I talk with a lot of people who want to start a business “someday.” And as a result, I often think about the factors that determine which “someday” entrepreneurs will actually become business owners, and which will continue to say “I wish” for years to come.

Surprisingly, the ability to take the plunge has a lot less to do with people’s personalities, and a lot more to do with how accessible and familiar the experience of entrepreneurship is to them. Those who can picture themselves running a business often do. And those who continue to think of entrepreneurship as READ MORE »

It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Eleanor Roosevelt

March is Women’s History Month and we wanted to take a moment to highlight hair removal expert Shobha and its founder & CEO Shobha Tummala (and IGC friend!) for her thoughtful and creative way of celebrating the month!

Building on the success of her three Shobha salons in New York City, an online presence at myShobha.com and an extensive product line, Shobha has taken on partial ownership of an orphanage in Hyderabad, India. Shobha’s Home for Girls and Women mission is to READ MORE »

This Wednesday our favorite lingerie shop, Journelle, will be launching their 2012 Spring Cleaning Bra Drive, where they collect used bras to donate to charity and offer a 20% discount to anyone who brings in a bra. In addition, Journelle will also be donating $1 for each bra we receive and The Laundress will be giving customers a gift with purchase. For this year’s drive, Journelle is partnering with an organization called Free the Girls, which provides job opportunities to women rescued from sex trafficking in Mozambique. These girls and women are given READ MORE »

by Best Small Biz Help  Guest Contributor, Celina Durgin

Did you know that tools for cheaper, easier, and faster small business management are only a download away?  Developers have designed mobile applications to expedite key tasks common to the small business owner, employee, or customer.

Access and share documents, create and play presentations, manage budgets, and stay connected with coworkers and employees—all from your mobile device.

Some apps are free, several cost a one-time fee of a few dollars, and the most advanced app costs $29 a month.  Learn which mobile applications would be most useful and cost-effective for your small business.

Here are ten you must READ MORE »

This is the third post in a series that explores transferable business lessons.  So far we’ve looked at both parenting advice and design advice that also applies to entrepreneurship. This week  our focus is on wellness. I asked several gurus with different backgrounds to  weigh on how to keep ourselves and our businesses healthy.

Body Blessings, Real Nutrition NYC and more share their insight on wellness and entrepreneurship at Forbes.

-Adelaide

Image credit: M.C.P.

The prospect of giving a presentation or speech can be terrifying. Yet, we all know that speaking can be an incredibly effective way to bring awareness to ourselves and our business. Here are some wonderful resources that will help you warm to the idea!

In my view, there are two types of people in the world: those who are resigned to staying where they are, thinking it’s not possible or would take too much effort to make significant changes in their lives. (They’re probably not reading this.)

The second type – hi there! – is always striving to improve and continuously looking for ways to become better in their personal and professional lives.

Unfortunately, the first type is right about one thing: it’s devilishly hard to make the changes that will lead to the desired results, and there are a couple of very valid reasons why:

Staying constantly motivated at work can be tough when you’re sitting in your office for eight (plus) hours a day. With all that intense and stationary work, it’s no wonder most of us leave the office feeling exhausted and depleted.

But it turns out that a few small actions and habits can make all the difference in keeping your energy, creativity, and enthusiasm up. Here are nine ways to get inspired without even getting up from your desk (although, READ MORE »

This infographic from Online Marketing Degree speaks for itself. So interesting.

Thanks to @awesomepeter for sharing!

-Adelaide

There’s no avoiding it…entrepreneurs and small businesses have sunk their teeth into Pinterest. It’s the next great marketing tool. I personally have had mixed feelings about this rush to commoditize it. Maybe I’ll come around, but so far I’ve cringed at the calls to leverage Pinterest for business. It’s not because I don’t like Pinterest – I love it! It’s an easy, enjoyable, gorgeous creative escape. Having to worry about my “Pin Clout”, number of followers, pins, and likes, as well as how to get my brand shared on Pinterest just ruins it for me. I realize however, that READ MORE »

Try Something New TuesdaysAt IGC, we love cultivating a community for  entrepreneurs to share their knowledge and experiences.  Our Try Something New Tuesdays series is the perfect invitation to take the plunge on projects & ideas  you’ve always wanted to explore!

Read, bookmark and share!

In light of the most recent installment in the ‘how to be a gracious guest’ series, it has been brought to my attention the excuse reason many do not send a thank you note is out of ignorance as to what READ MORE »

This is post 2 of 3 in an exploration of transferable business lessons. Last week we looked at parenting advice that also applies to entrepreneurship. This week our focus is on design. I asked several gurus with different backgrounds to weigh on what design has to teach us about business.

Cody McBurnett, Katie Fischer Cohen and Robin Horton share excellent advice and more at Forbes!

-Adelaide

Image credit: hto2008

There is no denying that social media has certainly changed the nature of networking. However, regardless of how many Twitter followers you have, old-fashion face-to-face networking skills are still a critical component of business success.

Here are some terrific resources that will help even the most shy and apprehensive network with ease.

Try Something New TuesdaysAt IGC, we love cultivating a community for  entrepreneurs to share their knowledge and experiences.  Our Try Something New Tuesdays series is the perfect invitation to take the plunge on projects & ideas  you’ve always wanted to explore!

Read, bookmark and share!

Just as Feng Shui’s Bagua Energy Map applies to a building or room, you can also use it to set up your desk to maximize your productivity, business relationships and success.

The Feng Shui Office Bagua Map

Download my exclusive READ MORE »