The middle of Summer 2010 is near---but much lies ahead!
Growing our economy, but more importantly setting the stage for solid, strong and positive growth, is now our first priority. As an Economic Gardener, I am constantly preparing the soil and setting the stage for all those who dream to build on the vision of our founding fathers and those brave entrepreneurs who came before us.
In the next few months, I will continue meeting and joining with the leaders of the next New Frontier in the Towns of North Kingstown and Exeter to build on the business education and civic pride of our business owners, their families, and our residents to create the basis for growth of our existing businesses, the creation of new businesses, and the education of the next generation of entrepreneurs who will lead us forward.
Are you interested in transforming the present into something even more exciting?
Please call me at 667-0971 or email me at annmariemarshall8@hotmail.com to begin a conversation, take action, and speed the plow that will till the soil to unearth exciting new possibilities for business and economic growth in our South County communities.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
BUILD YOUR BUSINESS THIS WEEK!!
Today is the day with the most daylight hours all year!
The weather is getting much better, much warmer, and delightful---maybe except for the humidity---and that means that business too will begin to heat up as we move into the second half of the year.
This week we'll talk about adding customers to your client roster.
The main criteria for success in this effort is to identify those potential clients and businesses that have a problem you know how resolve. By focusing on clients with problems, you will be 85% of the way to increasing your customer base.
This Thursday we'll learn how to grow your business by adding clients and cross-selling products and services to improve your overall sales renenues.
If you have questions in the meantime or simply want to get a jump on the competition, please call me anytime at 401-667-0971.
Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, June 24th at 8:00am.
See you again soon-
Ann Marie
The weather is getting much better, much warmer, and delightful---maybe except for the humidity---and that means that business too will begin to heat up as we move into the second half of the year.
This week we'll talk about adding customers to your client roster.
The main criteria for success in this effort is to identify those potential clients and businesses that have a problem you know how resolve. By focusing on clients with problems, you will be 85% of the way to increasing your customer base.
This Thursday we'll learn how to grow your business by adding clients and cross-selling products and services to improve your overall sales renenues.
If you have questions in the meantime or simply want to get a jump on the competition, please call me anytime at 401-667-0971.
Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, June 24th at 8:00am.
See you again soon-
Ann Marie
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Who Needs What You Have to Offer?
Greetings in this wonderful week in May!
If a satisfied client is the goal, how can you get more (some) clients?
The big question you must find the answer to is:
Who Needs What You Have To Offer?
If you have a wonderful product or an outstanding service that clients have found beneficial but you're still not as busy as you like to be, then you haven't found all of the people (or businesses) that need what you have to offer.
You may be saying, "I've looked and I can't seem to find any more clients."
Clients are out there, but they might not be visible or obvious at first glance. And you may be comfortable (but unsuccessful) looking in places where most of the current demand for your product or service has been fulfilled.
That said, there's still plenty of business out there for you and your business.
On Thursday morning at 8:00am, at Updike's Cafe (on Post Road, across from the main post office in North Kingstown), we'll talk about how to get more creative about re-thinking your client base, identifying future clients, and making small adjustments to your product or service to reach a wider clientele without making new investments.
Come for our Coffee Conversation and get your business revved up for a great second half of 2010.
See you Thursday at 8am-
Ann Marie
If a satisfied client is the goal, how can you get more (some) clients?
The big question you must find the answer to is:
Who Needs What You Have To Offer?
If you have a wonderful product or an outstanding service that clients have found beneficial but you're still not as busy as you like to be, then you haven't found all of the people (or businesses) that need what you have to offer.
You may be saying, "I've looked and I can't seem to find any more clients."
Clients are out there, but they might not be visible or obvious at first glance. And you may be comfortable (but unsuccessful) looking in places where most of the current demand for your product or service has been fulfilled.
That said, there's still plenty of business out there for you and your business.
On Thursday morning at 8:00am, at Updike's Cafe (on Post Road, across from the main post office in North Kingstown), we'll talk about how to get more creative about re-thinking your client base, identifying future clients, and making small adjustments to your product or service to reach a wider clientele without making new investments.
Come for our Coffee Conversation and get your business revved up for a great second half of 2010.
See you Thursday at 8am-
Ann Marie
Sunday, May 2, 2010
YOUR BUSINESS PLAN 1-2-3
Summer Weather Greetings!
Summer weather is finally here and since the real-life unemployment rate in Rhode Island is over 20%, I'll bet you've been thinking about finally starting your own business.
You've got a great idea. You think it will work. But everyone says you need to write a business plan first.
I know what you'll say---you don't have time or energy (or time) to write it.
I say---Why wait till you have a business plan written to start developing your business?
The business professors and the SBA people will argue with me about this advice, but most of them (almost ALL of them) have never ever started their own successful business!!
Let's press on!!
Here's a quick and easy way to figure out---in 3 easy steps---if your new business idea has a chance of succeeding without spending any money:
Get an answer to the following three questions:
1- What problem(s) will your business solve?
2- Who needs to have the problem solved (and can pay for the solution)?
[This can be people or a business or a combination of both.]
3- Find three people/businesses that will agree to pay you to solve the
problem you have proposed solving.
Get positive answers to these questions and you will be on your way to having a successful business before you spend any money [or lose any money]. If you can't answer the preceding three questions to your satisfaction, either change your idea, find another problem to solve, or keep looking for buyers.
We'll discuss these strategies and more at our weekly Coffee Conversation meeting at Updike's Coffee Shop in North Kingstown this Thursday morning at 8am.
If you need some ideas or help in the meantime, please call me at 401-667-0971.
See you soon-
Ann Marie
Summer weather is finally here and since the real-life unemployment rate in Rhode Island is over 20%, I'll bet you've been thinking about finally starting your own business.
You've got a great idea. You think it will work. But everyone says you need to write a business plan first.
I know what you'll say---you don't have time or energy (or time) to write it.
I say---Why wait till you have a business plan written to start developing your business?
The business professors and the SBA people will argue with me about this advice, but most of them (almost ALL of them) have never ever started their own successful business!!
Let's press on!!
Here's a quick and easy way to figure out---in 3 easy steps---if your new business idea has a chance of succeeding without spending any money:
Get an answer to the following three questions:
1- What problem(s) will your business solve?
2- Who needs to have the problem solved (and can pay for the solution)?
[This can be people or a business or a combination of both.]
3- Find three people/businesses that will agree to pay you to solve the
problem you have proposed solving.
Get positive answers to these questions and you will be on your way to having a successful business before you spend any money [or lose any money]. If you can't answer the preceding three questions to your satisfaction, either change your idea, find another problem to solve, or keep looking for buyers.
We'll discuss these strategies and more at our weekly Coffee Conversation meeting at Updike's Coffee Shop in North Kingstown this Thursday morning at 8am.
If you need some ideas or help in the meantime, please call me at 401-667-0971.
See you soon-
Ann Marie
Sunday, April 11, 2010
MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES!
The sun is shining this week!
Time to get out there and do
some harvesting!
As they always said at the farm,
it's time to
make hay while the sun shines!
Everyone knows that the best time to
harvest hay is when the sun is shining.
Wet hay is hard to cut and bale and
ends up rotting.
Same goes for sales.
When the sun is shining,
people are happier,
more productive,
and more
open-minded.
I'll bet you're already
happier and
more optimistic.
Let's meet this week at
Updike's Coffee Shop on
Boston Neck Road in
North Kingstown.
We'll talk about how to make
good things happen
in your business
and in your life!
The sun is shining!
SEE YOU THIS THURSDAY MORNING
APRIL 15TH AT 8AM!!
Got questions?
Call me at home
401-667-0971
Ann Marie
Time to get out there and do
some harvesting!
As they always said at the farm,
it's time to
make hay while the sun shines!
Everyone knows that the best time to
harvest hay is when the sun is shining.
Wet hay is hard to cut and bale and
ends up rotting.
Same goes for sales.
When the sun is shining,
people are happier,
more productive,
and more
open-minded.
I'll bet you're already
happier and
more optimistic.
Let's meet this week at
Updike's Coffee Shop on
Boston Neck Road in
North Kingstown.
We'll talk about how to make
good things happen
in your business
and in your life!
The sun is shining!
SEE YOU THIS THURSDAY MORNING
APRIL 15TH AT 8AM!!
Got questions?
Call me at home
401-667-0971
Ann Marie
Sunday, April 4, 2010
AFTER THE GREAT FLOOD!
Taking Action After a Tragedy!
The flood waters have subsided, but the world is different now.
Our faith has been rattled and our hopes have been challenged.
But we're still here even if some of our stuff and
parts of our plans are not.
What is left now is
what is
inside of us.
Will we cower?
Will we look back?
Will we retreat?
Will we fear the future bacause the
present has dealt us a harsh blow?
Or will we rally and thank God we are
still here and
we still matter and
we're still committed to
moving forward?
How you think is
Everything!
And the way you think
about what is next
is everything
as we look forward.
And
we ARE
looking forward!!
So, in spite of the dark days of this
challenging economy and
flooded neighborhoods
we will survive and
thrive!
Most of it will be about how we
THINK!
SEE YOU THIS THURSDAY MORNING
APRIL 8TH AT 8AM
We'll talk about how to make
good things happen
again!
Got questions?
Call me at home
401-667-0971
Ann Marie
The flood waters have subsided, but the world is different now.
Our faith has been rattled and our hopes have been challenged.
But we're still here even if some of our stuff and
parts of our plans are not.
What is left now is
what is
inside of us.
Will we cower?
Will we look back?
Will we retreat?
Will we fear the future bacause the
present has dealt us a harsh blow?
Or will we rally and thank God we are
still here and
we still matter and
we're still committed to
moving forward?
How you think is
Everything!
And the way you think
about what is next
is everything
as we look forward.
And
we ARE
looking forward!!
So, in spite of the dark days of this
challenging economy and
flooded neighborhoods
we will survive and
thrive!
Most of it will be about how we
THINK!
SEE YOU THIS THURSDAY MORNING
APRIL 8TH AT 8AM
We'll talk about how to make
good things happen
again!
Got questions?
Call me at home
401-667-0971
Ann Marie
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Power of Twenty Dollars!
Can you use an extra twenty dollars this week?
If you had it what would you do with it?
Could you turn it into $2,000 as one of my students did one year?
Could you change the world? Would you even Dare to try?!?
When we think about capital, so many of us think about thousands or millions or in this day and age of big government---trillions!
But what of the power of 20?
Is it too little?
Or does it have the potential for greatness? For motivating change? Or for encouraging something new to grow or to exist or to be...?
The biggest challenge with our money, whether one dollar or a million one dollar bills, is the management of that money. But even more important is the planning of what the money can accomplish and what return it can produce and hopefully, what kind of good work it can accomplish when it is properly directed and professionally managed.
What would YOU do with twenty dollars?
How would you change the world?
How would your idea change the way we think and live?
So, could you use an extra twenty dollars?
Come to my weekly Coffee Conversation at Updike's at 8am this Thursday, April 1st.
I'll have some twenties to share with the best ideas.
See you then-
Ann Marie
If you had it what would you do with it?
Could you turn it into $2,000 as one of my students did one year?
Could you change the world? Would you even Dare to try?!?
When we think about capital, so many of us think about thousands or millions or in this day and age of big government---trillions!
But what of the power of 20?
Is it too little?
Or does it have the potential for greatness? For motivating change? Or for encouraging something new to grow or to exist or to be...?
The biggest challenge with our money, whether one dollar or a million one dollar bills, is the management of that money. But even more important is the planning of what the money can accomplish and what return it can produce and hopefully, what kind of good work it can accomplish when it is properly directed and professionally managed.
What would YOU do with twenty dollars?
How would you change the world?
How would your idea change the way we think and live?
So, could you use an extra twenty dollars?
Come to my weekly Coffee Conversation at Updike's at 8am this Thursday, April 1st.
I'll have some twenties to share with the best ideas.
See you then-
Ann Marie
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