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. ...
THE QUESTION New entrepreneurs OR those who have just founded a new company from an idea, consistently ask this question: “Where do I find customers?” WHY MOST ENTREPRENEURS ARE ASKING THIS QUESTION When you first have the idea for a business, you think you have it...
In today’s startup frenzy, although business planning is most important, we understand the pressures many entrepreneurs are under to move fast and show what they’ve accomplished to attract investors and talent. We know from first-hand experience many of the pitfalls...
It’s All About People Consulting is all about people. Good consultants are great listeners and naturals at building genuine relationships with others. Most began consulting because they had a skill set or specific knowledge that is useful to others and enjoy sharing...
As a business owner, it is your responsibility to tell people why they should buy from you. People must know how you provide value to them and why it’s worth paying for. If that isn’t done well in both your communications, sales, and marketing efforts,...
Business is Like BoxingAs Mike Tyson so eloquently stated, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. - Mike Tyson Click To TweetYes, as funny as it may seem, we just called Mike...
This article was written by Monique Mills, CEO of TPM FocusLet’s talk about scalability. As a startup and SMB consultant for new and innovative products, I hear a lot of great business ideas. A lot. I also hear a lot of great business ideas that will be more...
Seriously, no one. It might be a great business idea. It could be an idea that’s going to make someone a LOT of money. It may be an idea that seems simple enough to implement, that you think someone else can easily do it. But in reality, the idea could be great, but...
Top 7 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Hire Consultants Consultants: Provide objectivity Can act as a change catalyst Can identify problems as an outsider looking in Have the right expertise when you need it Can be hired to create new businesses Can be hired to influence...
What is a Business Plan? Business plans can be defined as: a document, usually 10-20 pages long, that describes the opportunity, product, context, strategy, team, required resources, financial forecasts and expected returns of a business venture. Are Business Plans...
Despite how useful your product or service is to the world, it’s not possible for EVERYONE to be your customer–unless you’re selling water (something everyone needs to survive). When many new entrepreneurs are first getting started with a fresh idea...
Everything is just so uncertain when you first start a business or even when you have an idea that you think you want to execute on. Yes, the thought of it gets you excited and nervous all at the same time. It’s completely normal and EVERYONE (regardless of how...
It seems there’s a new startup pitch competition announced every month in cities all around the U.S. Many pitch competitions are located in the “hot” cities with thriving startup communities while others are held by smaller cities that are trying to position...
We prefer not to use the term “fail” as we don’t believe there is failure in startups, only testing. You only fail when you give up.When you have the courage to step out on faith and start a business of your own instead of just talking about it, you’re certainly not a...
