she said, "I'm not ready for a full-time committment to a new job and you're not sure you want to work with someone." So true. Her background is in HR so she's suggested that over time if we find that it's not working for us she'll be in a good position to counsel me about what I'm looking for (in an employee/contractor) and where best to find him or her. There's always a way isn't there?

Fourth first. The Make Mine A $Million winners from this year and last year who live in California (or could get here) had our first meeting together. I keep using this word but it was AMAZING! We met for a lunch and meeting hosted by Jen and Julie from SmartsCo---you've seen them in the OPEN from American Express ads---and held a facilitated meeting run by Marci of MBR Coaching. We each chose a topic we were seeking input on and once again the collective voice was so helpful! This is SOME NETWORK! I am astounded. I've already used some of the information gleaned to help design my website and have been pondering other information shared.

In addition to all the "firsts" business is picking up. I'm working on three (maybe four---cross your fingers and toes!) projects that will be my base business through January. Everything else: the referrals, repeats and web hits will be gravy. Tasty! More soon. I'll update when my new website launches.

Imago Associates Count Me In...What's Make Mine A $Million Meant?

2006-07-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

Imago Associates has been extremely busy since my last post only a month ago. Highlights include:

A letter of congratulations from my California State Senator, Jackie Speier on being selected as one of the winners of the Make Mine A $Million business competition. She said, "Your approach in managing Imago Associates is admirable, for you are able to soundly operate a profitable business and concurrently contribute to the success of many other local businesses." I liked that and activity in July proved her point:

I purchased and immediately re-sold---flipped---several beautiful, re-useable inventories resulting in a win for all:

Clients had excess furniture removed from their place of business while receiving compensation for items long off their books.
Various local labor was utilized keeping money going through the local economy.
New customers received like-new products whose life was extended through continued use.
Imago Associates had the biggest sales week this year during the third week of a summer month! Yea!

Through my participation in the coaching process from The Coach Connection sponsored by my Make Mine A $Million award I had 3 stellar coaching sessions. I find that as an independent business person having a weekly conversation with someone specific to my business and my goals is enormously helpful. Is it that I feel accountable or that I am more focused on my stated goals I'm not sure. Is it that I am stating goals on a weekly basis? The net result is active growth in any area that we target. I feel like I have made significant progress in several areas.

We have discussed hiring, inventory management, "good debt" vs "bad debt" and development of my website thus far. In the area of hiring I've begun developing a job description for two types of individuals to assist me as my business grows. While I'm not ready to pull the trigger on a hire I know what I'm looking for so will be in a better position to proceed when I'm ready.

In thinking about hiring I've also come to the very, very clear position that I want to grow my business to the very largest it can be while utilizing contract specific employees. Not at all unheard of in my industry but largely reliant on successful design of process, proceedure and use of technology. I know, I know, nothing new there but my vision is clearer in this area than ever before. I firmly believe that the new economy not only supports but enables this type of endeavor. Recommended reading on the topic,"Go It Alone!: The Secret to Building a Successful Business on Your Own..." by Judson.

I've made great strides in inventory management. Not only have I researched and become really clear about what I have and where I have it but I've cleaned house a bit lowering my overhead costs. The additional attention given to inventory also inadvertantly pushed me towards a sale I would not likely have considered if I had not recently reviewed all my holdings. I became more focused on selling what I had in reserve (more profitable) rather than looking outside and making a acquisition to satisfy a customer requirement. Better environmental move as well. Additionally it turned up some discrepancies that would have impacted future sales. All good. As a result I am clearer and more confident, that whole "knowledge is power" thing.

My coach and I have talked endlessly about finances. My relationship with money. "Good debt" vs "Bad Debt." All interesting. All frightening. He recommended that I read, "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" by T. Harv Eker. I found it interesting---not great literature mind you---but interesting. The most compelling piece for me was his idea that we all have a target income (often unconscious) that we believe we are capable of making. An idea based on personal history, what our parents did, industry norms, etc. But in fact, those ideas are "capping" our ability. Our own financial glass ceiling. As a result of reading the book I've raised my notion of what's feasible and am walking around with a new number firmly fixed: Make Mine A $Million or two :)

Another direct result of coaching and reading the above I've begun to think a lot about the idea of passive income or income that is generated without your active participation. That thinking opened the door to an extension of my business that had previously been untapped: I acquired some furniture that I would deem "collectible." In doing so I made a longterm investment in an area I had previously walked away from. In the past I would have ignored these items as being outside my business model. Now I view them as an extension of my business model. Pieces that after the proper planning and research will generate income on their own. I did some research (and will do more) and placed several items with a retail shop on consignment. We'll see... Now I'm actively looking at other ways to generate passive income.

The discussion of good debt vs bad debt lead me to an analysis of my website. Can I afford to re-do it or can I afford NOT to re-do it? I've settled on the latter and done some amazing research on the Internet, through friends and associates to come up with not only a new vision for it's design but, over time, wildly increased functionality. Think inventory database.

I spent some time doing research on competitors web sites. Not just local but nationally. I took notes, honing in on appearance, features, functionality, ease of use, etc. I think it's really easy as a small business just to want it to look good and to have some necessary functionality. My interest is in stretching what is feasible and designing something that will grow as my business grows. Towards that end I was referred to a web designer who I'm very excited about working with. To expedite our process they had me fill out a worksheet that was incredibly helpful in my decision-making process. I can't say enough good about it. Naturally they asked lots of typical questions about style, desired content, etc. but some of the more thought provoking questions were:

What is the single most imprtant idea that the site should communicate? If you could choose only one thing that the reader/viewer would remember what would that be?

One thing? What should it be?

Who is your target audience(s)? (Give demographic/psychographic characteristics: sex, age, job titles, social/economic conditions, employment, geographic concentration...)

I ended up writing a job description of my typical client. Most helpful.

What characteristics describe your company's favorite clients/customers?

Do more of what you like! I like that!

What exactly do you want your audience to do when they visit your site?

Not see, but DO. How will they move step by step through the site. What would make it easier, faster, more interesting. Why would they want to return?

What forms of marketing/communications are you currently using? How can these tools be used to complement or draw traffic to the site?

The idea that the website should link to other marketing was not new but bears repeating.

The above is just a glimpse of the questions asked. A more complete list can be obtained by contacting www.jivacreative.com directly. Over the next few weeks they'll be developing my new site so I'll have additional info next month.

More Soon!

Robin

Imago Associates and Count Me In...I'M IN!

2006-07-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a little over a month since I received the nod from Count Me In. One of last years' winners said during the award ceremony that we had no idea just how much it would change our lives. Boy and then some!

First I cannot say how much I appreciate the remarkable women I've met through the Make Mine A $Million program. I suppose that is the most tangible piece for me. As a woman in business for over 20 years---not my own until two years ago---how many times have I sat in a room with 15-20 men and felt a bit like I was on the outside looking in? That they had a club that while I was welcome to visit (because they acknowledged I DID add value!) I could not join. Subtle but real. We were all measured on results---it was fair after all---but not a member of the club.

Count Me In has created a club for the rest of us! YEA! And it's populated by women who are smart or creative or energized or driven or entrepreneurial or ALL OF THE ABOVE. Amazing. Thank you, ladies.

Second, I've been overwhelmed by the response of friends, family and business associates. I have felt a resounding "atta girl" from all quarters. My florist hugged me! My therapist cheered!
Even my ex said, "Congratulations. You deserve it."

Really.

So how has it impacted my business you might ask?

Several of us were mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle and I got 5 calls completely out-of-the-blue. Amazing when you think folks had to read my name, understand what I do (buy and sell recycled commercial furniture), go on the Internet, search for me/Imago Associates and then get me on the telephone. As a result I made a sale to a customer I never met and who had never seen my product until the day I delivered it! When I asked him if he needed references he said, "Your name was in the paper. That's good enough for me!" And then he sent me a deposit check. Ka ching! Needless to say that had never happened before...

I was interviewd for Business Week Online. Imago Associates' first national exposure. They had not called before...

Another day, I was talking with my lawyer about Make Mine A $Million, the gracious funding from OPEN from Amercian Express and the additional opportunity for a microloan from Count Me In. He asked me why I had not sought outside funding before---duh!---and I answered that I thought with my credit history (can you spell D-I-V-O-R-C-E) that I was an unlikely candidate. Before I knew it he had called a friend, a V. P. at a very large national bank you will all know the name of (hint: headquartered in North Carolina) and 2 weeks later I had my first busines line of credit through their SBA program.

Ringing in my ears ever since has been one of the things I heard at our Make Mine A $Million orientation:

"Smart women ask for help."

Who knew?

So: I've made a sale to a stranger, been interviewed for a national business publication, received an unsolicited business line of credit and my florist hugged me. He also sent me flowers :)

AND

I had my best sales month this year!

More soon.