As I start to post more on the social media sites, I’m realizing I need to have an ongoing search looking for posts about my company so I can react to anything that’s said about us – good or bad....

Even though I purchased an existing business, many of the issues I face are the same as a start up. Since I financed the purchase using my own money, working capital was very tight. When I purchased the business, I bought insurance for the premises (really contents since I...

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions – I used to make them many years ago and, like most people, never stuck to them. For my business I need a plan I can deliver. The marketing plan I put together with the help of my marketing advisor still has...

By now we’ve all heard about Hamas being given an A- rating in California. BBB says it was a mistake by their sales people but how widespread is the abuse? There’s a hotel in Boston that’s part of a very well known upscale brand. I...

We occasionally take orders via e-mail or phone, particularly if the customer already came into the store and left without purchasing but then, after thinking it over, decides to go proceed. A few weeks ago I answered a phone call and the customer stated he was an artist who’d been in...

This is a difficult question that most retailers face and that’s certainly been the case for AUM this year. We’ve actually been hit harder by the recession this year than last. We see many framers trying to match (or come close) to the craft store offers...

We recently held an art show to celebrate our 25th anniversary of incorporation. Deluxe helped us by selling us a mailing list (based on our criteria) of around 6700 addresses. They also printed and mailed postcards to those addresses. We didn’t want to stop there –...

A year of free marketing assistance – wouldn’t you jump at the chance? I purchased my business in February 2010.   Although the business had been hit by the recession in 2009 – picture framing is definitely a discretionary income purchase – it was hit even harder at the beginning of...

I’m a little behind the progress of the other eight winners.    A week after leaving the Project REV kickoff, my fiancée & I left to get married on St. Lucia.  We spent another week and a half island hopping on our honeymoon. Once the trip was over and I was...