Foreman

George Foreman’s name USED to be synonymous only with heavyweight boxing, but since hanging up his gloves, Foreman has established himself as a Knockout Entrepreneur (also the title of his new book; Thomas Nelson; $22.99). “I use the old shotgun method,” says Foreman, 60, referring to his business ventures: a clothing line in Casual Male Big & Tall stores, eco-friendly cleaning products, and the George Foreman Grill which has sold more than 100 million units worldwide. “I fire a lot of shots knowing that one will hit.”

“Foreman had to develop a new position for himself,” says Melissa D. Johnson, president and CEO of Velvet Suite Marketing Consulting Group and Brand Me International. “He was given the opportunity because he had credibility as a winner.”

She notes that for entrepreneurs without a famous name, interfacing with your clients is key to creating a successful brand. Foreman’s ability to be personable and relatable has shaped his brand and attributed to his success, says Karen Taylor-Bass, PR expert and CEO of Taylor Made Media L.L.C.

Three Tips For Going the Distance In Building Your Brand

Pound the pavement. “Too many entrepreneurs are afraid to sell their products door-to-door. For a startup entrepreneur this can make or break your business,” says Foreman. By personally connecting with a client you can sell more efficiently, advises Bass. Remember, brand building requires trust which is done through relationships, referrals, consistency, and deliverables. Utilizing cross-platform marketing, social, and digital technology is also a must.

Stand out from competition. The George Foreman Grill is marketed as an innovative product for offering quick and healthy meals. Entrepreneurs have to decide what they offer, who the target is, and how this will differentiate them from the masses and the competition. In her book, Brand Me. Make Your Mark: Turn Passion into Profit, Johnson advises associating your own DNA (distinct and notable attributes). Ask yourself, “Will my product be better, faster, cheaper?” Having a unique quality will help you stand out and solidify a solid brand.

Develop a winner’s reputation. “Every brand is based on reputation. The basis of George Foreman’s was a good name and a reputation of being a winner,” says Johnson. Entrepreneurs must remember that it is critical to develop a position in the mind of your audience. People will buy you on personality and trust before they purchase your product. You focus has to be building wins; that allows you to have the credibility and will ultimately afford you an etablished brand.

This article originally appeared in the October 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

Helplessness, defined as having a sense that support or protection is lacking, can often place people in what they feel is a compromised, exposed state, leaving them unable to act or react. “It is normal for people to experience initial feelings of helplessness when they experience a trauma,” says Gloria Morrow, a licensed clinical psychologist and creator of the audio CD Maintaining Positive Emotions During Tough Times ($12.99). But those who are more prone to experiencing feelings of helplessness may be at a greater risk of developing more serious mental and emotional distress. The key is to develop and maintain positive emotions to prevent you from getting stuck in a rut—or worse.

“When faced with difficult situations, we allow our unmanaged emotions to cloud our critical thinking skills,” says DeLores Pressley, founder and principal of Canton, Ohio-based BornSuccessful Institute.

Although one cannot always alleviate emotions in times of distress, there are ways to combat feeling helpless during these times.

This article originally appeared in the September 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

Dee Marshall, founder of Raise The Bar, says a vision must come with a plan of action to achieve goals.

“In order to make the vision a reality you have to begin with organizing your thoughts,” Marshall says. She recommends utilizing a vision board—images, pictures and affirmations of your dreams and desires compiled in a central location such as on a poster board or in a book—to help organize your thoughts into a visual concept. With pictures, words, and even actual objects, goals such as those you may have you’re your business can be literally brought to life. But what do you do after you’ve created the vision board and are ready to put action towards those aspirations?

Here, Marshall offers six ways to get your business off the ground:

Put it on paper. Create a one page outline that includes a mission statement, vision statement and objectives. “If you can’t come up with a one-pager, then it could be an indication you are not ready for entrepreneurship,” warns Marshall. But even that shouldn’t deter you, because it is common to have difficulty writing down objectives and goals initially. It can also be a driving force when obtaining goals becomes challenging.

Apply SMART guidelines.

Specific: Vagueness leaves room for error. Being as precise as possible limits the chances of confusion in implementing your goals and objectives.

Measurable: Pursue goals that will offer you the ability to, at any point in the process, evaluate your effectiveness in actualizing them successfully.

Action-oriented: Shape your objectives around actions that will bring you closer to fulfilling your vision.

Results driven: Goals and objectives you focus on should provide concrete tangible outcomes.

Time bound: Attach and stick to a realistic deadline.

Build an interpersonal team. Identify a small group committed to your success. This team should be comprised of trustworthy individuals whose opinion you value. The team will serve as an unofficial advisory board to give you honest feedback about your business concept.

Get exposure. Taking on a project pro-bono or for a small fee that allows you to get a feel for what you want to do, is a great way to gain experience if you are not already working in the space. “People are either going to come out saying ‘I really enjoyed that and I cant wait to launch my business’ or they’re going to get a real perspective and decide that its not something they  want to do as a business,” Marshall says. “Either way it is an excellent learning opportunity.”

Plan. Plan. Plan. A business plan is critical for any entrepreneur. “Once you have determined what you want to do and are serious about it, you have to develop a concrete business plan before moving forward,” says Marshall. After writing your business plan, develop a tactical/action plan that outlines every step that needs to take place to reach your goals. Once the business is off the ground continue to do annual plans, with quarterly objectives and strategies to obtain those objectives. By doing annual plans an entrepreneur is able to compare progress with the initial vision.

Consult a professional. Contact the Small Business Administration office in your region. The SBA can provide assistance with developing and implementing your business plan, marketing strategies, securing capital for your business and direct you to organizations that offer mentor services for beginning entrepreneurs.

For more information on how vision boards can help you, check out Peak Performance: The Power and Purpose Behind Developing a Vision Board in the August 2009 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine.

Dellinger

When Mahisha Dellinger set out to launch her Elk Grove, California-based hair care company Curls L.L.C., she anticipated a few kinks. And with determination and business know-how, Dellinger managed to solve not only her own hair dilemma but also the hair frustrations of others with what seemed like unmanageable curly tresses. In 2003, its first year, the fledging company went on to gross $86,000. Now, seven years later and with $3 million in gross revenues for 2008, the 36-year-old looks forward to taking her business to even greater heights.

Here are Dellinger’s five business strategies for securing sheer success.

Don’t be afraid. Launching into a market already heavily saturated can be intimidating, so it’s best to find your niche. Although, there were more established and consumer-trusted ethnic hair care companies when Dellinger first came on the scene, it didn’t stop her. Dellinger says she was confident Curls products possessed a new and innovative spin. And by focusing on multi-ethnic women with curly hair initially, she was able to reach an otherwise ignored clientele.

Utilize all of your resources. “We started out six years ago before the popularity of Facebook, Myspace, and the other social networking sites,” says Dellinger. “However, we still used digital resources.” She and her team aggressively went into chat rooms and online forums promoting the products, which led to developing a large client base from grassroots marketing. Thus, marketing your business online can be an easy and cost-efficient way to build a buzz for a new product or service. Add to that a mentor and you create an advantageous synergy twice over.

Dellinger worked with SCORE, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. “SCORE matched me with a mentor that was a retired hair care company executive,” recalls Dellinger, who sought out someone experienced in her field. “He was very helpful and provided excellent insight.”

Connect and stay connected. “We connected with our clients through online focus,” Dellinger says. “We also attended hair shows to meet and talk to curly-haired women. We listened to their needs and adjusted our products to fit. Dellinger, who still tests products on customers to ensure they are meeting their needs, attributes much of Curls’ success to listening to customers even as the business grew. “If our customers are satisfied with our product they not only continue to purchase it, but they also spread the word and encourage their local hair salons and stores to carry it,” says Dellinger.

Do your due diligence. Starting a business is an enormous task. Dellinger advises that all entrepreneurs research the market they want to launch into thoroughly. Knowing about the industry can save you time, money, and energy down the road, she adds. “Starting off as an unknown brand we received a lot of ‘no thanks’ from salons that we wanted to partner with,” says Dellinger.  But instead of taking the rejections as a defeat, they motivated her to push forward and target other companies. She adds, “Research the more established companies, find their mistakes, learn from them and capitalize.”

Make a great first impression. “You want to make sure everything that will touch your customer makes a good impression,” Dellinger advises. She encourages entrepreneurs to hire individuals to handle the aspects of their business that they cannot. From packaging to marketing, experts can ensure that all components of your business come across as professional and worthy of the consumer. She adds, “You do not want to come across as a small company on a small budget even if you are.”

For more on Mahisha Dellinger and Curls L.L.C., check out the July 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.