Strategy Alert: Have You Considered Customer Advisory Boards To Unlock Your Growth?

small business

CABs or Customer Advisory Boards, might be the “secret weapon” you need for your company’s growth. TPM Focus often recommends CABs for clients who are seeking to innovate, introduce new products/services, and need insights on industry trends and...

Getting Rich Quick: Leveraging Revenue And Profit Strategies For Startup Success

small business

In this day and age, startups must move beyond the idea of “burn and churn” regarding their business models. Instead, they must focus on building a solid foundation based on revenue and profitability strategies. This means that entrepreneurs must invest in processes...

Why You Should Hire For Customer Success Early

Customers

Customer success is a crucial component of any successful business yet is often an afterthought. This is a mistake. You should consider customer success before growth and actively hiring for it while planning your technology strategy and/or new product roll-out. Read...

Can I Open A Business In The U.S. If I’m Not A Citizen?

small business

Can I Open A Business In The U.S. If I’m Not A Citizen?  We get this question a lot.And the answer is YES!Starting a U.S based business as an immigrant can be considerably challenging, but it’s not impossible. Though there are several steps one must take to open...

You’re Holding Your Company Back

Leadership

The lies you’re telling yourself are holding you back. Whatever it is that you think is impossible or won’t work can be done. Business does not have to be as done as usual. The world is quickly changing and being transformed with technology. In addition,...

Do You Know How to Gauge Interest?

Sales

Are you having a hard time determining if your prospects are interested in your product? If so, this post is for you.  Is it so wrong to want them to buy?We understand that it’s challenging to gauge the interest of your prospects, especially when it’s a product or...

Brand Bible Example

Marketing, Revenue Engine Optimization

What Is A Brand Bible? Does your company have a “Brand Bible”? Perhaps you use the term “brand guide,” but it’s the same concept. You can’t have revenue engine optimization without alignment within your marketing efforts.  Branding...

Intrapreneurs and Corporate Innovation Teams

Corporate Innovation

The term “intrapreneurs” describes employees of a corporation tasked with behaving like an entrepreneur while working within a large organization. Sounds difficult? It is if you desire to create a stand-alone entity meant to serve an entire industry and...

Revenue Engine Optimization -What’s that?

Consultants, Revenue Engine Optimization

Revenue engine optimization is what TPM Focus has been doing all along. Still, we’ve always described it in simple terms –syncing marketing, sales, technology, and customer success with revenue goals (finances). Now, more people are learning the phrase...

Rev Your Engine

Marketing

Rev your engine—your content engine, that is.  Content engines are a critical part of effectively marketing your business as it’s a composite of the people, processes and tools you use to deliver your marketing messages in a high quality, targeted, and...

Start Small – The Importance of the MVP and Prototype

Business Plans

How do you increase your chances of a successful new business or new product launch?  Start small. Build an MVP and/or prototype first.  What you build depends on many factors including the type of product you’re launching, your target audience, and more.Making...

The Difference Between an MVP and a Prototype

Startups

The difference between an MVP, or a minimum viable product, and a prototype is that an MVP is a finite version of your product with a certain set of minimum features for your user to experience the purpose of your product and provide feedback. A prototype, though...

Supporting Young Entrepreneurs

Startups

Young Entrepreneurs are more important than ever, and it is vital for current entrepreneurs to support this next generation of business leaders.  This week the CEO of TPM Focus invested in three companies started by young entrepreneurs—all under the age of 12. ...

The B2B Buying Journey

Sales

The B2B, or business to business, buying journey has an unwritten set of rules that should be acknowledged and considered when selling your products and services.  Many of our clients voice frustrations with the selling process in this space.  However, we redirect...

Video: The Case of the “Leaky Sales Funnel”

Sales

Video: The Case of the “Leaky Sales Funnel”Recently, the CEO of TPM Focus, Monique Mills, led a strategic planning session for women business owners in Atlanta.  It was a full day of hands-on strategic planning held specifically to help them get a jump...

Growth and Scaling—The Difference

Growth

Recently, a new business owner asked: “How do I scale a new business?”Here’s our answer to that:A brand new business shouldn’t focus on scaling just yet. It’s only once you have some traction, growth, and product-market fit should you focus on...

Why LinkedIn is Critical to Small Business Owners

small business

LinkedIn is a great platform, yet highly underutilized for most small business owners.  There’s an assumption that everyone on there is either a large corporation or a job seeker.  While there is no shortage of either, there’s certainly a variety of people and...

Why New Business Owners Need to Focus on the Future

Business Plans

Written by Monique Mills, MBA, PMP, Founder of TPM Focus What is that? The phone pictured above was taken at the house where the Movie ‘A Christmas Story’ was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s an all-time classic that comes on TV every holiday season. ...

Startup Founders: Are You Walking Blindfolded?

Startups

Startup founders:  Are you walking blindfolded into the startup world?  Once a business idea comes, many people take off with it.  The excitement and potential success of it consume them and additional ideas start to flow.  Maybe a friend, classmate, or family member...

What Are the Keys to Your Success? Talented Employees

Human Resources

You Can’t Have Impact Without Talented Employees One of the biggest challenges of any company, particularly new enterprises and small businesses, is finding and retaining talented employees. After all, the employees are the keys to your company’s success so it’s...