Splash in The Spotlight! "Cici's Italian Butterhorns"

 Welcome to "Splash in The Spotlight at The WELL" featuring **Christine Falatico Frey, CEO of Cici's Italian Butterhorns**, who launched her business after her two children went off to college. 
 
“I just felt like it was my time,” said the self-taught chef, who learned to cook sweet and savory Italian fare from her Nana. 

Much to her delight, CiCi’s has become a family affair: Frey’s daughter helps with baking, her son maintains her web presence and marketing, and her husband packs product and schleps boxes. 

Christine's yummy butterhorns can be found at many fine food stores, so if you see them, don't resist! 

For more info, visit her website at www.CicisItalianButterhorns.com.  Congrats Christine and keep up the delicious work!

We're Talking Tactics! How to Stay Confident When You Push Past Your Comfort Zone

Splash In the Spotlight! "Candice Bennet & Associates, Inc."

Welcome to "Splash Into the Spotlight at the WELL" today, featuring award winning ** Candice Bennett & Associates, Inc. ** a full-service marketing research firm based in Virgina. 

Market research is a smart way to validate the wants, needs, pains, and desires of your potential clients and customers, so engaging an experienced firm like Candice Bennett & Associates is a great use of your research dollars! 

For more info, LIKE her page at www.facebook.com/CandiceBennettAssociates and visit her site at www.CandiceBennett.com. Congrats again to Candice Bennett, President of Candice Bennett & Associates, a certified women-owned award winning business!

#DailyGratitude in my office...

Baby You're a Firework!

Independence Day takes on a whole new meaning when you're an entrepreneur. Cheers to stepping up, believing in yourself and choosing to serve the world with your unique gifts and passions! xoxo #WomenEntrepreneursareFirecrackers!

Happy Successful Monday!

"Do one thing every day that scares you."

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

It's Marketing Monday!

Happy Frivolous Friday! Work hard until 1 and then go play in the sun!

"Always be more than you appear, and never be more than you are." -Bono

Is Your Headshot Hurting Your Business?

Recently I saw a Facebook ad inviting me to click on a link to watch a video and register for a webinar. The photo of the person in the ad was both fun and gorgeous, so I felt excited to click through to learn more and maybe even sign up. 

After clicking the link, I arrived on a webpage with a video of the person in the ad, but when I clicked "play", it was very obvious that the picture in the ad was taken a LONG time ago! The person in the ad was vibrant and spunky and the person in the video was much older, had gained weight and did not match the person in the picture. Now don’t get me wrong, the person in the video was fine too, but I felt tricked by the “promise of what to come” and began to doubt the authenticity of the person behind the ad and video. 

So I ask you… Is YOUR headshot hurting your business? 

If you’re not sure, here are 5 ways to decide if it’s time to have a re-shoot: 

1. You don’t look like your picture anymore. It seems obvious, but if you have lost or gained weight, your hair is much longer, shorter or greyer, or if it's been more than 3 years- it’s time for a re-shoot. Hair is the reason I just had a new picture taken. My last headshot was taken in December of 2011 which isn't too bad, but I was training for a marathon so I cut it very short and now my hair is about 10 inches longer! 

2. The picture of you is too small. People love to connect with your face, especially your eyes and smile, and if they can’t see you, they probably won’t get a feeling for the type of person you are. Don’t be afraid of an extreme close up either. This was how I solved my long hair problem. I cropped my picture down to mostly my face with only a hint of hair, and then my hair was no longer an issue and the viewer was able to connect with my personality. Try it- zoom in and don’t be shy! 

3. Your picture is too casual or too formal for the audience. Depending on the type of business you’re in, you may need to have a more formal shot or a more casual shot (and no, a selfie from your trip to Margaritaville last summer probably isn't a good idea!). Your wardrobe usually determines the tone of your presentation so think through colors, collars and jewelry to ensure that you are presenting an image in alignment with your brand message and promise. If you sell products, shoot a few pics holding or surrounded by them and show your fun side if it makes sense for what you offer.

4. Your picture doesn’t match your video. I’ve already shared with you my experience, so remember, if you are using video to market your services and products (and if you aren’t, get started ASAP!), make sure your current self and your frozen self aren’t too far apart. 

5. No picture at all. No picture might even be worse that an old picture! Today’s sales and marketing is all about transparency (trust me, they’ve already googled you before they called you), and if you don’t post a picture of yourself on your social media profiles and website, you might just appear… CREEPY! I know, creepy is a dramatic word borrowed from my 14 year-old daughter, but how can I do business with you if I can’t get at least a small feeling about who you are? Bottom line- don’t be a creeper, post a picture! 

I just had the pleasure of a new photo session with Nancy Rothstein Photography (I highly recommend Nancy if you’re it the San Francisco Bay Area!), and while it wasn’t inexpensive, neither is the value of what I teach about how to grow a profitable and sellable million dollar business (my brand promise), so it was money very well spent to illustrate my brand and content quality.

Lastly, if you aren’t ready to invest in professionally done photos, you can use a high quality camera (a newer smart phone camera will work just fine too) and have a friend take a close up shot so your clients can see your beautiful, credible and current face!

Have you had a positive or negative experience based on someone’s headshot? Post a comment below (I read every one personally!) and tell me what happened… 

Until next time! xoxo, jgw.

We're Talking Tactics! 3 Smart Tribe Tips to Engage More & Sell More Stuff

Women Entrepreneurs GrowatTheWELL.com (click to find out how you can grow a bigger, more profitable business that you love too!)

The Entrepreneur's Secret Sauce

On a scale of 1-10, how FOCUSED are you today? I'm an 8 today, much better than yesterday's all-over-the-map 6! Post your # below...

3 Lessons Learned from My Kids on Mother's Day

I had the unusual opportunity to spend the entire day with 2 of my three kids, completely uninterrupted by a volleyball tournament or a Little League game. My oldest son is away in college, but even he had a long distance message for me. Reflecting on my lovely day as I tucked the youngest in last night,  I thought I would share the lessons my kids taught me yesterday as they each celebrated their mom - me!

1. Someone has to take the lead.
Having a daughter in the middle of two sons is a God send.  Often when they are thinking about sports, girls or girls and sports (that isn't a typo), she in all of her fourteen and a half years of wisdom, is always thinking ahead. She plans, strategizes and documents all of her to do's. When she was 10 and wanted to remodel her room, she gave me a PowerPoint presentation - slide animation and all!  While I am sure the boys would have eventually come up with something special for me yesterday (Catch in the park? A smaller than usual load of college laundry?), my future GirlPreneur took the lead, designed the breakfast menu, delegated preparation assignments and had the camera ready upon delivery. So organized, so one-step-short-of-bossy but completely on track. Amazing! Not sure where she gets it from... :-)

2. Mistakes happen but it's all about the recovery.
Then there's my youngest son.  Twelve is just about the age when passive aggressiveness seems to rear its independent head.  Apparently he was assigned to ride his bike to the bakery to get my favorite morning buns, but decided that it was too early and he wasn't getting up when she commanded him to.  Of course she nobly replied to his insubordination with, "Fine, I'll get them myself but you aren't getting any!" After she left, he dragged himself into my room, shared the story and asked, "You don't think she's really not going to give me one do you?" I resisted telling him that you get what you give, it was Mother's Day after all. But I did say that she wasn't happy with him, so who knows if she meant it or not. Suddenly he got a bright-eyed look on his face and said, "I know, I'll go cut the strawberries so when she gets back, that part will be done and then I'll probably get a morning bun!" With that he bolted down to the kitchen to start earning his breakfast back. And sure enough, she so appreciated him stepping up to help, she let him have two!

3. Texting is efficient, but a phone call is priceless.
Those of you that have teens are probably mad text-ers like I am. They trained me early and they trained me well.  Too well. So well that sometimes I forget to call people for important things and just ping them a quick text instead. Not the best habit but I'm working on it.  Anyway, imagine my surprise when my 20 year-old son CALLED me to say Happy Mother's Day.  I thanked him profusely for calling and said that I was surprised that he didn't just text me. I obviously insulted him because there was a long pause before he said, "Wow Mom. Texting isn't good for everything. Sometimes you just need to call people for important stuff." Ouch. Got it son. Thanks for the reminder.

So after mothering for 20 years, I am still a mom-in-progress, and more often than I care to admit, my best teachers are my kids!

How was your Mother's Day? Share with us below... xo, jgw. 

Want to get 10 more business lessons to grow a bigger and more profitable business? Click to get our popular Ten Times Mindset audio at The WELL!

I <3 NAWBO!

Awesome time speaking for NAWBO San Francisco tonight. Sharing my point of view on growing and valuing woman owned companies makes my heart sing!

Believe in Yourself (you CAN grow a business that you love and I'm here to help you every step of the way)

Today is Your Day!

"A step in the wrong direction is better than staying on the spot all our life. Once you're moving forward you can correct your course as you go." ~ Maxwell Maltz

The Lease is the Killer

Catch my quote in BloombergBusinessweek today at http://ow.ly/kzHSL so you can be sure to avoid this situation (and I don't mean a bad hair day lol!).

Join me for dinner May 9th?

I love this soooo much!  Post yours below in the comments and I'll make one for you too! 
Fill in the blank: Keep Calm and _________________.  Try it! 

3 Power "Ps" of Time Management

As an entrepreneur, mom of 3 and a wife of a wonderful hubby that needs attention too, TIME is always on my mind! 

What time is it? What do I NEED to get done today? Now? This week? 

These questions are constantly rolling around in my mind all day - usually times 3 - business, family, and personal. Exhausting! 

So in order to keep the time monsters quiet, I utilize a simple system that I start every day with.  I like doing things in 3's (mostly because more than three starts to feel like too much), so here are my Daily 3 P's of Time Management:

1. Plan
Seems obvious but you must plan your day, EVERY day.  For a while I was skipping this step and end up chasing my tail around and around all afternoon. Dumb! So now, I commit to spending 10 minutes planning out all of the tasks that should get completed each day, and if you do the same, your day will hum by productively and profitably! (Notice I said "should". There's always tomorrow, so don't kill yourself if you can't manage to get it all done in a single day).

2. Prioritize
This is huge. Don't necessarily start your day with the task you listed first, because chances are it's not the most important thing to accomplish that day.  Our natural default tends to be the easy tasks or busy work, when we really only need to focus on what we determine are the "A and B" tasks, which should relate to anything sales, marketing and revenue generating. All other tasks that are important but don't directly generate revenue should be designates as "C's" and should only be worked on AFTER all of the A's and B's are completed. Chances are the C's aren't as urgent as you think they are anyway, so focus on the "A & B Money Movers" and watch the magic happen!

3. Practice Time Blocking
OK, I stretched the P on this one a bit, but 3 P's sound better than 2 P's and a B! :) Practice time blocking is based on the fact that we can usually only focus for about an hour, so block out 50 minutes for each A and B task and take a 10 minute break after each 50 minute block.  This way you are protecting time for your most important tasks and also building in time to let your mind and body recharge a bit before jumping into the next important activity.

Bonus Tip:
Use a business journal to document every single day.  In the old days I was a dedicated Day Timer user (dating myself back to the 90's I know...), but since I live and die by my iphone and ipad now, I use a Moleskine journal (Moleskine.com) to plan, prioritize and document my day.  Specifically, I start each day with a new page dated at the top and write down my tasks, voicemail messages, brainstorming doodles, etc. for the entire day.  I especially like that it fits into my purse (there are several sizes and formats to choose from), it's great for taking notes in a meeting, and it has a handy flat pocket in the back for business cards etc. 

There you go! Simple, powerful and FREE! My favorite kind of tips!  

What are your best time management tips? Share in the comments below! 

Get Smart About Your Social Media Marketing

According to a newly published report by Pew Internet, 75% of all adults online are on Facebook (talk about fishing where the fish are!).

Get smart about where your target market is hanging out in this free, easy to read report:

http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/March/Pew-Internet-Social-Networking-full-detail.aspx

By the way I post a lot of great tips like this on our Facebook page too!

Your Turn...
Do you use social media for marketing? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Rubbing Shoulders with a Shark!

Standing next to ABC's Shark Tank resident shark, Daymond John, founder and CEO of the $350M FUBU clothing empire at #InfusionCon 2013.

Hopefully some of his shark smarts rubbed off!! :)

Fish Where the Fish Are

When I was the Director of Sales & Marketing for the Sheraton at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco (way back in the 90's lol!),  I always used to tell my sales managers to "Fish Where the Fish Are". What I meant was that it's much easier to attract a customer (fish) if you drop your sparkly lure into a pond stocked with those that will most likely be attracted to what you offer them.  

In your business, what is the overflowing pond 
that your most targeted fish swim in?

In many cases, trade associations are great places to find raving customers.  Trade associations are groups of people who gather for a common interest, so if your product or service can support their interests (as end users or referral sources), your company will quickly become the shiniest lure and your net is guaranteed to overflow! 

Are you currently marketing your business to trade associations? Post a comment to tell me about it or ask a question below! 

Try at Trial Membership!
www.21DaysatTheWELL.com

Don’t Miss This Upcoming Webinar at The WELL!

“How to Create Your 90 Day Sales & Strategy Plan”

Thursday, February 28^th at 10-11am PST / 1-2pm EST

During this high impact FREE one hour training course (a $97 value), you’ll:

·        Discover how to focus on just the clients with the highest revenue potential and forget the rest

·        Learn to prioritize and get things done and then delete the time drains

·        Receive a powerful, yet simple tool to track and achieve your 90 day revenue goals (so you can repeat the process again and again!)

Reserve your spot here >  http://tinyurl.com/WELLthyWebinar, and be sure to attend live as the recording will only be available for WELL Members.

Now is the time for you to get proactive about growing your business to a million and beyond (or a business that makes you feel like a million!), so reserve your webinar seat today http://tinyurl.com/WELLthyWebinar and we’ll talk to you very soon!

Warmest regards,

Coach Julie

P.S. Be sure to forward this message to other smart women who are serious about growing their business and income this year… Just send them to http://tinyurl.com/WELLthyWebinar and we’ll “see” you all on the call! Julie

MONDAY MO! "Never Shy Away from Ambition"

A friend forwarded a link to this video of millionaire #WomenEntrepreneur Tory Burch, and I loved it so much (she is smart, direct and inspiring), I thought it would be be perfect to share with you for a little Monday Mo! Ambition goes hand in hand with thinking bigger, so watch her short but powerful message about why it's important to be ambitious.

If you like Tory's video, post a comment below and share your ideas with our wonderful community at The WELL!  :) xo, j.


.

 P.S. Have you sarted your trial membership at The WELL yet? If not, get started now at http://replenishatthewell.weebly.com/get-a-trial-membership.html and see you on the inside!

78? 98? 48? What's your business' score at The WELL? www.ReplenishatTheWELL.com Take the assessment and then accelerate! #womenentrepreneurs

How will your biz score? Take the quick but enlightening assessment for #womenentrpreneurs at www.ReplenishatTheWELL.com then RT your score!

Priceless #MomPreneur Moment: "My gross sales are $50 for babysitting and my net profit is $50 too. YES!!" - My 14 year old #GirlPreneur! :)

Women Entrepreneurs Telling it Like it Is! Thanks American Express OPEN!

Happy Marketing Monday! 

If you've already downloaded the "Grow to a Million RoadMap" audio (and if you haven't you can do it now by registering in the column on the right >>), you know that there are 7 X!Ponential Principles that drive the 7X! Coach system. 

We all need to get a lot of work done today 

(it's Marketing Monday after all!), so for now, let’s just talk about the X!Ponential Principle of PURPOSE.

I know what you’re thinking. Oh no, not another lecture on finding your PURPOSE. Nope, not here, not me. But what I do have to offer is a completely different way of thinking about purpose, 

which by the way leads to passion, 

which is ultimately your treasure map to profits!

As an X!Ponential Principle, I want you to think about PURPOSE from the perspective of these 4 questions:

1)    WHY are you building what you’re building? WHY is that your response to the WHY? 

2)    What are the DANGERS to what you are building?

3)    What are the STRENGTHS that will help you build what you are building?

4)    What are the OPPORTUNITIES to help build what you are building?

  

If you can clearly answer these 4 questions (because clarity is nectar of financial freedom), not only will you be able to visualize and create your million dollar roadmap, you will also be able to communicate your roadmap to your team, no matter how big or small your team is.

A clear team is  a confident team (that includes team you, yourself and you!), which is the first giant step towards growing a million dollar business.

OK, your turn. Ponder and then pen your thoughts.  No need for perfection- just honesty and authenticity.

Until next time, have a great week and remember, don't just think big...

THINK X!Ponential! 

Warmest,

Julie

It feels weird being so quiet on social media. I'm working on big clients and big programs so my head is down and focused! What's keeping you busy this summer?

Love, love, love this one > "Declare that you ARE who you are waiting to be." @Michael Hyatt Intentional Leadership

Ask Julie!
America’s Business Broker
Syndicated Column, April 2, 2012 

Question: I own my building and want to lease it to the buyer of my business for more rent than I currently pay. Will this effect my valuation? 

Answer: If you own your building and plan to lease it to your buyer at a higher rent than you are currently charging yourself, a negative adjustment (reduction) will have to be made on your annual earnings to reflect the new amount. For example, if you charge yourself $8,000 a month ($96,000 annually) but the market rent you will charge the buyer is $15,000 a month ($180,000 annually), you will have to subtract $84,000 from earnings for each year you are under charging yourself. The problem compounds when you multiply the negative adjustment by the pricing multiple. If your business is priced at 3 times discretionary earnings, the net negative impact of the adjustment is a $252,000 hit AGAINST your selling price- ouch! From this illustration you can see that a fair market adjustment can be a significant, so plan ahead and charge yourself properly after discussing the tax consequences with your CPA.

Have a question for Julie? Just post it below for a quick reply!

A little Monday nudge for you :) > "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." -Heale D. Walsch

I am SO honored to be a part... Big congrats Marsha! XO RT@WomenPresidents: 100 #WPO chapters strong! Congratulations Marsha!

Social Media: Fad or Fundamental SHIFT?

I am speaking to over 100 business brokers in April and in May on social media and came across this video. In my opinion it's not about "out with the old and in with the new", but rather embrace the new and ride the revolutionnnnnnnnn!! :) Take a look and let me know what you think... j.

Luv this :) RT @UncleRUSH: "Happiness comes as a direct result of making others happy." #SuperRich

Watch the Video, Get the Book! (this speaks to my entire philosophy about life :) > ABUNDANCE

So which side of the table are you on? Abundance or Scarcity? Let's start a debate below!

Ask Julie!
America’s Business Broker
Weekly Syndicated Column, February 21, 2012

Question: Why would a buyer want to buy MY business?

Answer: There are 5 reasons why there will ALWAYS be a buyer for your business (whew! :):

1) To avoid the Risks of Start-Ups or Organic Expansion
Experienced entrepreneurs know how difficult it is to start a business from zero. You probably remember that it takes hours and hours of dedicated thought, implementation, mistakes, and correction. If a buyer has started a business and failed, or started a business and sold it, they understand the value of an established entity. They will value all elements of the infrastructure you have created and will pay you a fair price for your enterprise. They also have the ability to perform, or as brokers like to say “pull the trigger,” and make an offer if most of the information they learn about your business fits their criteria.

2) To achieve Growth More Rapidly by Acquiring New Products, Technology or Markets
Once a business has achieved the milestone of a million dollars in sales, owners begin looking for ways to grow faster and easier than it took them to get to the first million, so acquisition often becomes a key strategy. By acquiring a new product line, technology, or market share, a similar business with a strong cash position can be an attractive buyer candidate.

3) To acquire an Established Presence or Strengthen Market Position

We are now getting into competitor territory, so qualify the buyer thoroughly and advance information slowly. If you have a business that serves the western region, regional players in the central or eastern states may be interested in growing their market share with a synergistic purchase of your company. These buyers are competitors, so they are professionally qualified, but make sure that they have a strong balance sheet (a lot of cash and a small amount of debt). You should also be prepared that you will probably be asked to stay on in a management capacity to continue running the region after the merger. This is a big decision because if you sell and merge your business, you will become an employee of your own company!

4) Acquire Undervalued Assets
At the writing of this post, we are experiencing the worst economy since the depression era. With so many businesses with declining revenues, there are bottom-feeding buyers with cash to burn and an appetite for acquisition. Be sure you are sitting down when you read their offer, but really, can you blame them? Don’t throw in the towel just yet—if you are willing to participate in the financing and help grow the company back to profitability, there just might be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

5) To achieve the American dream of being self-employed.
You know this one from personal experience. Enough said. :)

Do you have a question or comment for me? Just leave it below and I promise to reply!

Talk to you soon and remember...

Your Exit Journey Began the Day you Started Your Business!
_______________________________________________________________________

Julie Gordon White, CBB, has worked with hundreds of business sellers and buyers over the last 10 years as a Certified Business Broker, and is the bestselling author of “EXIT! 12 Steps to Sell Your Business for the Price You Deserve”. Julie is a trusted resource for Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, San Francisco Business Times, and Enterprising Women; the Current Past President of the California Association of Business Brokers; and has been a member Women Presidents’ Organization since 2007. Discover more EXIT! info + videos at www.TheExitBook.com.

Ask Julie!
America’s Business Broker
Weekly Syndicated Column

Question: I heard that a lot of businesses never sell. Why is that?

Answer: When you finally make the tough decision to sell your business, you deserve to achieve the highest market price for your company, and to do so, you must plan your exit strategy with the same amount of thought and detail that you used to to grow the darn business in the first place!

But what if you don’t plan? What might your fate be? Instead of a smooth and painless transition out of your company, you may be forced to exit your business by one of the following unfortunate scenarios:

1) Closing the Business
This is obviously the most painful option. To be forced to close a business that you have put your heart and soul into developing is a sad misfortune and could have likely been avoided with proper planning. To receive any cash at all, the owner will probably need to have a fire sale for any remaining assets.

2) Receiving an Unsolicited Offer from a Competitor
I get called in frequently to assist a business owner after a business owner has been approached by a competitor seeking to buy them out. In this scenario, the owner rarely understands what the market value is for their company, let alone how and what to communicate (or hold back) from a buyer that is probably a close competitor.

3) Succession Without Adequate Tax Planning
So your daughter decides that she is having a midlife crisis and wants to buy your business and just before you present her with the Asset Purchase Agreement, she tells you that she was hoping that you would just give her your company (she is your daughter after all!). However, you must proceed with caution! If you are not aware of the tax consequences of a parent “gifting” a business to a child, you need to find out ASAP.

Selling to a child without adequate tax planning isn’t the only way to end up giving your business proceeds to Uncle Sam. If you are a C Corporation and you sell only the assets of your corporation and not the stock, you may be subject to paying taxes on the consideration (consideration is cash, loan payments, etc.) received for the sale at the corporate level and then again at the personal level when you take the cash. There are ways to mitigate your tax burden, so spend the time and money to review and understand your options as they relate to the tax consequences of the sale.

4) Accident, Illness, Divorce or Death
Dependence on a key employee without documented systems in place is very risky.
Equally devastating, a sudden illness, divorce or death of a key employee or partner will have the same effect or greater, so plan for the best but prepare for the worst. Treat your business as if you were planning to franchise it and document every single step just like McDonald’s. There’s a reason why every burger tastes the same no matter where you go, so take heed and write everything down.

Now that you understand what you don’t want to happen, you can now see why planning your exit is so important. Simply put, exit planning or lack of, can either make you, save you, or lose you, thousands (if not millions) of dollars!

In part two of this series, we will talk about the positive side of the equations- 6 Reasons Why Businesses DO Sell, visit again next Monday to discover how you can secure your pot of gold at the end of your entrepreneurial rainbow.

Talk to you soon and remember, your Exit Journey began the day you started your business…

Cheers and keep emailing me your questions at Julie@TheExitBook.com!
______________________________________________________________________
Julie Gordon White, CBB, has worked with hundreds of business sellers and buyers over the last 10 years as a Certified Business Broker, and is the bestselling author of “EXIT! 12 Steps to Sell Your Business for the Price You Deserve”. Julie is a trusted resource for Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, San Francisco Business Times, and Enterprising Women; the Current Past President of the California Association of Business Brokers; and has been a member Women Presidents’ Organization since 2007. Discover more EXIT! info + videos at http://www.theexitbook.com/.  Use policy: This column is available for re-print if used in its entirety including the author bio and contact information for non-commercial purposes without any editing whatsoever unless approved in advance by the author.

@BizBuySell: Tip Tuesday: When deciding to sell your business, know the various paths to a successful business sale. Read them here: http://t.co/Ai4aho9n

Monday Wisdom: Success = Mindset + Confidence

Luv it! > RT @WomansAdvantage: Women business owners alone have $3 trillion in purchasing power and are the world's fastest growing market.

I'm quoted in today’s Woman’s Advantage Calendar!

I’m excited! My advice was selected for today’s page of The 2012 Woman’s Advantage Calendar out of over 5,000 quotes submitted!

“Your Exit Journey began the day you started your business.”

 

Important! > @smallbiztrends: 5 Easy Ways to Stay on Top of Your Accounting http://t.co/hB1FW9eS

You CAN Achieve Your 2012 Goals if You Just Do This ONE Thing... Click and Watch!

Hmm > RT@SynergyBizNWA: Busting The 10 Biggest Small Biz Myths http://t.co/ufzHC3DJ - Great list from @scorementors. #8: Success is about...

!!! RT @BizBuySell: RT @gaeblerdotcom: More small biz were sold in 2011 as the market for business exits... gains steam http://t.co/eN3vt05I

>> RT@EWMagazine: Are you a woman biz owner looking to build/expand into the global market? This new issue is for you: http://t.co/qYdOskEE

@ChipConley's (Joie de Vivre Hotels) SF party for his new book "Emotional Equation" is tonight. Will you be there?

Question: What are the 3 Needle Movers in your business this year? Show me yours and I'll show you mine ;)

<3 RT @MichaelEGerber: Facilitate work on dreams aligning biz & life into something deeper & more stunning than ever imagined. #Origination

Live your best lifestyle! RT @bizsugar: How to Build a Business that Runs Without You: Part 1 http://t.co/xjdZ6k0k

NYResolutions are awesome in my book. Even if they don't hold forever, that initial surge can launch you in the perfect direction!

Happy New Year and wishing you a Dreams Come True 2012! xo, J

Last 80/20 Tip: "The 80/20 Principle is clear. Pursue those few things where you are amazingly better than others and that you enjoy most."

More 80/20 Principle: "Everyone can achieve something significant. The key is not effort, but finding the right thing to achieve." ~R. Koch

"80% of achievement and happiness takes place in 20% of our time & these peaks can be expanded greatly." ~Richard Koch, The 80/20 Principle

GreatQ> RT @BestSellerBob: For 2012- What's your most important goal? What 1 goal fuels your passion and keeps U going thru the rough spots?

We could all be a bit more Zen in 2012 :) > RT@shelbycastile: New Year's Resolutions the Buddha Might Have Made | http://t.co/MYFO9Cc

"Don't blame, LEAD, and change the world." -Brendon Burchard (I heart this guy :)

Great Stocking Stuffer for the Business Owners in Your Life :)

20 Hours left to get the EXIT! Book before Christmas > http://tiny.cc/fzuhj

 (just like these 7 figure women business owners!)  

Hope you're surviving the holiday rush! Btwn year-end meetings and parties, I'm creating something REALLY POWERFUL for you 2012 EXIT!ers ;)

Luv this :) "All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage and I promise you something great will come of it." -Matt Damon in We Bought a Zoo

Business Owners & Advisors> Great Free TeleClass "5 Fast Fixes to Sell a Business for the Max in 2012" on Tues, 12/21, 10aPST. Sign up Fri!

Thanks for the follow @MichaelEGerber! I love your work! :)

If you're thinking about selling a business in 2012 (or just want to be really smart and proactive), I have some great free info coming your way. Register on the right so you don't miss any details!

I like this >RT @MichaelEGerber: "Every one of us are born to go do something very meaningful and... We don't even know it." #MEGdream6

Ready to get ready for 2012? Get www.TheExitBook.com's Jim Horan's One Page Business Plan. Simple but powerful! www.onepagebusinessplan.com

Is this YOU in 2012? > RT @SynergyBizNWA: Former Business Owners Express No Regrets About Selling Out -- http://t.co/Wqg27yAb

Tasty tip!! RT @ElizBecker: Tasty Business Writing. 30 Ways Social Media Campaigns are like Bacon - Radian6 http://t.co/HQYnClK via @Radian6

Make time 4 this> RT@SBAgov: Learn useful #tax savings tips 4 #smallbiz+mistakes to avoid during SBA's 12/15 web chat: http://t.co/fpsQzujG

More Monday Mojo } "The way you get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney

Good Monday Morning Mojo! } RT @Ali!Brown "Biz tip: Integrity --> trust --> relationship --> sale."

"I hope you find inspiration in the big things and love in the details.". --Adrienne Maloof

RT! @TennilleSmBiz: @SPANXinc Sara Blakely figured out the "K" sound is effective for a memorable Co. name. Who knew!? @IncEvents #incwomen

Wish I could! RT @IncEvents: Don't miss #incwomen-a swanky #NYC atmosphere w/savvy women like: @tinacwells, @IForTalent http://t.co/VS94DzCm

:( RT @@SynergyBizNWA: Dividing Small Businesses in Divorce http://t.co/mJwipIsV -- #1 Is the business considered "property" or "income?"

Absolutely! RT @BizBuySell: Start your year-end small business tax planning now. @PASBAaccountant has 6 steps http://t.co/lwKahqHX

"Think like a banker, act like an investor." Great advice for business sellers from an amazing wealth manager and my pal John O'Dea.

Advice from a UC Davis Alum: Don't Pepper Spray Your Buyers!

The national pepper spray incident at UC Davis has really hit home with me.You may or may not know this, but in addition to graduating from UC Davis in 1987, I also grew up in Davis, CA.  To add another layer, I'm also a wife of a police sargent (also a UC Davis Grad), so I understand that police are in a pressure cooker during a protest situation, but as a Davis Girl and Grad, this national black eye is really, really painful.  After reading more about the purpose of pepper spray, I learned that its primary use is to "handle unruly persons", which triggered my thinking about business sellers negotiating with potential buyers on the sale of their company.

If you are thinking about selling your business in 2012, whatever you do, don't metaphorically spray your best buyers with pepper spray!

Specifically, during negotiations, many sellers automatically take an aggressive position and assume that a buyer is trying to take advantage of them.  While this may be true at times, the majority of  buyers are seeking a win-win outcome because their bigger goal is to ensure that the business continues to be successful after the sale.

To make sure your don't douse your deal with cayenne pepper, keep in mind these 3 important tips:

1. Know the market value of your company.
Use my Back-of-the-Envelope Valuation Worksheet (register at ExitJourney.com for your free download), so you can approach the price negotiation from a knowledgeable position, not an emotional position.

2. Make a list of your non-negotiable deal terms.
Know and protect what's most important you, but be flexible on other terms that may be very important to the buyer.

3. Be transparent with the buyer, beginning with your reason for selling.
If you are open and forthcoming with information, you will set the buyer at ease and reduce their concerns right from the start.

Just like big cultural shifts in our world, selling a business will always be a stressful time. However, if you approach the negotiation standing in the other parties' shoes, the transaction is more likely to unfold positively and the training period after the closing will be a time of excitement for all about the what's to come.

I'm Julie Gordon White, Certified Business Broker, Amazon Business Best Selling Author of "EXIT! 12 Steps to Sell Your Business for the Price You Deserve" (and proud UC Davis Grad!), signing off until next time! For more videos, tips and tools, visit http://www.exitjourney.com/.

Very cool > RT @WSJSmallBiz: Raise Cash on Crowdfunding Sites: http://t.co/Py8fDHZl

Extra Extra! Get your FREE eVersion of my bestselling EXIT! Book on Small Business Saturday! Get all 148 pgs @ ExitJourney.com til midnight!

Selling the Empire’s of Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and Simon Cowell

Today I was sitting at my desk and for some reason I started thinking, “If I were selling the business empires of Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and Simon Cowell, what would be the marketing message they would want me to communicate to potential buyers?”. After laughing OUT LOUD all by myself in my office J, here’s what came to my mind (I’m still smiling as I type this!):

Oprah Winfrey
“This company has been an unexpected spiritual journey for me and my wish for the new buyer is that the legacy of living your highest life and best life would be continued for our viewers, our readers and for the amazing person that sees the value in this company and desires to take it to the next level.”

Richard Branson
“Building this company has been an amazing seat-of-the-pants ride for me and the next man or woman who takes it over better have their knickers on tight!”

Donald Trump
“This is THE most AMAZING and OUTSTANDING organization on the planet and anyone who wouldn’t pay top dollar for it is a fool. You’re fired.”

Martha Stewart
“You will never find a more neatly organized and categorized set of financial statements and business processes anywhere. In fact, every strategy, decision and tactic we have ever made during the history of this company has been documented and placed in color-coded binders, with a cross-referenced alpha-numeric labeling system and placed in a water and fire proof vault. Would you like some oolong tea and a scone while you thumb through the volumes?”

Simon Cowell
“If you are as borrrrring as a karaoke cabernet singer on a cruise ship, don’t even bother making an offer. Bloody hell. Next!”

I’m still lol! I’ve got to get out more often!

When the day comes to sell YOUR empire (small or large, it’s all relative!), what will your marketing message be? Be sure to make it provocative enough for someone to want to learn more and eventually sign on the bottom line, but resist the urge to overly “fluff” things up because fluff usually goes flat during due diligence.

I’m Julie Gordon White, America’s Favorite Business Broker, signing off for now.

Take care, talk to you soon! jgw.

"The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true." -Oprah, Oprah's Life Class

"There is a process for success. We must each figure our what that particular process is for our own life." -Oprah, Oprah's Life Class

"Your life is a reflection of the way you think. What you believe is what you become." --Oprah, Oprah's Life Class

"Only YOU have the power to make the changes you want in your life." -Oprah, Oprah's Life Class

Great fun today presenting on LinkedIn Basic & Advanced for #IBBA... Hunt me down at ExitJourney.com if you want the slides! #ExitJulie!

I'm looking forward to flying to Phoenix tomorrow to speak at the Int'l Business Brokers Association Fall Conference. Will I see you there?

Join me this morning on my "...5 Fixes Fast" interview on Small Business Trends Radio @smallbiztrends at 10:30 PST! http://bit.ly/sfQoDe

Thx!! @SannWoods @smallbiztrends 1:30p EST Tomorrow W/@pinkbizbroker "Why Most Businesses Can't Be Sold & 5 Fixes FAST" http://bit.ly/sfQoDe

Million $$ Idea: 1) Uncover the 3 Needle Movers that will exponentially improve your customer's lives 2) Create and deliver those solutions!

Let's talk! Catch me with Anita Campbell tomorrow on @SmallBizTrends Radio at 11:30am PST!

"Failure is time released success."

I'm just back from a 4-day High Performance course and WOW! My energy is exponential! Stand by for my take-aways in this week's blog post!

I'm speaking at the Santa Clara Bar Assoc on business transactions. Any questions you want me to ask the attorneys? #smallbusiness

Now is a great time to buy your business real estate > RT @bizsugar: SBA 504 Business Loans Helping Drive Recovery http://t.co/JiXE8HLG