Early Bird Registration Now Available for Startup Princess “Touchpoint” Annual Conference for Women Entrepreneurs

We’re excited to officially kick off our Touchpoint conference (September 11, 2009) registration. Click over to Event Brite to sign up and to see the conference agenda. Early Bird price is $75 until July 31, then it’ll go up to $99.

Dwell Bag Design Competition Deadline July 27- Win 2 Tix to a CoolCapitals City

Attention all of our fabulous Startup Princess designers! Check out this wonderful messenger bag design contest by Dwell. What a great opportunity to get the creative juices flowing and who knows? if they don’t pick your design you could tweak it and rebrand it for your own brand. Enjoy the challenge!

Gain Confidence in Life and Business- Find a Mentor and Try Something NEW

Three years ago I bought a 70’s white desk hutch spray painted white at a garage sale for $25. When I purchased it I had in mind to repaint it so every time I passed by it I had a nagging feeling about it. I was resolved to “redo it myself someday” but I didn’t have an action plan and put it on the back burner for a very long time. I’m not naturally crafty, so it seemed a bit overwhelming. But then for some reason I was determined to get it off the back burner this year and started Read more

Sharifah Hardie’s Radio Interview of Startup Princess Founder Kelly King Anderson

Sharifah Hardie interviewed Kelly King Anderson, the Founder of Startup Princess on her Blog Talk radio show Ask Sharifah on June 29th. Enjoy listening to the one hour interview about how Startup Princess was started and what’s next on the horizon. Please note that half way through the show there was a technical difficulty, so there is a pause for a few minutes, but hang on because we resume our conversation.  Sharifah Hardie is a new Fairy Godmother for Startup Princess and we’re excited to have her! Follow Sharifah on Twitter @asksharifah

Introducing Heidi Ryder of Heidi Ryder Photography

When reading through Heidi Ryder’s interview, you can tell she really loves what she does and her pictures speak for themselves – she is a talented photographer. I also love her positivity and enthusiasm, which shines through when you talk with her, even over email and Twitter. Even with the rough economy, Heidi has managed to meet and exceed her goals so far this year, and I can tell with her attitude and talent she is going to have a great rest of the year and future!

Hometown: all over Southern California

Current Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Education: Bachelor’s of Arts in Print Journalism from California State University at Fullerton

Professional Background: Worked as a writer and copy editor for a newswire service before venturing into the world of professional photography.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: A music journalist for Rolling Stone magazine.

What you are: A wedding photographer.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Armed with a camera and my creative take on the world, I capture a very important day in people’s lives.

Company Website? www.heidirdyer.com and www.heidiryder.net

What inspired you? Other wedding photographers! I always had a love for photography but thought the only way to make a living at it was by spending years at a photography school and shooting fashion or commercial work. That didn’t seem very approachable to me. I had no idea wedding photography could be so creative and artistic until I started looking for a photographer for my own wedding and found wedding photographers who were throwing cliché poses and cheesy processing styles out the window and creating images from people’s wedding that looked like they were taken straight out of magazines. I was hooked instantly and knew that’s what I wanted to be doing.

How long have you been in business? This is my wedding studio’s first full wedding season.

How did you fund it? My business was completely funded by myself, with a little help from my parents and my husband’s income after we were married. I didn’t use a credit card or take out any loans. I approached this venture cautiously because I could not afford not to. I saved slowly, purchased the most important equipment when I could afford it, and rented the things I did not yet own when I needed them for shoots. I have spent zero dollars on advertising because in this business word of mouth is what counts, so I’m letting my reputation and my images do all the selling. When it came to branding my business, I got creative with the resources available to me and bartered a deal with a graphic designer friend of mine- she designed my logo, website and other branding elements and in turn I am taking the photos for her new letterpress business.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? There are a handful of wonderful wedding photographers who I have met over the past year who have offered advice, encouragement and even helped kick start my season by referring clients to me when they were already booked.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Yes! I belong to a social networking group for photographers called The [b] School (www.thebschool.com). It was started by a very successful wedding photographer, Becker, who wanted an easy way for photographers to connect so they can teach, encourage and guide one another through this crazy business. It’s where I’ve met most of my peers and has been an amazing business and networking tool for me. Aside from that, Twitter has gotten me jobs and helped me meet other wedding vendors!

Current Business Challenge? It’s the same as it is for most everyone else these days: the weakening economy.

What are you doing about it? I am staying focused. I give my current and prospective clients the attention they deserve and hope that hard work pays off in the form of referrals. Also, I think people panic and begin to devalue themselves and their product my slashing prices. I refuse to do this, which I think will help keep me in this business for the long run.

Favorite motivational quote: “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” – Amelia Earhart

Family? My family consists of my wonderfully supportive husband, Chris, and our curmudgeon of a dog, Frasier.

If so, how do you balance family and business?

That’s something I’m still working on. I’m an over-achiever by nature which has turned me into a bit of a workaholic. Because my studio is home-based it is far too easy for me to spend every waking moment working. My husband has even had to ask more than once when he would get his wife back. That is not okay. So, I have been trying to force myself to take breaks – even when I have work piling up. It’s not an easy thing for me to do, but I don’t want to miss these precious years when it’s just my husband and me. Also, I know I’d better get used to the fact that once we have kids, all bets are off and it’s not MY schedule that matters anymore!

Favorite book? Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. His ability to poke fun at himself and his friends and family while making them all seem absolutely endearing is so great. I love curling up to a good book and laughing until my sides hurt.

What do you do to relax? My husband will tell you I don’t relax. But, every once in a while I will put everything aside and just lounge on the couch with a bowl of ice cream and some terrible reality television. That’s my idea of a good time – love me or hate me for it!

What do you want to change most about your world? My world is pretty great the way it is, but ideally my goal is to grow my business to a comfortable size and outsource my editing and album design processes so I can focus on my family, my clients, my photography and myself. So, in short, more time for my husband and my trashy television.

What are you most proud of?

Taking this leap in the first place! I am not a risk taker. I am a planner to a fault. I was very scared to take the plunge and begin this business because I didn’t know if I could handle failing at it. I’m so glad I faced my fear because it feels wonderful to have a job that fulfills me artistically and emotionally. And even if I do fail, it’s ok. I’d rather fail at something I love than be successful at something I hate.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses?

Make sure your start up enables you to do what you love. Being your own boss is only a fantastic thing if you can truly see yourself doing what you do day-in and day-out.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? My blog. I use it to showcase my work and market myself. It allows my potential clients to get to know me a little even before we’ve met. In my business it is really important that you click with your clients since you’ll be spending a very important day with them. My blog is also a great tool for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so I get higher ranks on Google searches, which enables potential clients to find me quite easily!

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Peridot. Love the color.

Would you be interested in being a Fairy Godmother and writing articles or speaking at Startup Princess events?

Sure!

What business subjects would you feel comfortable mentoring in?

Attracting the clients that are right for you and Marketing Tools that Won’t Cost you a Dime.

Lessons from Yanni: Don’t be Afraid to Reinvent Yourself

Twelve years ago I went to a Yanni concert because my husband was a fan. I enjoyed watching Yanni’s passion and I agreed that he was talented but overall it just wasn’t my thing. Fast forward 12 years and my husband asks me if I want to go to Yanni again, excited to purchase tickets. I said no thanks, but then a friend offered us complimentary tickets and a backstage pass, I decided it would be a fun surprise for Matt so I agreed, thinking I was such a nice wife letting him go to one of his favorite performers. Heehee. And WOW, was I humbled! If you haven’t heard, Read more

How to Find Balance Between Work and Home and Still Stay Mentally and Emotionally Sane

This is a question I have asked myself a hundred or more times. Work life balance as I see it is the life challenge of any ambitious woman, mother, or wife. How do you do it all and still stay sane? Do you quit taking care of yourself? Yes, until you realize you are going to explode, crash, and give up on everything. Read more

When do you know that it’s time to hire an Accountant vs. doing QuickBooks?

This is a fantastic question and one that gets asked of me often. The answer depends on who is asking the question. If you are the type of person who balances your checkbook every month and can stay on top of personal finances, then you will likely do well with either spreadsheets or other accounting software like QuickBooks. Even so, I like to recommend that you sit down with a CPA at least once or twice a year – for most this is done around tax time. As your business grows you may find that your accountant becomes more like a business advisor and you will meet with them more and more often.

If you are the type of person who is unclear what your net income is or you have never balanced your personal checkbook, you would benefit from sitting down with an accountant right away and establishing a plan. The accountant can walk you through what you will need at tax time so you can keep track of the information all year long rather than having to scramble to find everything at tax time. In either case QuickBooks can make the accounting process easier.

QuickBooks in the number one accounting software for small business and is used by millions of small business owners. Having used the product for 10+ years, I can say that Intuit has done a great job in making bookkeeping tasks easy and the QuickBooks software is very user friendly. I have seen QuickBooks work for businesses that have less than $100,000 in sales per year, all the way up to sales of $34 million. Most business owners can use QuickBooks every day with no problems and actually find comfort in having all their numbers in one place rather than spread between sticky notes, excel spreadsheets and notebooks.

What is the secret for successful QuickBooks users? First the program file has been setup correctly for them and the way they do business. For the basic business just starting up the QuickBooks company templates work great. When you install the program, QuickBooks asks about the type of business and has prefilled account names and types available for use. Another great thing about QuickBooks is that even after the initial setup it is very easy to customize. Your accountant or a certified QuickBooks advisor can assist you with this customization if needed.

Second, successful QuickBooks users take the time to receive some training, either through a live course, or using free QuickBooks training provided with the software. Even an hour of basic training can save time and headaches when you need to make your first bank deposit or write your first check.

So, in actuality you may need both an accountant and personal knowledge of QuickBooks to some degree, and your time, desire and knowledge will determine how much of each. An accountant can do it all if you don’t have the time or desire. QuickBooks can be a tool used to do it all yourself if you have the desire, with your accountant only reviewing the numbers a few times a year. Be honest with yourself and decide where your time and energy will be most profitable, and you will be successful.

I am always happy to answer questions, so please feel free to contact me at lindseyp@squire.com. Also, my firm offers several beginning business and QuickBooks classes. For more information, visit the website www.squire.com or email me.

Defining “Balance” – Not Just Semantics

Raise your hand if you dislike the word “balance”.  For many working moms, balance is a dirty word that stirs an array of negative emotions. Why? Because they feel like life balance is an unrealistic and unachievable ideal. However, I’d like to suggest that the reason for this may be because your working (or not working) definition of what balance ought to look like in your life is in need of some tweaking. Learning to live a balanced life starts with a healthy definition by which you can gauge your success. Read more

The Importance of Having Great Product Photos

Many product designers spend hours crafting a written description for their products. In reality, unless a customer already knows they want your product, they probably won’t even read your description…they’ll look at the product photo to see if the product ‘looks’ right for them.

What are your product photos saying about your product?

Whatever you are selling, the product photograph must artfully insert the item into the viewer’s own environment so they can envisage using it, looking at it or replacing something they already own with it.

The old adage “a picture speaks a thousand words” is not so far from the truth…

Take, for example, a typical product shot.

It is reasonable sharp and shows the entire product. But does it make me want to buy it? Can I see myself wearing it? Does it look worth the money?

…probably not…

To be clear, it is not so much the object that’s the problem as the background. The necklace is actually on a sheet of white paper, but artificial lighting has created a not-so-flattering yellow hue.

A crisp, white background is hard to achieve without lighting equipment, but the effect speaks for itself.

The same item now appears entirely different.

Adding a different angle or a close-up/macro shot further helps to ‘describe’ the product for the viewer, and makes an attractive, eye-catching image as well.

These examples present very basically the difference good product photographs can make.

I recently photographed a series of picnic blankets for Jennifer Locke at Zip-n-Go Blanket. “Blankets have been flying out the door! I get a lot of comments about how rich the blankets look now and I believe the pictures have definitely increased sales.

Take a moment to revisit what potential customers see when they visit your website. After all your hard work to bring a product to market, it would be a great shame if the lack of a couple of photographs was holding your business back!

Sue is a self-taught photographer with years of experience. Sue works with businesses of varying sizes across many industries including Etsy and home-based businesses. Sue Bruce Photography is a Mom-owned business, based in Lexington, Massachusetts, and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and the Professional Photographers of Massachusetts (PPAM). Check out Sue’s portfolio online at www.suebrucephotography.com.

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