My favorite subject is small business and through the 8THIRTYFOUR Happy Hour Hustle podcast, WGVU Your Biz Your Town radio show with Shelley Irwin or this blog, I am constantly promoting the amazing businesses in our community.

Small Business Saturday is tomorrow and while this is mostly for retailers, it is a good opportunity to shine the spotlight on all small businesses.

Starting and growing a business is daunting, to say the least, but you are not alone. There are some amazing organizations in our state that are here to help. This blog is dedicated to just a few of them, who have assisted 8THIRTYFOUR over the years.

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
When I was starting 8THIRTYFOUR, I needed a crash course in business finance and SBDC offers financial counseling and much, much more. They offer expert assistance at NO cost to entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their business. You heard that right, their services are FREE.

The SBDC is headquartered within Grand Valley State University with 11 regional offices and more than 20 satellite offices.

I just recently reengaged their services to assist us in our Entrepreneurial Operating System journey, they offer facilitated sessions to ensure you are properly implementing.

Find out more by visiting, sbdcmichigan.org.

Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM)
If you know me, then you know I am very involved with SBAM, with over 26,000 members it is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community.They have been successfully serving small businesses in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969.

As a business owner, the ability to meet, network and commiserate with other owners is priceless. They keep us informed of policies at the state and national level that will affect our businesses and provide opportunities for us collaborate and partner.

Find out more at sbam.org.

There are many more great orgs, such as Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women, local chambers and Inforum Michigan. Determine what your need is then reach out to one of these great resources to take your business to the next level.

Are there others that should be on the list? Add them in the comments below.

Change is inevitable; we have all heard it before – but many of us seldom do anything about it. I had the opportunity to hear Josh Linkner speak last week at the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) Leadership Council Summit and it was a great reminder that business owners need to focus on reinvention to remain relevant.

Josh wrote the bestselling book, The Road to Reinvention which discusses how businesses fail to reinvent with disastrous results. I started 8THIRTYFOUR to introduce an alternative to the traditional agency model. We focus on deliverables, not hours. We strategize, then implement. We leverage all communication mediums to deliver integrated measured results. At the time, the concept was unique and hard for people to wrap their heads around, in fact it took years building relationships and delivering results before it paid off.

Imagine if your competitors had the same exact product as you and all of you delivered it the same way – how would you stand out? What makes you different?

If we, as business owners, don’t take a different approach and innovate, then how do you ensure your business will be there tomorrow or 3 years from now?

Josh used the example of Kmart and their Ship My Pants campaign. Kmart was struggling to stand out from competition and remain relevant when competing with the likes of Amazon and other online giants. The campaign did exactly what it was designed to do, create buzz. Kmart had a HUGE opportunity, to build on the momentum and improve the online user experience, customer service and more. They didn’t. Change was too hard and they held onto their antiquated retail model…and well the rest is history (no really – they are history).

Dedicate time and resources to big picture ideas and don’t be afraid to take a risk – it could pay off in dividends.

The 8THIRTYFOUR team, took time out to reconnect, strategize and explore a small town in Northern Michigan this past week. Since we began implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), we have made it a priority to spend time talking about the company, plans for the future and each employee’s individual goals. The benefits for doing so are hard to see at the time, but looking back now on a year of EOS, it is very evident how important ‘company time’ is.

Here are the top 3 reasons, to disconnect and reconnect.

1. One vision, one team. Having all staff members working towards the same goal will only make your company stronger; this will involve transparency on the side of the leadership team. Be willing to share revenue and organizational goals with staff. At our yearly retreat, we discuss one-year and three-year revenue goals, as well as future org charts. We also take a look back on the current year and see how we are tracking to meet the goals set the year prior. This is a great time to ensure everyone is clear on what is important moving forward and how the work they do daily is contributing to the success of the company.
2. Temperature check. A fun exercise to lead with your team, is called roses and thorns. It is an interactive way to identify strengths, weaknesses and improvement areas within your company. Our friends at Atomic Object break it down for you here. This exercise gives you a snapshot of what each team member thinks the company is doing well, could do better and needs to focus on for future goals. For example, our team identified that we do a great job at client reporting, which is something we have worked very hard at streamlining and perfecting in the last 6 months. We also noted that we need to do a better job talking about community engagement and highlighting the importance of it. The best part is the exercise sets the foundation for your quarterly and yearly goals.
3. Fun. Employees work hard for you and they deserve a little fun and relaxation to recharge for the upcoming year. Your retreat should be an even mix of planning and team bonding. I know that is hilarious coming out of my mouth, but when you are intentional about culture, your company will flourish.

What else would you add to this list? By the way, Leland is gorgeous this time of year and there is an amazing bookstore you have to check out.

If you live in Grand Rapids, chances are you have seen the controversy surrounding the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce’s decision to endorse Republican Gubernatorial candidate, Bill Schuette.

8THIRTYFOUR, along with multiple other businesses chose to cancel their Chamber memberships in a show of solidarity with the LGBTQ community and women everywhere.

While the Chamber defended it’s decision by stating that Schuette is business friendly and that is in line with their mission within the community, I beg to differ.

You see, diversity and inclusion are just good business. More than 40% of LGB (and almost 90% of transgender) individuals have experienced discrimination, harassment, or mistreatment in the workplace. This is not only unacceptable; it’s also bad for business.

If you’re implementing policies and fostering an inclusive workplace, you’re likely to reap these benefits:

• Increased productivity: members of the LGBTQ community can focus their energy on their actual work, instead of worrying about their health and safety.
• Better ideas: Similarly, a welcoming culture fosters creativity and better ideas from all team members.
• Improved public image: perception matters.
  • 23% of LGBT adults have switched products or services because a different company was supportive of the LGBT community, even if the new brand was costlier or less convenient.
  • 97% of LGBTQ adults said they are likely to consider a brand providing equal workplace benefits (glad.org).
• Decreased talent expenses: LGBTQ members of your team who are able to be open and out about their true identities are more likely to remain in their current position, and stay loyal to your company. This reduces turnover and saves you on costly recruitment expenses.
• Decreased health expenses: improved health is a common result of a welcoming workplace, keeping your healthcare expenses lower.

So, you see, inclusivity is not just good for the heart, it’s good for business.

I am not a terribly patient person, my anxiety at times is off the charts. I’m not really a ‘go with the flow’ individual and when it comes to travel I tend to try the patience of everyone around me. However, it doesn’t stop me from traveling and experiencing the world. I never left the country until my early 30s, life got in the way; at least that was my excuse – and I won’t let it stand in the way anymore.

So, I pop my dramamine, chug some wine and get on that long-ass flight to wherever; and I don’t let delays, public transportation or weather drive me crazy. Life is too short to never leave your backyard, here are my tips, revelations and ramblings from my few years of travel.

1. Less is more. When we travel overseas to visit our friends, we share one carry-on. A fact that I am incredibly proud of and tell everyone. I have the world’s best carry-on that resulted from hours and hours of research and has survived England, Ireland, Spain and a cruise. Focus on comfort and ease, especially if you are bouncing around – having less to repack will make your life easier.
2. Forget the itinerary. Believe it or not, besides making sure we have lodging when we first get there, I don’t over plan or schedule us. Sometimes you just want to sit in a pub and shoot the shit with locals or other travelers. We spent two days in London and never saw Big Ben (yeah, that was stupid), but we met another Michigander, chatted with the locals and apologized for the state of our politics (no one over there is a big fan of our president and everyone wanted us to know that).
3. Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. This is pretty easy for me as I will run across a busy road to pet a dog, much to the chagrin of the owners. When we were out for a walk just last week (in the UK), we bumped into an older couple (with a beagle) that we chatted with for several minutes and they told us about a church off the beaten path where local war heroes were laid to rest. We never would have known about it, if we hadn’t talked with them on a random street corner. It was one of the highlights of our trip.
4. Make friends wherever you go. Some of our most favorite people in the world, live on other continents (lucky us). We are so grateful they let us impose on them when we visit. It is like no time has passed, no matter how much our lives may change.
5. Correspondence is a gift. I had a good friend that lived in Romania through the Peace Corps and we resorted to good ‘ol cards, letters and packages to communicate. She now lives back in the states, but we have continued our correspondence – although I am much better at it than her.
6. Don’t wait. Life is too incredibly short to never experience different cultures, countries and people. There will always be more reasons why you shouldn’t go – money, work, etc. Just do it.
7. Take a deep breath. You can’t control train schedules, flights, traffic or other hiccups. The best way to combat the frustration is grabbing a drink and figuring out your next move.
8. Open your home. I love when people stay at our house, pop by, or just hang out. No matter where they are coming from, I want them to feel welcome.

What would you add? Where is your favorite place to visit?

Most entrepreneurs and business owners fail terribly a leading. No one tells you when you start your business, that you will someday have to manage an entire team. At the time, you are too busy trying to not go broke. It’s probably a good thing that most entrepreneurs can’t see past the week they’re living in, we would have a nervous breakdown.

Over my 11 years at 8THIRTYFOUR, I’ve stumbled upon the following lessons (and I mean stumbled).

1. You are in the spotlight. Whether you like it or not, everyone is watching what you do. Your employees, community, clients, partners, family, dog…you name it; your every action and decision is under the microscope. Self-awareness is key, especially after you make a bad decision.
2. Personal and professional is blurred. Most people spend more time with their co-workers than they do their own families, which means you will know a lot about each individual that reports to you. A good work environment, encourages team bonding and presents opportunities for employees/managers to get to know each other on a more personal level. The catch is, you will know WAY more than you want to about your employees. Safeguard that information and respect their privacy.
3. Not everyone is a winner. This may seem harsh, but when we started moving to EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), it took the emotion out of staff/employee decisions. You have to make the right decisions for the company and that means, right person/right position. Rip the bandaid off when it comes to low performers, if they are not a fit for your culture, then work with them to transition to a new job.
4. Everyone looks to you for the answer. You are going to get asked a lot of questions, some you know, most you don’t. Unfortunately for you, you’re the only one they can go to. Empower employees to make their own decisions, but also have designated times they can come to you with questions and solutions.
5. Leadership is lonely. I wrote a pretty emotional and raw blog about this awhile back, running a business is hard. You can’t delegate running the company to someone else, if a big problem hits – buck stops with you.

What leadership lessons would you share? I am always open to learning and adapting based on what I learn. Great leaders don’t happen overnight, they make a lot of mistakes on the way.

I have struggled with how to share this news, I have avoided it in part because I don’t want to admit to myself that he is gone. You see, Jimmy, was more than my best friend, he was an important part of 8THIRTYFOUR culture and, dare I say, community.

Jimbo came into our lives 6 or so years ago, after I saw him on the Vicky’s Pet Connection Facebook page. He was a part of their Senior Paws program, which focused on finding homes for older dogs that no one seemed to want. He was loved since day 1, when he would express himself by hopping and barking at you for attention. He had a way about him.

He was such a staple at 8THIRTYFOUR that we named him our Chief Happiness Officer. Anyone who visited our office asked for Jimmy and I am certain he was key in us landing several accounts. When he decided to head out on an adventure at 9:00 p.m. to visit Graydon’s Crossing, the entire community came together to find him. Because of you, the couple that picked him up, recognized him from social media and returned him to us that very night.

How do you fill a Jimmy size hole in your heart? I’m told time will help ease the sadness and maybe that is true, but one thing is for sure – he was extremely loved.

To all of you, thank you for loving Jimmy.

We’ll see you on the other side buddy.

If you would like to make a donation in Jimmy’s honor, you can do so here.

We are blogging maniacs at 8THIRTYFOUR, we blog twice a week or more depending on breaking industry news. That is a lot of content to create, which means we have learned a thing or two along the way.

Here are some of our blogging non-negotiables.

1. It’s all about the relationship. Readers need to feel a personal connection to a brand, and that means you gotta give a little of yourself to build loyalty. We blog a lot about marketing, PR, digital, design…but we also talk about our favorite patios, stuff we do to unwind and more. Communication is all about building relationships, and to do that you have to foster a connection on a deeper level.
2. Provide value. Think ‘how-tos’ or checklists. Just recently we wrote a blog about the best times to post to social media, broken down by network. Readers could download an infographic, that they could use as a guide when scheduling social media. See…value.
3. Be funny (no pressure). Don’t take yourself too seriously, brands that incorporate humor into their content come across as more relatable and engaging.
4. Share the responsibility. No one person in our company is expected to generate all the content and we often will collaborate on blogs with each person inputting their piece.
5. Share real world results. Any company can talk about how great they are, it is when you show results of a project or campaign that readers will take notice.

These are just a few of the things we have learned from 11 years of blogging. What do you think?

The worst bosses I ever had…were women. I know I am not alone, many share the same experiences. These experiences have driven me to be a better leader and to cultivate opportunities for my employees that I never had. As a business owner (regardless of my gender), I need to live by example.

When reflecting back on my worst bosses, I realized they did teach me valuable leadership lessons.

1. Be transparent. By being clear with expectations for each role in your company, your employees know what is expected of them. Share with them the vision and 1 year, 3 year and 10 year goals. Understanding they are a part of something bigger, drives them to contribute in a more strategic way.
2. Support professional growth. When an employee grows professionally, the company benefits. Provide opportunities for community engagement, leadership training and more. We work with our employees to develop a professional development plan that we support as a firm.
3. Be intentional with culture. You want employees to look forward to coming to work each day. We purposefully build team bonding into our schedule – whether it is Friday Sangria or a BBQ at my house to share an updated company strategy to working on a patio for the afternoon. Employees work hard, reward them with some flexibility and fun.
4. Lead by example. This is by far the most important. We have all had those bosses that tells us one thing and do another. While I am out of the office a lot, I make it a priority to attend our team meetings, bonding sessions and hit deadlines.

Use your past ‘bad boss’ situations to drive yourself to be a better leader. Sometimes our worst experiences can be our best education.

I was labeled a pessimist the other day and my first reaction was to be defensive. Let’s be honest, pessimism is not viewed favorably; we are considered the Eeyores of the world, which is associated with negativity.

Side note: Someone had to be a pessimist in that group. Pooh had no common sense, Tigger was rash and reactive in his decision making and Piglet was terrified of his own shadow. They probably should have given Eeyore a little more credit.

Being a pessimist, that’s right I’ll admit it, has allowed me to succeed as a business owner. I do not walk around singing show tunes, I have a serious case of RBF (resting bitch face) and past bosses have called me abrasive and pushy. All of this is true, although I do occasionally hum the Greatest Showman soundtrack, and I am not going to apologize for it.

The way I approach a lot of situations in the business world are grounded in my pessimistic tendencies and have built a successful foundation for 8THIRTYFOUR.

1. I always analyze the shit out of everything. I overthink every interaction, situation, communication…and it has made me very intuitive when faced with difficult decisions. I notice everything…everything.
2. I hope for the best and plan for the worst. Running a business is really, really hard and it is a journey full of constant twists and turns – you have to plan for the unexpected. You also need to roll with the punches, which is not something us pessimists do well.
3. My self-awareness is off the charts. I take criticism well and it has made me a better boss and colleague. I internalize, overthink it and at times make myself sick over it…but the process is well-worth the results.

While pessimism has served me well, it needs to be in moderation. It cannot take over your life; use it to motivate you, but remember to take time to focus and reflect on the great things.

Lastly, don’t be ashamed to be a pessimist, own it and acknowledge the good that comes from it.

P.S. Being a pessimist is good for your health.