EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Biz Buzz  News you Can Use:

Join me for a new feature on the Empress of Biz,   Biz Buzz!   The goal is to  provide business owners  and professionals  news, information,  resources and valuable business tips  to use in building a successful and profitable business.  So join in and Listen, Learn and Prosper with the Empress of Biz " aka"  JoAnn R. Forrester.

Plus if you have  news about an event/resource/news  that will help our listeners please send to empressofbiz@gmail.com.   Or give me a call at 412-440-6969.  By sharing what we know we help all of us to grow.

Some of the news includes new District Director at the SBA for the W. PA District Office.  Certification news...how it can help or hurt.  Upcoming events  including NAWBO DAY Pittsburgh o November 21, 2014.  www.nawbopittsburgh.org  And lots more.
Remember...by sharing what we know...we help all of us grow!

Can't listen  this Thursday October 23, 2014 you can always download and listen later.

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

Today on the Empress of Biz we feature Darlene B. Kruth, a multi million dollar sales professional with Northwood Realty. I like Darlene's story. After experiencing a corporate down sizing, she made a decision to become her own boss. She is now a very successful sales pro, who has achieved success because she concentrates on:
1. Customer Care Extraordinaire
2. Serving niche markets.
3. Making the real estate transaction easier in a ever increasing world of regulation.
Tune in and Listen to her success story. Learn how you can succeed and PROSPER in real estate with a multi-million sale pro.

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EMPRESS OF BIZ! Biz Tips.Listen! Learn! Prosper! The Author Zone, Anna Marie Gire publisher

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper!

Hosted by: Empress of Biz Title: - EMPRESS OF BIZ! Biz tips on Promotion, The Author Zone & Dawn Pomaybo

Time: 07/17/2014 09:00 AM EDT Episode Notes: My guests today on the Empress of Biz, Listen, Learn and Prosper are Anna Marie Gire of Women's Independent Press sharing about the Author Zone and Dawn Pomaybo sharing NA -WIN upcoming ventures and activities. Also we will be GIVING TIPS on PROMOTION!! Summertime is NOT the time to stop promoting your business. While you are, as my Mom use to say" lally gollying" along the way ....someone else is being smart and leaving you and your business in the dust. So what are you doing to PROMOTE and BUILD your BUSINESS TODAY? Listen to these smart women, Learn from their experience and Prosper with the advice. Listen, Learn and Prosper with the Empress of Biz .. JoAnn R. Forrester To be a guest on the Empress of biz or sponsor a program with great downloads e-mail us at empressofbiz@gmail.com Empress of Biz

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Straight Talk. What Most Biz Books & Advisers Don't Tell You.

Straight Talk.  What Most Biz Advisers Don't Tell You!

Okay it is time for some straight talk here. If you are thinking of going into business you need to do a lot of PRACTICAL THINGS  to start right . The best business plan or marketing plan won't help if you do NOT HAVE YOUR FINANCIAL OR PERSONAL HOUSE IN ORDER! 

More businesses fail because the owner and her family are not emotionally and or financially prepared.   Pressures build up and doors close because of poor preparation and lack of support.  Before you open the door PLEASE do the following:

1. Make sure your credit is in order.  It is hard to get credit cards, bank loans when you first start.  If you do get it...you are going to pay for it.

 2. Know your credit score.  if you have below 750 expect problems with your bank.  Expect your banker to lie to you.  Sad but true.  

 3. Correct and repair any past debt problems.  It will come back to haunt you.  

4. If married or have a significant other...get them on board.  Expecting automatic support may mean automatic breakup.

 5. Have children?  Get them on board. You won't be able to give them as much and they need to know that. And they are going to have to do more around the house.   No more coddling...you cannot afford it...and it is not good for them anyways.

6. Keep your hospitalization and any other benefits you have.It is really tough to get them the first several years in business. And yes you will need them

7. Get term life insurance to cover your business risk. Separate the risk.  Make sure you have one policy for business  and one for  personal. 
8. Get a good physical and dental checkup  Good health is crucial for the long grueling hours that you will be working. 

9. If married or have a significant other make sure you can live on one salary.Make sure he or she agrees to this arrangement.  
10. Borrowing money from family?  Tough Call.  Often there is too many strings attached.  You will find yourself being asked to hire your brother when no one else will. 

11. If you are going into business with a friend, spouse, relative significant other get your partnership in writing.  Each person has their own agenda and you need to make sure what is going on.

12,  Starting a relationship and a business is not the best idea in the world. Love quickly flies out the window  when things go wrong. 

For more practical tips listen to the Empress of Biz, Listen, Learn, Prosper on www.talkshoe.com.  We are also syndicated on www.pplmag.com

Or give us a call at 412-440-6969...You can make your dream come true...when you are correctly prepared.  

JoAnn R. Forrester is an award winning business owner, teacher, writer, columnist, small business advocate and host of the Empress of Biz–Listen, Learn & Prosper. She has 30 plus years guiding small business owners to success. As co-founder of S I Business Associates, a business growth management firm, she has secured 40 million dollars in loans and investments for her clients. She is the co-developer of the PRICE IT PERFECT™ cost management system for small business.  For straight practical advice give her a call.     412-440-6969 is the number to call. m 

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

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​Welcome to the Empress of Biz Listen, Learn and Prosper series. Every business needs guidance and resources to make their business fly. Our guests are people who have the knowledge and experience you can use to guide your business through the choppy seas of entrepreneurship.
My guest Attorney Kathleen Kuznicki knows that entrepreneurs love to build, create and make money off their creations.  But the one thing we NEGLECT to do..... is PROTECT what we have created.  And  we HATE to spend the money to PROTECT our work!    The consequence...we loose...often disastrously.  Attorney Kathleen Kuznicki of of Lynch Weis,LLC  an Intellectual Property Attorney will be sharing her knowledge with you.  This show is a MUST for all you creative entrepreneurs.  LISTEN  to what you need to know, LEARN what you have to do and PROSPER by the advice of Attorney Kuznicki and the Empress of Biz, JoAnn R. Forrester.   ​

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Dr. Marcia Sturidivant of NEED

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

My special guest today is Dr. Marcia Sturidivant, President of NEED sharing their mission of "Opportunity and Transformation through Education"  and their 51st Annual NEED Scholarship Dinner on May 22, 2014 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown.  NEED mission is to provides career and college access services which empower youth from the Pittsburgh region to aspire to, learn about, prepare for, and complete higher education....Since their  founding in 1963, NEED has supported over 19,000 deserving young people by providing nearly $20 million in grants.....NEED is proud to be recipient the 2014 Allegheny County Bar Association Homer S. Brown Division's Black History Month Celebration Spirit Award.

UN Women Executive Director: International Women's Day 2014 Progress for women..

Progress for Women is Progress for All....Celebrate the Women in Your Life.

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Escape from the cubicle..Job vs Business

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

Thursday March 6  at 9 Am on  the Empress of Biz we explore "What does it take to go from a ''JOB'" to owning your own business?  Do you have the "right stuff'?  The drive, the energy, the financial  courage  to take that leap?  My guest, Chris Nix does.  He went from a traditional job as an engineer to the one he always dreamed of... Artist.   Tune in and Listen to his journey, Learn from his journey and others and figure out how you can Prosper in your own venture.

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - SAVING MONEY 20,000 Pennies Can't Be Wrong

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

   

SAVING MONEY!  20,000 PENNIES Can't BE Wrong!

Recently the host of the  Empress of biz has been her yearly quest to cut expenses...and this year we have hit the jackpot!. We will be sharing our 10 ways or so to save money...remember as Ben Franklin use to say...a penny saved is a penny earned! Well we have save 20,000 pennies a month! Listen, Learn &; Prosper with the Empress of Biz aka JoAnn R. Forrester.

EmpressofBiz, Biz Tips Money? Who is the Boss? IMPULSE...OR...

 MONEY.....

                     WHO IS THE BOSS? 

IMPULSE...OR....

Empress of Biz, Biz Tips: Money? Who is the boss?  Are you Impulsive?  You see it ...you gotta have it? Whether is it that new flavor of Starbucks Coffee or that bright new shiny red truck...if you want it...you have to have it.  Are you always running on empty because you broke your budget? Or are you saying .... budget?  What the ****is that?

What about your long range goals? Do you have them? Savings? Good credit? Bad Credit?  We all have a relationship with money....some of us  are DISASTROUS, a few of us  are really FRUGAL  and know where very penny goes... and then there is the rest of us.  We muddle along...buying lots of stuff, juggling funds, paying our bills and still trying to save something...but not enough to get us through a real difficult patch. 

 Often we feel conflicted about how we spend money...and may get into some pretty heated discussions with spouse, partner, friends and family about money and how we think people should spend it or manage it.  

 When I work with my client and their problems with money in their business, I hear lots of stories, excuses, and justification for how they make their decisions on money and their bill paying and buying habits.   Like the recent decision of a client of mine who needed an additional truck for his business

 His choice:

 1. Buy the brightest RED shiny one with all the bells, whistles and gadgets.  Or  ..

 2. Buy the used truck, in good condition with a good warranty which would do the  job and save him $400 a month in payments.

No need to guess...we know which one he picked.

I often found myself wondering why we do what we do with money.  Often I am the one that has to work with the client to solve the money problem and justify to the banker what has happened.  And that is NOT always easy.

  

Well, who can we blame this problem on?  Aha! We can point the finger to our parents and how they handled money? Or...we can we blame it on our educational system for not teaching us enough about money.  Or what about the  government...it has to be their fault...they certainly don't know how to handle money.

 But wait...I have finally found the answer that makes sense!   It's our BRAIN'S  fault.  Recently I listened to an insightful discussion by Jean Chatsky on money and how our BRAIN sees money and plans to spend it.  One part, "the OLD Brain" is wired for survival and instant gratification.  Hungry we eat...cold we seek shelter, thirsty we drink water, etc.  The other part...the NEW Brain the "thinking part.. is the one that seeks to solve problems and likes projects and long range goals.  This  "thinking" part is often over ruled by the impulsive part and we end up making decisions that run from ok to mediocre to that  was terrible and what the hell was I thinking.  

So now what do we do? Continue our old patterns and just add the excuse it was brain that made us do it? Or do we learn how to manage our impulses and train ourselves to be good thinkers and managers of  money. Of course the decision is up to you. But the choice is obvious to me...do I let my impulsive Old Brain run the show and or do I let the New Brain be the boss.   I know which one I choose.  What about You?

S. I. Business Associates (SIBA)has been guiding small business to success since 1975.  Jo Ann Forrester, President is a business growth specialists and partner in several business including S I Business Associates, Price it Perfect Ô and Celebrate & Share. She and her staff specialize in helping small business grow.  They have raised $40 million dollars in business loans and investment for clients over the years.  If you are ready to start, grow or build a successful company give SIBA a call.

Co     Information compiled by Jo Ann R. Forrester of SI Business Associates.  Copyright 2014

Call 412-440-6969

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Best Practices for Non-profit with Attorney Norma Caquatto

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:

The Lawyer Edition of the Empress of Biz. with Attorney Norma Caquatto. This is one of our most popular guest, Attorney Norma Caquatto is back sharing her wealth of knowledge on non-profit law. What are the plusses and minuses of non--profit status. How to start your organization right...Make sure you avoid conflict of interest...avoid penalties. What can you do and not. Picking the right board members. Do it right and avoid losing your non-profit status. Listen in and receive expert legal advice from, Attorney Norma Caquatto, who has specialized in the needs for small business and non-profits corporations. Knowing the right structure for your business is critical for your success. Tune in Listen, Learn and Prosper with the Empress of Biz and attorney Norma Caquatto.

NAWBO Newsmakers -Alice Williams Director of WEEE

NAWBO Newsmakers - Live & Recorded Episodes:

NAWBO NEWSMAKERS .  Updates, news, sources and information that business women need to know.  Today's guest, Alice Williams, founder and director of WEEE.   WEEE is  an incubator, workspace  and training center for women who seek to own their own business. Alice Williams is an amazing women who had a vision, dedicated herself to the vision. worked incredibly hard and preserved and made her vision come true.  Listen and be inspired.

Today at four pm.  If you cannot listen today...you can always listen later.  Hear our stories and be inspired of what women can do.!

Host:  JoAnn R. Forrester, Empress of Biz, Listen, Learn Prosper!

Donna Baxter, of Soul Pitt Media, President of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter.

Poverty stalks Women New report says millions of women at risk of falling into poverty, economic ruin

New report says millions of women at risk of falling into poverty, economic ruin  and the War on women continues

Women make up close to two-thirds of minimum-wage workers in the country — and upwards of 70 percent of those low-wage workers receive no paid sick days whatsoever, according to the report. 

“These are people who are trying to survive on minimum wage, which is not a living wage,” Shriver said on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday. “The number one thing that would make the most difference to them is getting sick days,” she added.

All the while, some 40 percent of all American households with children below the age of 18 include mothers who are either the only or primary source of income — with the average earnings of full-time female workers still just 77 percent of the average earnings of their male colleagues, the report reads.

As a nation we say one thing...motherhood and children are our future....and yet our treatment and laws allow poverty to continue to stalk women.   Our  future is doomed if we continue to allow this downward spiral to continue. 

EmpressofBiz, Biz Tip What do you want? Job? Career? Business?

What do want?

 What is it that you want in life? A job? A career? A profession? Or a business? Only you know the answer. Each one requires a set of skills, attitude, preparation,  and dedication with its own set of rewards, risks, trade offs  and challenges.

To me...a job is something you do to bring in money.  It is something you tolerate so you can pay the bills and get on with your life.  Done that...hated it.

  A career is where you have found something that you are invested in and are goal oriented.  Usually it is doing it for someone else and being tied into their goals and expectations ...done that...and did not like it.  

A profession usually means you have spent a lot of time and dollars  being educated to do something hopefully will bring you money, respect and prestige i.e  Doctor, Lawyer, Dentist, Engineer or Indian Chief.  That was not a track I chose to follow.  

For me... I chose to be in business.  It is  the most challenging, rewarding and risky.  Yet I love it and would not do anything different.  When I was growing up "girls did not plan to go into business".  They got a secretary job with a big corporation which would provide safety and security.   

So when I went into business it was totally unacceptable.  It took my family 15 years to even acknowledge that I had a business.  There were of challenges to overcome...which I did.  And yes, there were times when  it was  quite daunting, harrowing and lonely....but thirtyfive years later I am still here..and still loving it.  

If you decide to jump into the entrepreneurial pool  there is  a number of thing you need to succeed besides a great idea.  You need a vision,  money, a business plan, a buying public, a willingness to work harder than you ever had, technical and people skills and plenty of courage, patience and dedication.  

And one other important thing...is Friends to support you and listen to you.  You cannot accomplish this without a support system.  Sometimes your family will be...sometimes they will not.  Make sure in your "business plan" you build your support team...it will be one of your most valuable assets.

And a special thank you to all of you  who have been my friends along the way.

EmpressofBiz, Biz Tips: Empressofbiz, Biz Tips. Awards bring Respect, Recognition & FREE Publicity.

AWARDS...BRING RESPECT, RECOGNITION
   FREE PUBLICITY!

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Writing Tips
JoAnn R. Forrester

            Awards are an excellent way to position a client, business associate or oneself for Respect, Recognition and FREE publicity.  The publicity received is often worth hundreds of thousands of dollar$.  The following tips will give you an overview of writing a nomination that will stand out and shout, “Pick me.”

1. Preparation:  Knowing the RIGHT steps to take, people to nominate and what awards to nominate your nominee for saves time, frustration and losing  submission.

2. READ, know and follow the guidelines exactly for the nomination.    If you have questions… ASK the organization sponsoring the award.

3.  Nominee’s Permission:  It is essential  to ask the intended honoree’s  permission to nominate him or her for an award.    Explain the award and let the nominee know up front  if financial data is required. Some nominees are uncomfortable with disclosing financial information and will elect not to continue.

4.    Supporting material: If there are supporting documents required, start gathering them immediately.   The supporting documents and letters can be referenced in the nomination write-up to illustrate strong points of the candidate.

       5.    Writing:  Give yourself plenty of time to write.  Figure at least 10 hours for each            nomination.  This covers research, interviewing, verifying material and writing. List each criteria and answer that only.   Use short and brief sentences with strong follow-up points.  Long sentences and narratives are boring. The committee soon gets tired of reading and will start to skim over material and you will lose points..

6.      Editing. Have the nominee  review and verify what  you have written.  If you are unsure of a fact, do not use it.   If it states no more than 5 pages, stick to that!

7.      Submission: Make sure All information requested is enclosed. Do not guess on postage if mailing.  Get proof of mailing or delivery verification of nomination.  Make sure you have the name of the person who received it.

8.    Congratulate Yourself.  You did it! Pat yourself on the back! You deserve it and when your nominee wins…it will be a great time for all.

 The author of this article, JoAnn Forrester, of S. I. Business Associates, is an award winning business consultant, teacher, lecturer and writer.  JoAnn has written over 300 award winning profiles for her clients, including the U.S. Small Business Administration National Small Business Journalist of the Year, U.S Small Business Administration National Small Business Person of the Year Award, YWCA Racial Justice Award, YWCA Tribute to Women, SBA Minority Business Advocate, Athena Awards, Stevie Awards and the PA Best 50 Award. If you do not want to write your nomination she does.  JoAnn can be reached at 412-440-6969 or selfimagebz@aol.com. or empressofbiz@gmail.com

Empressofbiz, Biz Tips Job vs Business ownership I love Mondays...what about you?

 I love Mondays...do you?

Monday Biz Tip ;) Good morning...the Monday adventure begins anew. I remember once upon a time...I use to hate Mondays... now I don't. I must have been a terrible employee...much better owner of my own business. For those of you who have "jobs" I really hope you enjoy them. 

For those of us in business and who work at what we love.... our main challenge is time management and focusing on what makes us money...not just doing what we enjoy and is easy for us.   
 Enjoy the day and make sure you do the activities that will bring you money!  :)

Plan your weekly list today...make sure the money making activities are there.  No money...no business.

Empress of Biz, Biz Tips. Sunday Morning Reflection: The Risk NOT to take

Sunday Morning Reflection:

Sunday Morning Reflection. In owning your own business there are calculated risks that you take. You do it because you have the confidence, courage and that inner drive that propels you. Sometimes you win...sometimes you loose. But there are times that your risk taking is not good. And one of those times is how we are protecting our families and business.

 This week I lost a business friend...only 61.  His family, employees, customers and business associates are still in shock. This is going to be a tough one for the family and the business.  It is a fifth generation business which looks like it is not going to make it.   No pre-planning...inadequate insurance and no one in sight who wants to take it over.  Most likely the assets will be sold for pennies of the dollar.    

Folks ...if you own a business please make sure your family and business is protected. I know money does not replace the one you love...but leaving things unprotected with little resources to take care of it...makes it so much harder to live thru. Please do some pre-planning to ...its the kindest and caring thing you can do.

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Carol B. Mitchell, Where Love Can lead you

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:
Title: EMPRESS OF BIZ! Carol B. Mitchell Founder of Verland.a love story 
Episode Notes: Carol B. Mitchell, co-founder and President/CEO of Verland, is a amazingly 

dedicated woman who found a way to help those who had no place in society. Carol's 
organization, Verland serves people with significant intellectual and physical challenges in our area. The Verland story is one that will capture your mind and heart as you listen to Carol as she shares what it was like creating a program that support 230 plus individuals in 52 homes throughout our region. Join us and see how compassion, vision and courage led her and her co-founders to create a safe and loving environment for those who so desperately needed it. Listen...be inspired, Learn where a vision can lead you and prosper with the spirit of the story of Verland. 

EmpessofBiz, Biz Tips: Sunday Morning Reflection . All Started Small

Sunday Morning Reflection  

I believe in small business and you.   I know when we walk with vision,  a plan, courage,  dedication and confidence we can accomplish great things. All the big businesses that you see today....Google., IBM, Ford, Facebook, Apple & Microsoft  etc.....ALL started small propelled by someone's dream. My posting each day says I believe and support you.

My 30 plus years experience of owning business has taught me a great deal.  Some of the knowledge comes from successes I have had.  I have won numerous awards for my accomplishments,  achievements and advocacy of small business.    My clients have been recognized locally, regionally and nationally for their success.  Yet success alone does not build wisdom.  Many of my lessons have been learned painfully...mistakes made, shifts in market place, wrong advisors and my own shortcomings.

 I hope you will use these posts to stimulate your thinking and creativity. Please share your tips and experiences so we all can accomplish our dreams and continue to build our nation. Let us all dream big, support one another and make this our best year.

My best wishes for a prosperous and productive 2014.  May you be blessed with the energy, enthusiasm, courage and insight needed to make your dreams come true.
 JoAnn R. Forrester
SBA PA Women Business Champion 
PA Best 50 Women in Business
YWCA Tribute to Women, Entrepreneur Category
Co-Founder of the Women of Achievement Awards

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! -Money Trends 2014

New Year...Money Trends... Who has it? Who wants to Lend it. Who doesn't?

What's working...what's not. My special guest, Sue Malone The Money Lady and  President, Strategies for Small Business andt & CEO, National Lien Law Number One Provider of the SBA Patriot Express Program will be my guest, "The Empress of Biz,  as we talk about MONEY and what are the money possibilities for  small busienss owners

Ms. Malone is an extraordinary success story. Early in her career, Ms. Malone spearheaded the nation's first for-profit and not-for-profit ice cream parlor, Dreyera's Grand Ice Cream, in Oakland, California 's  project that taught inner city teenagers to operate a business while concurrently turning a profit in its first year. She was the very first woman parking facility operator in the United States, overseeing seven highly lucrative concerns in San Francisco. Additionally, Ms. Malone crafted the branding and merchandising for the World Figure Skating Championships, delivering sales over $369,000 in just three days. As national chair of The American Cancer Society National Gala Task Force, she has helped raised over $13 million dollars. And, for over ten years, Ms. Malone served as CFO and Vice President of a renowned commercial and industrial real estate firm in Northern California.

Her impressive accomplishments prompted companies nationwide to seek out Ms. Malone for growth-stage guidance and crisis-stage rejuvenation. In every case, Ms. Malone delivered results: avoiding all bankruptcies for those in distress, and successfully advancing others during critical transformations. Her consulting experiences led her to become President and CEO of National Lien Law, the premier service network assisting contractors across the country. This striking composite of detailed operational experience sparked Ms. Maloneâ's passion to expand capital access for small business.

Therefore, since the inception of both the SBA Community Express Loan Program in 2002, and the SBA Patriot Express Program in 2007, Ms. Malone, through Superior Financial Group, has been the number one lender by volume for both programs  for every single year. In so doing, Ms. Malone has funded over 32,000 SBA Community Express and Patriot loans, an achievement simply unrivaled in the industry.

Inspired by her respect for Veterans, Ms. Malone has chaired the finance panel at the annual Veteran's Affairs Small Business Conference, and she continues to focus on providing Veteran entrepreneurs the best opportunities to obtain capital.
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