Why a Broad Network Beats Social Insularity

Starting a new business has put me back in the networking game, and honestly, it’s like slipping into a favorite pair of shoes. They might have been stashed in the back of the closet for (more than) a Covid-minute, but they still fit perfectly and make you feel fabulous. I’ve been reminded just how effortless it can be to socialize when everyone at an event has one goal: to meet new people. There’s no hidden agenda, no complex social hierarchy, just a bunch of people eager to shake hands and swap stories.

Take, for example, the first networking event I dipped my toe into recently—the Annual Women Belong Luncheon. I walked in with a healthy mix of excitement and nervousness, clutching my business cards like they were golden tickets. And guess what? One of those cards led me to Lola Von Rhoda, the owner of Iconic Details—someone you’ve probably seen pop up on my Instagram stories more than once recently. We chatted, exchanged cards, and soon after, had a “Zoom tea.” Fast forward a few months, and we’re now referring business back and forth and expanding our networks together. One connection at one event turned into a professional partnership that’s already yielding results. That’s the power of being open to adding people to your circle.

Your Network Is Your Net Worth

You’ve probably heard this phrase before, and while it might sound like a motivational poster in a corporate breakroom, there’s truth to it. Savvy business people know that a diverse and expansive network is pure gold. Building relationships with a wide variety of people who can offer different perspectives, insights, and opportunities is absolutely priceless and with practice - it can also be fun!

One of the best things about networking is that it encourages you to be curious and open to new experiences. I love meeting people who are nothing like me, who have different backgrounds, and who are doing things I’ve never even considered. It’s like expanding your personal universe, one conversation at a time. What surprises me is how many adults seem to have forgotten this lesson. They’ve wrapped themselves up in a bubble, interacting only with the same small group of people. It’s like they’re still trying to maintain some sort of exclusive club, but business isn’t high school. You don’t win points for being aloof or closed off. In fact, you just miss out.

I’ve encountered this social insularity far too often in my adult life, and unfortunately, I’ve noticed it tends to crop up unnecessarily both in my small town and in parenting circles in general. It’s narrow-minded and honestly, stifling. Who knows what amazing connections and opportunities are out there if you’re willing to open up and meet someone new? Over the years, being open to conversation and collaboration has led me to some of my closest friends and business partners. In the early days of building Purple Monkey Playroom, I found an incredible support network through the Moms in Business Network. I met people who not only understood the unique challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life but who also became invaluable allies, collaborators, and even lifelong friends. All because we were willing to strike up a conversation and see where it might lead.

And for all you introverts out there (raises hand) who just cringed at the thought of “networking,” remember this: you don’t have to be the life of the party. You just have to be interested. People love talking about themselves, so ask questions and listen. You’ll be the most popular person in the room without having to do a song and dance.

Embracing the Power of Connections

As I dive back into the networking scene, I’m struck by how much joy I get from it. I’m genuinely thrilled to meet new people and see where we might connect. It’s an approach I wish more adults would embrace. Forget the social insularity mindset or the cliquey dynamics. Open up. Say hello to the person next to you. You might just make a friend—or a business connection that changes everything. It’s really not that big of a risk.

Watching my daughter navigate high school has been a reminder that social cliques and exclusivity should stay in those unfortunate but age-appropriate hallways, not follow us into adulthood. In the broader world, you can never know too many people. Every new connection is an opportunity waiting to happen—an open door, a new perspective, or even just a funny story to share at the next networking event.

Happy networking, everyone! May your connections be fruitful, your Zoom teas be delightful, and your business cards never run out.

Customer-Aligned, Not Customer-Compromised: Protecting Your Business by Knowing When to Say No

A core principle I emphasize to the business owners I counsel is the importance of being customer-focused. And while that’s true, it’s also critical to know which customers truly drive your business forward. Staying aligned with your customers doesn’t mean bending over backward for every individual who walks through your door. It’s about defining who your customers are—and, just as importantly, who they are not.

Define Who Drives Your Profit

When I say "your customers," I mean the people who believe in what you offer and see the value in your product or service. These are the customers who contribute meaningfully to your bottom line, leave positive feedback, and keep coming back. But let’s be honest—not everyone who engages with your business fits that profile.

There are individuals who will drain your time and resources, making low-impact purchases or expecting extensive service with little regard for your margins. These people might occupy space in your business, but they aren’t truly contributing to your growth. And it’s important to acknowledge that.

The Courage to Let People Walk Away

The hardest part of staying aligned with your true customers is having the courage to let others walk away, even if they’re unsatisfied. We’re wired to want to please, to avoid negative feedback, and to preserve our reputations. But there are moments when saying "no" is actually a more powerful way of protecting your business, your team, and ultimately your ideal customers.

In my own experience, I’ve racked up many dozens of glowing 5-star reviews between my two businesses. Those reviews reflect the deep commitment I have to delivering a positive experience to my customers. But they don’t show the full picture.

When Taking a Hit on Your Rating is Necessary

There were times when I made the deliberate decision to take a hit on my near-perfect rating because the health of my business and the welfare of my team was more important. This example stands out clearly:

When I owned my event venue, we had a birthday party booked at the height of our season. We had turned away many other interested clients for the date in question, and we were a very short time out from the the event, so the likelihood of rebooking was not guaranteed. The client came in demanding an upgrade to her celebration that we did not provide. Despite repeated attempts to explain that she would need to find an outside vendor for this particular service, she became irate and combative with my manager.

At that point, I realized her expectations were misaligned with our service, and for the protection and safety of my team, we made the decision to release her date. I refunded her in full, even though it came at the cost of a significant opportunity and a scathing one-star review.

The Key Takeaway

You cannot be everything to everyone. By clearly defining who your customers are and being willing to say goodbye to those who don’t align with your business, you free up time, energy, and resources to invest in the people who truly matter—the ones who will stick with you, support your growth, and ultimately, drive your business forward.

In the end, staying customer-aligned is about balance. You want to build a brand that values its customers, but you also want to maintain the integrity of your business. Know who your real customers are, stand by your value, and be willing to let go of those who don’t fit. Sometimes, taking a hit on your ratings in the short term is what ensures long-term health and success.

I Gave Birth Last Night—And It's Not What You Think

After eight long weeks of hard labor, sleepless nights, and intense soul-searching, I gave birth last night. Not to an actual baby (though, if you’re a parent, you'll definitely relate to the analogy), but to the true positioning for MBA Confidante.

In the process, a high-level small business strategist emerged —not the marketing employee that had been fluttering around on my website, LinkedIn, and social media for months. Let me explain.

To stick with parenting analogies, If you’ve ever cared for a baby or a young child, you know they go through those phases where they don’t sleep because their little brains are on fire, practicing some new skill they’ve just learned. Well, that’s been me for the past eight weeks. I’ve been tossing and turning, obsessing over how I show up in the world. You see, I’m highly skilled at positioning brands for my clients, but I wasn’t satisfied with how I’d positioned myself. I had a direction and was running with it, but I couldn’t stop rethinking it. Deep down, although everything looked exciting on paper, I felt something wasn’t quite right.

The Struggle to Market Myself

As my husband playfully pointed out, it’s highly ironic that while I’m an expert at helping others position their brands, I was spinning in circles when it came to marketing myself. In the past few months, I’ve been consuming every podcast, webinar, and course I could get my hands on to fill in the gaps of what I didn’t know about promoting myself as an expert. And still, I felt like I was wasting time and energy on the wrong activities, stuck in the weeds instead of moving the needle.

To complicate matters, as I built my website and my social channels, a nagging feeling kept creeping up—that I was underselling myself. My previous consulting clients have always found me based on my reputation and expertise. The right contracts came easily because I didn’t have to seek them out. They saw what I’d built, several times over, and wanted my support in doing the same. Since I’ve never had to sell my knowledge, I didn’t know how to articulate and package my full range of capabilities. Also, something was holding me back.

Last night, at 2 a.m. to be precise, it all finally clicked.

I Am Not Simply a Marketer. I Build Businesses.

One of the key challenges I faced in my previous attempts to position was effectively communicating the high-level strategic direction I provide. I am indeed a marketer. I run every business decision through a marketing filter and thrive on that level of engagement. But more than that I start by crafting customer-centric brands and then build businesses that leverage those attributes for long-term success. While marketing principles are integral to the work I do, they are just one thread in a much bigger picture.

The Struggle to Stop Thinking Small— I’m Not an Employee

Another challenge — in fact, the main one — was that I was unintentionally positioning myself as an employee within other people’s businesses. I was offering fractional marketing assistance and piecemeal services. But that undersells my skill set and holds me back from the big picture work I thrive on. I’m not here to work in small businesses. I’m here to help build them.

In a previous post, I talked about building competitive position by benchmarking businesses in an industry’s competitive set. I emphasized the importance of not copying.

n my case, I think I was inadvertently offering what I believed a marketing consultant "should" provide, based on what I saw on other marketing consultants' websites. Without meaning to, I was copying. And it didn’t sit right because, newsflash: I’m not a marketing consultant. So copying the essential services marketing consultants offer set me back from articulating what I actually do. I’m a brand strategist who partners with entrepreneurs to grow intentional, profitable, and beloved small businesses through customer-centric brand building and optimized marketing.

How I Finally Got There

Investing time learning from Melisa Liberman, Melissa Henalt, and Ashley Brock, coaches who specialize in helping women accelerate their business growth, led me toward the breakthrough I needed. They all but convinced me that I don’t have to, and shouldn’t, start small. I should start where I want to be, boldly going after the clients I want to work with. I already know how to do the work, and I'm an expert in what I offer. Now, it’s about conveying that effectively in a way that resonates—without worrying that I’m pricing myself out of the market.

Because here’s the truth: People who want to build intentional brands from the ground up will invest in doing it right. They need to invest. To attract these clients, I need to clearly and confidently define my offering.

It sounds simple enough, but it's high-stakes and honestly a bit terrifying. So when my brilliant friend Wendy Widom, a fellow brand builder and dear friend texted me out of the blue yesterday, her message arrived right on time. She wrote, "I see your activities in the last few weeks and I really admire what you're doing. You have a lot of irons in the fire. You have it, my friend."

When I confided that I believed in myself but was frustrated by how slowly I felt I was moving, Wendy shared how she recently watched a mutual friend overcome the funnel-building inertia of launching a new business to become highly sought-after. She added, “but she did it without a 10+ year successful business, a Booth MBA, and major connections.”

Wendy saw me exactly as I had aspired to present myself, but hadn’t quite been able to fully articulate. Her words - you have it- gave me yet another push I needed to see myself clearly—and to communicate that confidently to my clients.

After grabbing my phone and putting it down 7,347 times after I’d already turned out the lights, I finally crafted the LinkedIn description of MBA Confidante that I’m ready to put out to the world:

Partnering with small business owners to achieve profitability & growth through customer-aligned planning and optimized marketing 🤝 | 10+ years as a successful founder 📈 | Children's industry expert 🧒

What’s Next?

Yes, I’m repositioning myself to serve higher-capacity clients. But as I scale to attract the clients of my dreams, I will be happy to serve clients who have fewer resources to go all-in. The client who can invest in what they can afford today and have the option to circle back as their profits align with their vision. The client I myself have been many times over. As long as I’m getting paid for my time to do the work I want to do, not every contract has to be massive.

In Starbucks terms, if you have the budget for a Grande caramel macchiato, half-caf, easy whip with sprinkles I will serve it up to you with white gloves and on a silver platter. But if you need a Tall black with room for cream, because the decked out latte is currently out of reach, I’ll make sure it’s brewed perfectly for your needs today and we can talk about adding the sprinkles and as much whip as you’d like, if and when the time is right.

Now off to go lose 8 more weeks of sleep rebuilding my website. At least this time I’ll be doing it with conviction and clarity. Also I’ll probably edit my LinkedIn bio a good 20 more times.

I Just Signed My Lease. Now What?

On Tuesday morning, I attended my monthly small business mastermind session. 

One of our brilliant members was excitedly telling us about the commercial lease she is considering, which will add a brick-and-mortar storefront to her already thriving e-commerce business.

Thinking ahead, she turned to us at one point and asked, “So I sign the lease and get in the space…but then what?” 

She wasn’t asking how to get her license, turn on the utilities or what colors to paint the walls.

She knows what she plans to stock, has key supplier relationships, and has a solid business plan ready for action. She is an expert in her core offering and has been successfully selling products online as a precursor to this next step. 

What’s new to her, and what she’s trying to grasp, is how to successfully elevate her new location from an empty store filled with high quality goods into a destination where people choose to shop. So she wasn’t exactly asking what to do with the space as much as she was asking how to fill it with her future customers.

The real question was, “how do I market a brand new business?

…

A while back I created a meme for Instagram with a picture from the movie Field of Dreams that read, “If You Build It They Will Come…But Only If You Have A Comprehensive Marketing Plan.” (The message was great but the picture looked terrible because I’m a marketing strategist and not a graphic designer. So I took it down. But I digress). 

The point being that it doesn’t matter how cute the walls are or how sophisticated the selection is or how fabulous the owner is.

None of it matters if nobody knows you’re there. You need to let your future clients know you’re open for business and, particularly in a crowded market, that your destination is the one they want to choose. 

So here it is, e-commerce maven, and soon-to-become store owner. The suggestions below are tried and true ways you can  position your new location to get off to a profitable start. 

Step 1: Create a Pre-Lauch Strategy

• Get Your Clients Excited 

You already have a mailing list and online clients. These people, if they’re local, are going to be giddy to learn you’re coming to the neighborhood. And people in neighborhoods tend to love new businesses to visit. So let them know you’re on you’re way and start building buzz.

• Announce Your New Space

Put a “Coming Soon” banner in your window. Share the news on your website, social media platforms and with your email list. Show off photos or videos of the buildout as it takes shape. People love to be a “part of something” and will organically share their excitement with their friends. 

• Build Local Relationships

One of the very first things I did when I opened each of my storefront businesses was meet the neighbors, not only to make a personal connection but to see how we could collaborate. We used local vendors for pizza, ran promotions with the local music studio, and shopped for our supplies at the neighborhood stores. Natural opportunities to collaborate and cross promote arise from these efforts and are huge for driving business. 

• Plan a Soft Launch Event

As you get closer to being able to count on a firm open date, plan a soft launch party. This doesn’t have to be huge or intimidating. Even if it's just family and friends you will have photos that you can use for future marketing, your attendees can be encouraged to share photos of your space on social media, and you can start getting reviews. A soft launch is also a great opportunity to spot and work out any hiccups. 

Step 2: Find Your Clients by Becoming Findable (Get Your Brick and Mortar Online)

• Claim Your Listings

Foot traffic is fabulous when you can come by it, but online presence for your storefront is key. Make sure your business is listed on Google My Business, Yelp, Apple Maps, and any other directories that might drive traffic.  

• Build Local SEO 

Optimize your website for local search terms that describe exactly what you offer and be sure to specify exactly where you’re located including City and State (not just neighborhood). The goal is to show up when people are searching for businesses like yours in the area.

• Consider Geo-Targeting

If you have a budget for advertising, platforms like Google and Meta allow you to target ads to people in your area - even people who are just passing through. 

Step 3: Get People In the Door (Plan a Launch or Grand Opening)

A Grand Opening doesn’t have to be a one-off event. It can be a time period, such as the first week or month that you’re in business. 

• Offer Incentives

Create special offers (ex discounts, giveaways, free trials) and make them time sensitive so that people take advantage of them. This is a great time to sell higher-ticket subscriptions if you offer them.  

• Seek Out PR

If possible, partner with local bloggers, influencers, and media outlets to spread the word about your opening.

• Host a Family-Friendly Event

 If your business caters to children, a great way to put your business on their radar is to offer something free and fun for them to do with their kids, particularly during weekend downtime. 

Step 4: Work Toward Customer Loyalty and Retention

Once you bring clients through your doors you need to delight them and continue to engage with them so that they become loyal customers. 

• Collect Contact Information

Capture emails and phone numbers for every client. Offer a special promotion or giveaway in exchange for sharing information. 

• Create a Referral or Brand Ambassador Program

Encourage delighted customers to refer others by creating incentives.

• Stay Top-of-Mind

Send follow-up emails to thank customers for visiting your store and share future promotions, events, or new products/service via your newsletter. 

Step 5: Engage Meaningfully with Your Community

Focus on building long-term relationships in the area by collaborating with schools and local charities. People like to support businesses that support them and this is a great way to create value all around.

It may sound like a lot at first glance but these are tried-and-true, (and fun!) ways of making it easy for your customers to find and invest in you.

Bonne Chance and save me some hors d’oeuvre at the launch! 

How to Find Clients After Your Small Business Launch Falls Short: 5 Proven Strategies

Congratulations on launching your new small business! 🎉 If your anticipated clients and sales aren’t rolling in as expected, you’re not alone. Whether you’re staring at an empty storefront or checking your Shopify site with no purchases, it’s easy to feel discouraged.

If your launch hasn’t gone as planned, don’t worry—you haven’t failed. It’s possible you overestimated your ability to attract clients without a comprehensive marketing strategy. And no, I’m not talking about just posting more on Instagram or tagging friends and family on Facebook. Your clients are out there; you just need a strategic approach to find them. Here are five proven methods to help you attract clients and boost your business.

1. Outline Your Sales Funnels

Are you relying on a single method of finding clients (ex. posting on social media, or hoping your friends and family will be repeat purchasers)? 

If the answer is yes, the great news is that there’s so much more you can do. 

On their own, “selling to friends and family” or “posting to Instagram” are not strategies. If you’re relying solely on building an organic social media following or you’ve built your cousin’s 6th repeat purchase into your pro forma, it’s time to build a strategic marketing plan with defined sales funnels. Here are some you can use:

• Lead Magnet Funnel: Offer a valuable free resource (e.g., an e-book or other download ) in exchange for contact information, which you can then use to build an email list (see below)

  Email Funnel: Build the aforementioned email list and use automated emails to nurture leads into customers.

• Tripwire Funnel: Use low-cost offers or free trials to build trust and create upsell opportunities.

• Webinar Funnel: Host a free webinar to showcase your expertise and promote your products or services.

• Product Launch Funnel: Generate excitement and demand with targeted content and pre-launch offers.

2. Build Your Network

Networking isn’t just about collecting business cards. It’s about building genuine connections with people who can help you grow. Focus on power partners—individuals in adjacent industries who can offer strategic collaboration and referrals. To find them, attend professional associations, workshops, seminars, and local chamber of commerce events. If in-person networking isn’t feasible, leverage online platforms like LinkedIn, industry-specific Facebook groups, Instagram hashtags, and even TikTok to connect with potential partners and clients.

3. Consider Strategic Freebies

Offering complimentary products or services in exchange for reviews and referrals can build trust and enhance your online presence. Be clear about your expectations from the outset and ensure you manage this carefully to avoid undervaluing your offerings. Positive reviews can boost your SEO and attract more clients.

4. Benchmark Your Competitors

Please note: I did NOT say copy. Your offering should be your own and so should your marketing plan. Copying will not get you anywhere but behind the brands in the lead. And you want to lead, not chase! Rather, the goal is to learn from them. Analyze where successful competitors are advertising, how they are messaging their brand, and what they’re offering. Use this information to refine your marketing approach and differentiate your business.

5. Seek Feedback

Feedback is a valuable tool for improvement. Ask customers what went right and what could be better. If customer feedback isn’t readily available, reach out to family and friends for their honest opinions on your product, service, and marketing efforts. Use their insights to make necessary adjustments.

BONUS: Ask for Reviews
Yes, asking for reviews can be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it. Positive reviews offer social proof and can significantly enhance your website’s SEO.

Whenever I encounter an unexpected lull in my business, my first step is always to review my marketing strategies and make some quick adjustments. It’s amazing how a few tweaks can get things back on track. Challenge yourself to implement one or two of these strategies over the next week and see how they impact your business. Let me know how it goes!

The Perfect Time to Start A Business

You have a great idea, a unique product, or a long-term dream. Your friends or family insist if you sold it they’d buy it. Or you’ve seen it work in other places and you’re eager to monetize the concept close to home. (Also possibly you hate your boss and never want to attend another mandatory office happy hour or smell your co-worker’s lunch again. Just guessing). 

How do you decide it’s the perfect time to become a business owner? And more importantly, how do you know you won’t fail?

Please don’t wad up your business plan and throw it at me when I answer that there’s no such thing as the perfect time and that there are, so very unfortunately, no guarantees that you will succeed.

But wait! 

Even for the extraordinarily risk averse (raising both my hands) there’s plenty to consider to help you decide when and if it’s time to hit the starting line. And a few more considerations for how you can set yourself up for success. 

So the better answer to “how do I know it’s the right time to start my business?” or “am I actually ready to become a business owner?” lies within the responses to these three questions:

1. Do you have a clear idea?

2. Do you have a solid plan?

3. Do you have the resources to execute it? 

What differentiates an “idea,” which obviously you have from a “clear idea?” A good way to know is if you can explain it in an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a clear, persuasive idea that you can convey to others in the time that it takes to complete an elevator ride - usually less than a minute. In other words, when you bring it up with family and friends, are there areas that feel vague or undefined? Or do you have a concrete vision, ideally combined with a purpose? If the answer is more the latter than the former, you get a gold readiness check mark for Question 1. 

Equally as important as the clarity of your idea is your plan to execute it. This is where most aspiring business owners will create a business plan. It’s not only necessary if you plan to seek funding but a guidebook for how you plan to start and run your business. Key components include goals, market research, financials, operational planning, performance benchmarking and risk management. Completing a well-thought-out business plan is one way to hedge against failure because it identifies potential risks and details contingency plans. Once your business plan is in place you’re ready to consider question number three, which is how you will fund it. 

Gulp. Money? How much of your own are you comfortable investing? Or - uh - how do you get your hands on someone else’s because - well - your big dreams and your bank balance aren’t vibing. How to find funding is beyond the scope of this guide but, needless to say, if you’re going to be looking at loans, grants, or possibly investment (angel, venture capital, etc) you will definitely need that business plan we just talked about spit-shined and polished. 

If everything outlined in the answers to these questions aligns, it's a good moment to move forward.

“But how do I know I won’t fail?” Well. Again. I’m so very sorry. You don’t. Because as prepared as you are, there are always unforeseen obstacles or factors out of your control that can affect your success. (Anyone who operated a business in 2020 might have a story or two for you). 

But this is where not only that pesky business plan I keep harping on, along with a solid marketing plan can ease your anxiety around how to position yourself for success. 

And finally, as trite as it sounds, when your plans are as strategically sound as they’re ever going to be (and somehow your funding is in place), you have to believe in what you’ve got to offer and make the jump. 

I’ve done it three times - never perfectly ready but always prepared. Neither of my brick-and-mortars were as evolved as they later became when I first opened my doors, but time was of the essence and it was time to hit go.  

I just rolled out my official consulting website and my punch list for getting it perfectly buttoned up and SEO-ready remains long.

But at some point it’s important not to let perfection be the enemy of progress or you’ll truly never make the leap. Personally I like to follow an 80% rule when deciding whether or not it’s time. I go in 80% set, with 10% left to perfect, and another 10% to discover along the way. 

To quote a meme I recently shared on my Instagram, attributed to Abel Morales, “When it feels scary to jump that’s exactly when you jump. Otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life.” 

The only way to get started is to get started. You can officially mark “research what it takes” off your checklist. You’re on your way!