Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Designs by Lolita
Why It’s a Gem: Learning the licensing ropes helps a home-grown artist become a worldwide sensation

Just as Jason Thompson proved that art can be profitable, Lolita Healey has also turned her talent to riches. But unlike Thompson’s Rag and Bone Bindery, Designs by Lolita has taken the licensing route, which has given Healey a whole different ballpark to play in. So far, she’s batting a thousand. (more…)

Dear Lynda,

I’m an adult ed teacher for Photoshop and photo classes. If we don’t get a minimum number of students, we’ll get a vacation instead. Curious if you might have suggestions for promoting my classes. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Get Satisfaction
Why It’s a Gem: One website helps both companies and their customers with an improved customer-service experience

Many small businesses put customer service on the back burner not because they don’t believe in it, but because it’s just too darn time consuming. But one website is changing that. Get Satisfaction is using technology to build communities that save both companies and customers time, money, and a whole lot of hair-pulling.

Any entrepreneur who has ever lamented the time spent performing redundant customer-service tasks needs to examine Get Satisfaction’s wide range of tools – or stop calling himself an entrepreneur. (more…)

When money is tight, the first thing consumers cut from their budgets are “luxury” items (the $4 after-lunch latte, a new iPod) and services they perceive they can do themselves (hair coloring, car washing). But with a simple tweak in pricing options, service-oriented businesses probably won’t see much of a drop in business.

In this week’s Ask Lynda, a masseuse looks to readjust her pricing plan to keep clients — and even expand her customer base. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: sweetgreen
Why It’s a Gem: A back-to-basics menu draws upon new trends in healthful eating.

When money’s tight, eating out may seem like an unnecessary indulgence, especially when all the affordable options seem about as nutritious as a deep-fried Twinkie. That’s where sweetgreen comes in. By serving wholesome yet filling meals for less than $10 per person, the D.C.-based chain is changing the definition of fast food, one salad at a time. (more…)

When a former employee contacted me on advice for his new business, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Not only does Michael Talve have a fabulous product, his environmental and philanthropic soaps are cleaning up this planet, one shower at a time.

Read on to hear the advice I gave to Michael on how to make his Vivo Natural Products even more desirable to customers. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Rag & Bone Bindery
Why It’s a Gem: Proof that passion and a nontraditional education can be every bit as valuable as a college degree.

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Sometimes a product stands out so much that I just have to talk to the visionary behind it. Such is the case with Monica Williams’ creation, Pacimals, a combination pacifier/plush toy that she created after noticing that daughter Mackenzie kept dropping her pacifier, something that drives most tots to tears. That small observation has morphed into a new product that begs to be noticed in an already-saturated baby-product market.

In this week’s Ask Lynda, I break from the regular letter format to speak directly with the radiologist-turned-entrepreneur, who never expected that her email asking for business advice would prompt a response – much less an hour-long phone call from the author of the book she’d just read. “Holy cow – you replied!” Yes, Monica. Your product was just too cute and inventive to pass up!

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Among the many highlight clips in this reel are my reasons not to fear the recession, the legends behind the pomegranate, and why Teleflora finally decided to do a Super Bowl commercial.

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