After my post on pizzelle-maker and community-do-gooder Little Pepi’s ran a few weeks ago, owner Stan Kourakos dropped me a line to talk a little shop.

Hi, Lynda,

Hope this email finds you well.

I am thoroughly enjoying your book, and it reminds me of my college days, rereading paragraphs and chapters in an attempt to absorb every detail. I am out of practice, hence the reason I am still only two-thirds of the way through it! The rationale behind the close scrutiny to your words is, frankly, to change (more…)

Wi-Fi. Hi-def. Super-sized. 200GB. High protein. Low fat. With every brand getting upgraded to meet today’s newfangled demands, you might think there would be no room in the market for good old-fashioned values. That’s where you’d be mistaken. With so much hubris cluttering the shelves, a little bit of minimalism can offer weary customers a breath of fresh air. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: International Virtual Assistants Association
Why It’s a Gem: Get Just the Right Amount of Support You Need — No Commitment Necessary

Our lives have become virtual — virtual money (ATM cards), virtual sales clerks (online shopping carts), virtual relationships (texting). So why not virtual assistants? And, as with other forms of technology, the world of virtual assistants is evolving to encompass more industries and skills sets than most brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs might have believed possible. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Zoomerang
Why It’s a Gem: Traditional methods of market research get tossed out the browser window as the Internet offers cheaper, faster methods

Not so long ago, businesses had to shuck out tens of thousands of dollars to learn what their customers thought of their product or new idea. Not only that, but it could take months – even years – before they saw results.

In recent Ruby Tuesdays, we’ve seen how the Internet is making the marketplace a level playing field by introducing technologies that are affordable to businesses of all sizes. From legal documents to customer service, businesses have a wide array of options to replace the antiquated methods of the past. This week, we see how one company has helped revolutionize the way businesses do market research. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Solexx/Adaptive Plastics
Why It’s a Gem: Solexx greenhouses are the epitome of sustainability made easy

Slow food. Organic. Local produce. Healthful, sustainable food is no longer a trend; it’s become part of the nation’s social conscience, with even the First Family raising their own victory garden.

With 20 years’ experience in the market, Adaptive Plastics is taking the next step by introducing a modular greenhouse that makes growing so simple even those of us with brown thumbs can raise a bumper crop – for a fraction of the price of store-bought organics.
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Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: LegalZoom
Why It’s a Gem: Affordable self-help legal services help small businesses get a jumpstart without the pricey overhead

One of the great things about technology is that it creates a level playing field. Just as Get Satisfaction helps small businesses get a handle on customer service, LegalZoom makes performing certain everyday legal tasks fast, efficient, and utterly affordable. Now even small entrepreneurs can jump in the game and play right alongside the big guys. And with the opportunity of the Great Recession upon us, the timing couldn’t be better.
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When the underlying basis of your business is philanthropic, it can be difficult to remain true to your original business model. But in this new economy, doing good is key to doing well: Customers care where their money goes. (more…)

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Shmaltz Brewing Company
Why It’s a Gem: Creating a story – with humor – that appeals to all faiths gave an added boost to a craft beer of divine quality

Even before the Great Recession, small businesses knew that if they were to compete against the big guys, they had to stand out. One way to do so was by telling their story – of the company’s creation, their philanthropic ties, their unique ingredients – in order to appeal to an audience that might otherwise have been lured away by the big-budget marketing campaigns of larger competitors.

That’s precisely what Shmaltz Brewing Company did. By creating a brand tied to a heritage, Jeremy Cowan’s brainchild tapped into a ready-made tale thousands of years in the making – and they do it all with a hearty dose of humor.
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Have you noticed the number of boarded-up malls? Have you driven down Main Street and seen how many of your old friends’ businesses are gone?  That’s a sign that brick-and-mortar marketplace survivors are becoming increasingly rare, while their virtual counterparts are on the rise. If you want your brand to survive, you have to think inside the box – that little ubiquitous box that’s on your desk – and evolve your online marketing plan so that it will survive the next generation.

Prior to the Great Recession, scoring placement at Henri Bendel would have guaranteed a bath-and-body product line a home run. But in our new economy, are retail sales enough? Gregg Schwartz of Priel asks that very question as he seeks to take his luxury Dead Sea beauty treatment products to the next level.

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Sometimes it takes more than a good product to be successful. Twitter is outstandingly popular, but the powers that be have yet to develop a viable revenue stream, which is the core to any successful business plan. (You can follow me on Twitter @LyndaResnick.)

In today’s Ask Lynda, a budding entrepreneur gets some advice on different angles for selling his gadget in the niche museum market. (more…)