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Public Relations for Boat Detailing Companies
Boat detailing requires hard work and to make a run at the local marina market you need a strong customer base. Of course many people rarely come out to visit their boats and the chances of you getting a personal meeting are not so common as you might like.When business is great you are busy working and do not have time to solicit new business and yet you need to run around the marina on a busy weekend day and hand out your business cards, flyers, brochures and floatable key chains with logo to give to potential customers.You see what you really need is a strong presence and allow the power of that presence to rule the local market for you. You can achieve this; how so you ask? Well, you need a professional public relations program plan first off and then you need to consider implementation.There are many things you can do such as help a maritime museum refurbish an old boat or host a fundraiser for the Sea Cad

dium short term and medium long term risk.

The biggest dilemma in the Startup/Angel relationship is a misunderstanding of roles and responsibilities. Angels essentially invest in early stage conceptual renderings of solutions. Angels have to avoid getting involved in day to day management. Their only concern should be the completion of a workable solution [problem-solving product or service] that is ready to grow from prototype to Alpha tests/Beta tests. With Angels the clock is ticking slowly, but it is ticking. There is an expectation of multiple rounds of financing and merger or acquisition within 3-5 years. An Angel usually expects to earn a post-dilution return on investment of at least 200%.

The VC Finance Model can be simplified and best understood as a troika comprised of Seed Stage VC Funding, Early Stag

Losing A Career Can Feel Like Getting A Divorce
Job loss can be extremely painful because we have to start over and create a new identity. Clients tell me their feelings are similar to what they experienced during a bitter divorce -- a special form of the midlife crisis.Losing a career or business can also be a source of grief, anger and frustration. Starting a new business is an end as well as a beginnig. You may feel as though you are getting a divorce after a twenty-year marriage. Here's why.1. Sometimes the career leaves you. The field wants "younger people." Or you have to change in ways that violate your sense of self.2. Sometimes you leave a career that seems perfectly wonderful and fulfilling to those on the outside. "The money's so good," your mother says, "and it's not as if you're scrubbing floors all day. Can't you just hang in there and pretend you like it?"3. You feel disloyal. After all, you've gained a lot from this caree

When a Startup decides to expand using Bootstrapping, Angels, or VCs, it is incorrectly assumed that this choice has to do solely with money. Many advise founders to take the best deal and get the process over with as soon as possible.

However, it must be noted that the type of financing Startups receive determines the company’s strategic direction and probability of success.

Finance Models have numerous tangible strategic implications. When early stage Startups choose a Finance Model, they are confining themselves to a limited range of strategic options. When choosing a Finance Model, I think it is best to momentarily forget about money and focus sensibly on strategy.

To make the best possible decisions regarding your financing and de facto strategic direction, Startups have to place themselves in the best possible situation from day one.

Every Startup should end a series of successful prototyping with an analysis of which low-cost, high-impact business models, revenue models, pricing models, and sales strategies are suitable for their solution [problem-solving product or service] and its Users.

The next step is for Startups to assess the cost of implementing and executing particular business models. Startups may choose to self-finance these costs, receive funds from Angels, or use a pay-as-you-go strategy where you use a small base of sales to generate free cash flow which in turn funds additional sales efforts.

Finally, when moving into Alpha and Beta testing, it its critical to simultaneously test well-thought out business models, revenue models, pricing models, and sales strategies alongside your solution. If you decide to chase market share, forget about business models, and give your product away for the interim, then it is still a good idea to enable Users to purchase upgrades, subscriptions, or ancillaries. Otherwise, you may never know how many Users are committed or passive.

The Bootstrap Finance Model necessitates laser beam focus on product development, cost control, sales, and profits. Bootstrapping is akin to the concept of intelligent design. You are building a company from the bottom-up and are willing to allow a naturalistic growth cycle to occur. You’re interested in keeping your company very malleable, ready to shift directions in accord with market demands. You are opportunistic. Bootstrapping has lower initial risks, but higher long term risks since you may lose significant market share while other companies choose to Go Big. Bootstrappers risk being relegated to a sub par market position even though you probably have hip solutions, the coolest brands, and a cult-like User base.

The Angel Finance Model requires smooth investor relations, a high User growth rate, and a strategic direction that leads towards a highly probable merger or acquisition. Angel financing is similar to evolutionary theory. The Angel’s funds act as a propulsive agent to thrust a Startup upon an evolutionary cycle towards a probable Series A round or additional infusions of capital by Angels.

Despite opinions to the contrary, Angel investors are not charities, repositories of free money, or blind speculators panning for gold in quicksand. Angels need to make successful investments to sustain their investment activity. Angel financing has medium short term and medium long term risk.

The VC Finance Model can be simplified and best understood as a troika comprised of Seed Stage VC Funding, Early Stage

Marketing Effectiveness
Generally speaking, marketing inefficiencies are due to one or more of three reasons: 1. Lack of interest in – or understanding of – the sometimes fickle customer. 2. Improper blending of the four Ps – caused in part by overemphasis on internal problems as contrasted with a customer orientation. 3. Lack of understanding of – or adjustment to – the marketing environment, especially what competitors do.Perhaps, lack of concern for the customer is most noticeable in the ways the four Ps are sometimes combined – or forced – into a marketing mix. This can happen in many ways. Too many firms develop a new product to satisfy some manager’s pet idea – not to meet the needs of certain target customers. Or they see another company with a successful product and try to jump into the market with another me-too imitation – without even thinking about the competition they’ll encounter. Often they don’t worry about quali

possible situation from day one.

The VC Finance Model can be simplified and best understood as a troika comprised of Seed Stage VC Funding, Early Stag

Train Me -- But Follow Through
My mechanic has me trained. When I take my car in for an oil change, he places a sticker in the upper left hand corner of my windshield to remind me what date and mileage I should have my next maintenance completed. But every once in a while, he forgets to put the sticker on the window. Then I have to remember the date and mileage details.It's a good thing to train your customers and clients and it can help you pump up your bottom line. But if you choose that route, it's important to follow through.Because my mechanic occasionally forgets the oil change sticker, he shifts the burden of that "perk" to me. On top of that, it could cut into his business if I delay the maintenance because I've forgotten when the car is due. And if he forgets stickers on several cars...well, you get the idea.Training your customer when and how to do business with you helps both them and you. You can train your customers to easily un

. If you decide to chase market share, forget about business models, and give your product away for the interim, then it is still a good idea to enable Users to purchase upgrades, subscriptions, or ancillaries. Otherwise, you may never know how many Users are committed or passive.

The VC Finance Model can be simplified and best understood as a troika comprised of Seed Stage VC Funding, Early Stag

My Ten Insights to Playing a Bigger Game (Part 1)
I was talking to a friend of mine who had invested in a very high end coaching program last year. As I was asking him about his experience and what incentivized him to invest in his growth he said, 'I knew if I really wanted to take my game to a whole new level, I had to do things VERY differently. Even though the coaching was good, it was surrounding myself with 8 other people that were challenging ME to play the game full-out that was the payoff.' This is a guy who consistently generates a high six to seven figure income each year.It got me thinking about how I played my game in 2006. I already surround myself with people playing a bigger game every year. I have a mastermind group who constantly challenges me to think bigger. But what specifically did I do that helped me double my income this year, get asked to speak at multiple conferences and produce three new programs?Here are my 'Ten Insights to Playing a Bigger

anies choose to Go Big. Bootstrappers risk being relegated to a sub par market position even though you probably have hip solutions, the coolest brands, and a cult-like User base.

The VC Finance Model can be simplified and best understood as a troika comprised of Seed Stage VC Funding, Early Stag

Make the Most of Your Speaking Opportunity
Art, a medium sized business owner, recently invested a small fortune to sponsor a dinner at a high-level industry summit. He'd been networking within the industry for twenty years and felt the time was right to make a bold statement. It was a gamble he was ready to take.His generous sponsorship fee bought him signage throughout the conference along with an opportunity to give a gift to each attendee at the dinner. An additional investment bought the fancy pen sets and brochures that adorned each place setting.He was also given five minutes at the podium, just before dinner, to give a short speech. Five minutes to make a positive and lasting impression and to make the gamble pay off. There was only one problem: he'd never given a speech outside of a small boardroom or for more than seven people. This audience was going to be over 100 of the most influential, senior-level movers and shakers in his industry.What

dium short term and medium long term risk.

The VC Finance Model can be simplified and best understood as a troika comprised of Seed Stage VC Funding, Early Stage VC Funding, and Late Stage VC Funding. Seed Stage VCs invest after evaluating an early prototype or hearing a particularly interesting pitch. Early Stage VCs invest with the sole intent of maximizing the value and market position of a Startup in anticipation of future rounds of financing. Late Stage VCs invest in Startups seeking additional funding while preparing for an eventual IPO or M&A. At each stage of a Startups’ evolution, VCs invest with the expectation that exponential growth and a successful M&A or IPO will substantiate the risks incurred.

The VC Financing Model compels a startup to grow at an ever accelerating pace. Such growth comes at considerable risk and entails the development of a costly labor, advertising, and technology infrastructure. Over the short term the risks involve technology and labor. The Startup must scale quickly to ensure quality user interactions, while priming their web sites and customer service systems to handle an exponential increase in Users. The Startup has to also deal with potential shortages in highly skilled programmers and project managers. Long term risks are market based. While managing such a fast pace of expansion, the Startup must stay grounded in the marketplace and respond proactively to shifts in the tastes and need of their Users.

Under this scenario, the focus is placed on expanding market share and brand identity. Typically, VCs expect to net a return on investment of at least 600%-1000%. Startups funded by VCs are always expected to become market leaders. A VC funded software company surviving multiple rounds of financing and heading towards a M&A or IPO can easily spend $50,000,000 or more over a two year period.

It is important to note that while there are innumerable examples of surviving and thriving Bootstrapped and Angel financed companies, successful Large-Scale VC investments are short in number in the Web 2.0 Era. Startups don’t require that much money to fund operations. And there is a more patient attitude on the part of Startup Founders who appear to be committed to running their companies for long periods of time before seeking VC funding.

Many Startups will become sustainable using all three Financing Models in the near future. A number of Startup Founders will decide early on to exclusively rely on one Financing Model throughout the embryonic period of their company. For example, it is possible that a Startup could reach a successful M&A or IPO exit by the sole means of Bootstrapping. To the contrary, numerous Startups will solely utilize several Angel investments or multiple rounds of VC funding to reach success.

Furthermore, others will undoubtedly find success by mixing and matching Financing Models. For example, a Startup may initially secure Angel investments then choose to Bootstrap or accept VC funding to facilitate further expansion and progress towards exit.

It is best to remain free of any preconceived notions or biases. When the time comes to make a Financing Model decision, just remember you’re making a compulsory strategic decision. Just make the best decision possible relative to the market conditions and fiscal circumstances that face your company at that time.

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Do you know what to expect when applying for a new job? Most job seekers are under the impression that employers only check the references listed on your resume or application. This is an inherently false assumption.

The 21st century, in its first decade, is looking like it will be the century of the franchise. It's impossible to drive to any of the thousands of shopping centers and malls anywhere in the world, or down the main thoroughfares of any major suburban areas, and not pass franchise after franchise, ranging from restaurants, to dollar stores, to cellular providers, to fitness centers.

Every successful project is built upon a foundation of planning. Here are seven tips that will make your next meeting a success.

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