Weekend Entrepreneur:

Like many restless college roommates, Jamee Kunichika and Sherilyn Luke wanted a business to call their own. Instead of just dreaming about it, they took action.

Having endured extreme highs and lows, they are now enjoying the sweet smell of success. Together they have attained their dreams with POOF, a liquid toilet odor eliminator.

After spending a year researching their idea, the pair launched POOF in 2005. As weekend entrepreneurs, Kunichika and Luke lead interesting lives managing full-time jobs and Poofdrops.com in their spare time. Here’s a snapshot of how POOF got its start and the key resource that automated their business.

Why did you decide to start this particular business?
POOF: A Japanese liquid toilet odor deodorizer intrigued us. It was a new concept, and the only product on the market was packaged and written in Japanese. It was not cute, and the smell was not nice. We knew we could do it better! And the cost of living in Hawaii was too high so we knew that we had to supplement our income.

What is your average yearly income for POOF?
POOF: We are making $40,000 to $50,000 from our business. Which is good, since it’s only a part-time gig.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
POOF: Being able to utilize Shipwire, a one-stop warehouse and fulfillment shop, has freed up a lot of time and energy for us. With just a couple of clicks on the Shipwire website, fulfillment to our vendors is processed, and we never have to worry! Shipwire has been such a key resource for us from the moment we started our business to this day.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
POOF: Trade shows, blogs, sales reps, press releases and word of mouth.

How do you juggle your full-time jobs and your business?
POOF: We both see ourselves as part-time entrepreneurs and spend 20 hours each week on our business.

Luke: In addition to my full-time job, I am a mom/wife/entrepreneur/photographer. Finding a work/life balance is key!

Kunichika: I work full-time and I am an entrepreneur/program manager for pro bono program/caretaker of my mother – assisting father. Take it one task at a time! Believe anything is possible!

What is unique about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
POOF: Appealing packaging, and it has a unique, fresh scent. Unlike other bathroom deodorizers, Poof gives anonymity to its user because it’s small size fits in a purse or the palm of your hand. We are a small business so we are able to concentrate all of our efforts on our one product.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
POOF: We both invested $25,000 each and then took a loan of $50,000 from the SBA. We received guidance from the Small Business Development Center and were able to receive our SBA loan after submitting a sound business plan. As of July 2007, we no longer had to pay our SBA loan monthly payments out of pocket.

Has the media picked up on your story?
POOF: We have seen that word of mouth and press releases are a good way to get attention. We had local media feature our business story and one national media picked our product for review, which was great!

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
POOF: Definitely! Never giving up! Believing in our product and our partnership! Generally, we are positive people but there were times during our venture when we experienced extra low points. However, we always had one another to lift each other’s spirits to keep moving forward.

Surely you have a dream that you are contemplating. We would love it if you would take a moment to share your idea or business that you have launched with us. There are no small ideas, only small minds.

It’s never too late to get started. In fact, Jamee and Sherilyn were in college about a decade ago when they began brainstorming about businesses they could start. Their dream may have been on the back burner but they never abandoned it. Finally, 3 years ago they figured out what they wanted to do and started the research and development for Poof. So what are you waiting for?

Like most blushing brides Kristin Bowen didn’t have a crystal ball to predict the future. Eventually, her get rich slow wedding creations appeared on HGTV, the Food Network and Oprah Magazine selected it for the “O List” in the August 2006 issue.

The self-made entrepreneur says, “I consider myself an inventor and entrepreneur of a very smart idea: erasable ceramic PlaceTiles.�

Armed with a fortune cookie (more about that in a second), a strong desire to succeed, and a can-do attitude are a few of the ingredients that help Kristin out shine her peers. Add to that list– a unique product that sells like hotcakes and you have a winning business that pulled in a cool $400,000 in 2006. Her road to success is etched out just for you in this Weekend Entrepreneur interview.

Before we reveal all the goodies. Here are the steps Kristin took to launch her business:
~ January of 1999 - created, designed and manufactured the first PlaceTile for her wedding reception tables
~ May of 1999 - began her market research
~ September of 1999 - started designing the first prototypes to market
~ October of 1999 - designs went into sample production

When did you start your business?
Kristin: April 2000 was the official date that my business became a legal entity. It was just after I used my idea for an erasable ceramic place card at my wedding. Doubling as both place card and party favor at my reception, the PlaceTiles were a big hit with my guests. Seven years later, I have a thriving business creating all sorts of fun and imaginable erasable ceramic gifts, housewares and tabletop items. I have always had a penchant for design, but many of my ideas are not mainstream.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Kristin: The overwhelming response of the PlaceTiles at my wedding from friends, family and wedding professionals inspired me to look into this idea as a business. I did not even stop to think about me being an entrepreneur, I just full on went into doing market research. I was so excited to have a product to potentially bring to market that people were excited about.

What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
Kristin: I have created a very successful niche in this arena and am now the leader in the erasable ceramic industry. I laugh when I write this because I don’t know if there really is an erasable ceramic industry, but if there is one I am the leader. There are a few other companies dabbling in this type of product since seeing my success with the idea, but no one company has taken it to the level in which I have. I am a seeing-the-big-picture person and what many companies don’t see or don’t want to do is think beyond their industry. I have however and now reached the gift, tabletop, housewares, stationery, bridal, gourmet, catering, restaurant, gaming, event planning, wine & spirits, corporate gift, charitable, and travel/leisure industries.

Largely I am involved in the Gift, Tabletop and Housewares Industries, but the other areas are growing for me at a considerable pace.

Now with the Green Movement, erasable ceramic is much more acceptable than one time use paper. People scratch, scribble and write notes, menus, names, etc. on paper everyday at home, so why not use something more sustainable like erasable ceramic. Being realistic we won’t see the use of paper go away, but if we can save a few more trees by getting people to use our erasable ceramic message boards to write notes to the family rather than scribble it on a piece of paper then we are ahead of the game. The same goes with our PlaceTile place cards, GiftTile gift tags, etc. All of our products are reusable.

How did you decide what kind of business to start and what if any personal challenges inspired you to earn extra income in your spare time?
Kristin: This kind of business was easy for me since the PlaceTiles became my widget to market. It was a struggle not making any money at first. I fortunately had a husband who had income coming in to support us at home. It was a huge learning experience to actually have to stick to a budget. I thrived off the power though of believing in my idea and myself. I tried to find something positive every day that happened in the business to keep me motivated. Even if the phone rang only once or I hit walls here and there when selling, I found something positive in the day.

I have had many significant milestones throughout the seven years and below I list five of them.
1. Early on in starting my business, I received a fortune cookie message that said “You will be unusually successful in business”. This soon became my mantra. I am an unusual person and this is an unusual idea, so the saying fit. I still look at the six year old message almost every day.

2. After 3.5 years in business, I noticed an adoption of the concept
and the name PlaceTiles by the press, buyers and consumers alike. It sort of happened by storm that I started noticing not only my customers, but my customers’ customers asking specifically for PlaceTiles. It used to be that people could not pronounce the word right or they would say somthing like…”I’d like to order some more of those erasable ceramic thingies”.

But my goal was always to make PlaceTiles a household name like Kleenex. It is great now when customers tell me that people are calling into their stores and asking for PlaceTiles.

3. When Oprah featured the product in O Magazine.

4. When Home & Garden TV (HGTV) wanted to not only feature my product on their show, The Best of Gift Shows 2005, but a year later said it was unprecedented but they wanted to feature our erasable bottle stoppers on their Best of Gift Shows 2006.

5. Watching Sandra Lee on her lifestyle show, “Semi-Homemade” on the Food Network spend five solid minutes talking about PlaceTiles and showing how they are used. She said, “PlaceTiles are a very smart idea”.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
Kristin: Exactly five years. The rumor is true.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
Kristin: Yes. I think you need to be tenacious, open (to criticism and compliments alike), focused, and smart. I went into this business not knowing anything about this industry. I became a student of the industry, of my business, of my product, and of the market. I forced myself to humbly say little and become a sponge for the first year. I just wanted to learn from others in the industry who had established businesses. But I stayed focused on the goal to successfully launch my products, and it seemed to work.

Have you always had a positive attitude?
Kristin: I believe in positive thinking. Although it is challenging to maintain a positive outlook all the time, it is important to always think positive, keep your eye on the prize and focus. I did not grow up thinking I would become an entrepreneur, but somehow I never worried about success. I just always assumed I would do something I loved and be successful at it. That is just the kind of person I was then and am now. I believe in the wise statement, “Do what you love and the money will follow.”

Is it more difficult for women to get financing for businesses?
Kristin: I suppose it has been, but more and more I hear of women getting SBA loans fairly quickly. I have been fortunate to have financing from my family members who believed I could make this company work. I have been without family financing for about two years now.

Has the media picked up on your story?
Kristin: Publicity has been essential to my business. I have always considered public relations in my business plan from the start. I was always writing press releases, sending samples and making media contacts before I could afford to hire a PR firm. I have a lot of sweat equity in my business and PR is a big part of it. One of my biggest coup’s was being picked by Oprah magazine for the “O List,” last year.

Many people remark at the amount of press my products have received. To date, my company has received over 60 media placements in magazines, newspapers, internet, TV and radio. I have great support in my industry’s trade journals.

Did you have a mentor?
Kristin: My family has been my mentor. My husband had a very successful business of his own and he offers great advice. My father and mother have equally been supportive. My sister has had many businesses of her own and my brother is a doctor and owns his own practice. I am surrounded by a lot of strong and resourceful entrepreneurs.

Approximately how much money did you invest before your business became profitable?
Kristin: $25,000 seed capital was what I needed to get started. Before I actually became profitable, I invested $80,000. For a small business and someone just starting out, I realize this is a lot of money, but I was starting a whole new concept and not something tried and true. I spent a good portion of this capital on marketing and traveling to tradeshows.

I think it could have been started for less if I had to do it all over again or advise someone else who had just a little money.

How long has it been since you left your job?
Kristin: I have not worked outside of this business for 7.5 years. You have to be willing to work hard, but you don’t have to kill yourself doing it. Depending on the season (3rd and 4th quarter are my busiest seasons), I usually work an 8-12 hour day. During high season, I usually spend time (2-3 hours) on both Saturday and Sunday getting things done. April through June is generally slow, so I get to spend more time planning and organizing rather than doing day-to-day tasks. This past April though I was able to spend the entire month in Italy doing research and design planning.

I LOVE having my own business to create my own schedule and make what I do a reflection of myself. I see results based upon my efforts– the results are very tangible.

Can other individuals reproduce your business model?
Kristin: I believe so. It just takes a lot of hard work, but yes I think it can be done. Not many people believe I do all that I do with no full-time employees. I have a lot of consultants and have an amazing staff I work with in both my factories and my distribution channel. I could not do what I do without them.

What is your average income for this business monthly/yearly or both?
Kristin: Average income is not always easy to define, since the ecomony effects so much of how my customers buy. In 2006, the business earned $400,000 and the goal this year is $500,000. For the business model I have, this is a pretty nice chunk of change.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
Kristin: Most of my marketing has been done through industry tradeshows across the country. My focus on public relations has proven to be very successful along with website marketing. I think it is key to walk the walk and talk the talk. Image is everything, therefore it is important that your image marketing is clear from the moment you meet someone, answer the phone, display your product, and your website, logo or catalog are seen.

What would you tell someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know what they want to do?
Kristin: Work for someone else part-time in an industry you think you want to be in. Get some experience and learn from someone who has been in the business and is successful at it. Become a sponge and absorb information. Information is power. Talk to people, network and take a “how-to” course on starting a business just to build a foundation. A strong foundation is key in building a successful business.

How do you manage juggling the responsibilities of being a mom/wife/entrepreneur?
Kristin: It is tough to manage it all. Women today have so much on their plates. My business keeps me traveling and working nights and weekends. I do not have my own children, but I have a step-daugher who I helped my husband to raise. She was 7 when I met her and is now 21. I have a very demanding life, my husband and step-daughter, two households, two dogs, one neighborhood board and a significant amount of charity work.

My family as a whole requires a lot of attention. I am grateful for my full life, but at times you just need a break. And this is why I must take vacations every now and then.

Got an idea or a comment? Let us know. We want to hear all about it.

Ron Wiener’s Earth Class Mail is changing the way we get mail. And in the process, he is making a positive impact on the environment. On the flip side if you are an entrepreneur or a millionaire in training this is THE most informative interview I have written about.

In 2004 Ron Wiener started Earth Class Mail. It is a global digital post office, delivering postal mail to customers around the world via the internet.

What I love about Ron is that he doesn’t blink an eye when he says he’s out to build the next FedEx or Google. This may sound like hype but Ron bares his soul in this Weekend Entrepreneur interview. From the inside scoop on investors to the challenges he has had to overcome, the low down on the entrepreneur’s mindset, how he feels about having a day job as compared to a business and so much more.

Vocation?
RON: CEO of rapid-growth companies.

Recent breakthrough?
Ron: We figured out how to scale our automation, so that a national post office can offer the Earth Class Mail service to all the citizens of their country.

Role model?
RON: Benjamin Franklin

Career mantra?
RON: Make sure your activities each and every day contribute in a meaningful way to shareholder value. If you can steadily improve upon what you are able to contribute you will be justly rewarded, and your own wealth creation will take care of itself.

What inspired you to start this business?
RON: What inspired me to start Earth Class Mail was the classic “necessity being the mother of invention� story. I was tired of spending an hour of every day driving to collect mail from various offices and PO Boxes for all the different ventures I’m involved with, and wanted a way to retrieve my mail, shred and recycle the junk, deposit checks, etc., from anywhere, anytime, just like I handle my voicemails and emails. This is the sixth business I have founded, being a battle-hardened serial entrepreneur.

What is unique or special about your service that gives it an edge over your competitors?
RON: No other players have the automation, security and confidentiality assurance systems we’ve developed at Earth Class Mail. We’ve pulled together a seasoned team and deep-pocketed venture capital backers, as well as strategic partners. We’re out to build the next FedEx or Google – and have attracted the talent and resources to make it happen. During the past few years we’ve developed a formidable quantity of proprietary technologies around scalability, such that our system can eventually become a platform for the digital transformation of national post offices. We recently initiated a strategic partnership with Microsoft to scale our systems to support millions of simultaneous users.

What if any personal challenges inspired you to launch your business?
RON: I launched Earth Class Mail because of its potential to massively impact the economy – and the environment. When you think about it, more than 90% of the mail we receive is recycled or shredded. People want the information on the paper, not the paper itself. They want the cash deposit, not the paper check itself. When you think of the ramifications of this, that if everyone had the option of receiving their postal mail electronically, then only a tiny percentage of the mail we expend so much fuel and resources to deliver today would actually have to be physically delivered.

There are few things I’ve encountered in the for-profit world that can have such a massive impact on the environment today, right now. There are two parts to sustainability. Creating new alternative energy sources is crucial, but that’s only one part. Reducing our energy consumption and pollution is the other part.

According to the US Government, the post office is the third largest consumer of energy after the DOE and DOD. In the United States, paper companies are the third largest manufacturing polluters. What drives me more than any economic goal is having a meaningful effect on what kind of planet we leave behind for our children.

Were there any challenges that you experienced along the way that you had to overcome?
RON: The first challenge was that of convincing investors that a) the world needed this service, b) we had the technology to make it scale cost-effectively, and c) we had the right management team to pull this off.

Once we demonstrated real customer demand from more than 100 countries, and recruited an amazing team including the guy who managed 800,000 operations employees as the Assistant Postmaster General of Logistics for USPS, we started to see serious engagement with top-tier venture capital funds who like “swing-for-the-fences deals.� It may surprise a lot of people that most venture capitalists don’t see realizable billion-dollar business plans every day. In fact, with all the me-too business models out there, it has become a rarity. The flip side of that is that it makes it harder for investors to believe in a billion-dollar business plan until they see plenty of proof. The challenge was surviving the lean years to get to the point where they could call enough paying customers to hear the proof with their own ears.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
RON: Of course you need to be incredibly persistent to overcome the challenges of getting a new business off the ground. 80% of entrepreneurs either do not have the intestinal fortitude to survive the first year or two, or just didn’t bake their ideas enough before launch. The other 20% have the ability to tough it out until they figure out their formula for success.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus a day job?
RON: In a startup, there is a much tighter connection between your everyday decisions and shareholder value. In every “real� job I’ve held in even modestly large companies there was a disturbing disconnect between what I observed other executives doing and what truly drives shareholder value at the end of the day. People get caught up in bonus-driving goals that are linked to irrelevant metrics. In a startup, you will know your metrics for staying alive and getting to the next plateau – whether it is turning cash positive or hitting key milestones for investors. In a startup, the entire management team tends to be much more in tune with what truly matters.

Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
RON: At first, yes. We made the mistake of imagining that venture funds would be eager to throw lots of capital in early to capture such a huge market opportunity. However, they wanted to see traction before writing big checks, so we had to go back to traditional angel financing to get the business to a stage where we could show VCs lots of paying customers and verifiable interest from large enterprise customers.

By the time we raised our first significant funding round, the management team had worked more than two years without salaries. We were headquartered in Portland, Oregon – a place long-known for its great quality of life, but also for its inhospitable climate for rapid-growth startups, and especially for risk capital formation. We moved corporate headquarters to Seattle, where investors are much more accustomed to swing-for-the-fences business plans. Once we were able to get in front of the right investors and recruit new senior executives known in their own community, funding became dramatically easier, almost instantaneous. In the Keiretsu Angel Forum alone we broke new records for participation and amounts raised, and we eventually attracted the largest and most respected venture fund in the Pacific Northwest, Ignition Partners, to lead our Series A fundraising round. My only regret was that we didn’t move north sooner.

Has the media picked up on your story? If so what have you done to attract the media?
RON: We have received coverage in online blogs and news sites such as TechCrunch, as well as local press including television news stories in the Pacific Northwest. Mail industry publications were quick to cover our disruptive technology, and we are being invited to speak at major industry conferences from Washington, D.C. to London and Berlin. We published a white paper that got picked up around the world by the postal industry, post office CEOs, regulators, academics and technology vendors. The paper describes the recipe for a national post to transform itself to the Internet age by employing our platform. It was so well received we changed the name of the company from Document Command to Earth Class Mail a week after its publication.

Perhaps the most exciting media exposure opportunity is a new cable TV series called “Startup Junkies� set to air in January 2008 on the MOJO Network in high-definition. Earth Class Mail was selected from a wide range of startups as the sole focus of the first season of this breakthrough documentary series. They are currently filming eight half-hour episodes exclusively about our company and what it’s like to work inside a startup. The network was looking for a company that did something that would be universally understood (everyone gets mail, at home and at work), and that had a reasonable shot of becoming “the next Google or FedEx�.

Did you have mentors to help you get started?
RON: I’ve been very fortunate to have several excellent mentors throughout my career. I dropped out of Carnegie Mellon University after one year, chasing the shiny object that was calling to me from Silicon Valley. The personal computer industry was booming. From ages 19 to 24, I only held jobs in which I reported to the CEOs of rapidly growing technology companies – all of whom were fantastic mentors to me. By age 25, I had raised my first venture capital round for my first startup but did not yet know how to build a good board of directors, so my VCs were my only formal mentors. By that time I had already met plenty of senior CEOs in the business community who I sought counsel from when I had tough decisions to make. Perhaps that is why I often advise young CEOs on their business challenges. Sometimes I invest in these companies, but usually the best thing I can do for them is pass along the mentoring that has been given to me over the years. Capital is far less important than making the right decisions in how to deploy it. I will always be grateful to my first two bosses, in particular, who put me in roles that were akin to “assistant to the president,� where I was able to participate in many of the day-to-day meetings and decisions that went on in the executive suite. The head start this gave me in business was immeasurable.

Approximately how much money did you invest before your business became profitable?
RON: Let’s put it this way. The first thing I did was to sell our beloved B36TC Beechcraft Bonanza airplane and re-finance both a first and second mortgage for the seed capital we needed. Plus, our entire management team went without salary for more than two years. In hindsight, I can look back and say we “skipped an A round� by living off of small convertible debt investments and refraining from drawing salaries until much later. But at the time, none of us believed we’d go more than six months without salaries. Investors wanted to see a lot more proof of traction than our early team members needed to see before taking the leap of faith - and that, quite frankly, is what is often required to get a bold new business idea to a fundable stage – real skin in the game.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
RON: We’ll be expending tens of millions of dollars of investment before any expectation of profitability. This is a global operation much like a FedEx or UPS, requiring physical plant investments as well as a substantial amount of software and IT investment before we expect to generate a profit. Because our customers either sign-up for pre-paid subscriptions or license our platform as a software-as-a-service, our cash flows are extremely strong.

Are you still working at your full-time job, and approximately how many hours per week do you currently spend on your business?
RON: I worked other projects for the first six months of the business, mostly to feed its cash flow. For the last three years I’ve been involved full-time with Earth Class Mail. That means 6am to 11pm on weekdays and 8-10 hours on weekend days. Vacations are rare and usually interrupted with phone calls, emails and writing projects. Not everyone is physically or psychologically able to endure such a commitment of personal capital but I knew going into this venture that it would be a 24×7 global business with tremendous demands on my time. I’m also fortunate to have an exceedingly supportive wife who has had to tolerate my being gone the majority of the time.

We now work even harder because our own momentum keeps us charged up and jumping out of bed each morning eager to conquer the next challenge. The taste of success stirs up even greater passion in the team.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
RON: Most cities have non-profit entrepreneurial support groups, such as the Oregon Enterprise Network in Portland. These are so helpful that I tried to join their boards whenever I could, as it only increased my exposure to mentors as well as passionate entrepreneurs. I held the president post of the Oregon Young Entrepreneurs Association from 1991 to 1994, devoting insane amounts of volunteer time, but creating relationships which have lasted for many years and that I still leverage today, both in business and personal friendships.

Guy Kawasaki’s “Art of the Start� is a must-read that I’ll sometimes give a new entrepreneur as a gift, among Guy’s other good books. I like reading autobiographies and biographies of great leaders and entrepreneurs.

Some of the best lessons, frankly, can be gleaned from analyst reports written about contemporary companies each and every day. Few entrepreneurs do enough real-time weekly research on their own industry, and even companies in other industries from which parallels may be drawn. I make it a priority to study the vast amounts of free information available through the Internet. Since most entrepreneurs come out of engineering or sales, few have been steeped in financial analysis or market research to know how to do this well, or even to understand why it’s important to understand the macro-economics of your large competitors, the industry as a whole, and the global market.

I have had the good fortune of senior Wall Street financial executives and analysts join our board, like our current chair, Chris Kwak, who has drilled into my consciousness the importance of understanding the Darwinian capital markets. What you may think is extremely important today may have no bearing in the big picture, in what will eventually have the most impact on investor ROI and the exit path for the company. They don’t teach enough of this in business school.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
RON: Internet marketing is such a godsend when I compare to what we used to have to do “in the old days� before Google advertising to get a startup off the ground. These days it is incredibly simple to find customers around the globe while spending very little money. The problem is that search engine marketing doesn’t scale, so eventually you need to bring in direct mail and other traditional advertising methods, and a sales force to keep the company growing rapidly. Even when you have a million-dollar-a-month marketing budget, you still want to test new products and new marketing concepts online before you invest in other media. The ability to get a quick reaction to your messaging or offer is amazingly useful no matter what marketing channel you end up concentrating dollars in, whether television ads, radio or billboards.

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but, don’t have the confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
RON: If they don’t feel it in their bones they probably should pack up and go home – they simply won’t have the resolve to survive the inevitable rejections and disappointments that kill most start-ups. That said, if their concept is good but they lack the experience to pull it off themselves, they should build a good board of directors and leverage that board to help recruit the right executive management team. The best way to avoid getting ousted out from your own company is to let someone else more experienced take the CEO position. That way, when the CEO needs to be replaced, they can still stay in the company and continue to contribute and share more of the reward in the end.

What would you tell someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know where to begin to get their idea up and making money?
RON: Build a “sniff test� council of the ten smartest business people you know. Sit down with them one at a time to go through your different ideas and see what kind of reactions you get. For the cost of lunch, this kind of early feedback is invaluable in preventing wasted cycles later. When ALL ten people say they think you’re onto something with one of your ideas, then put that idea “in the running.� Keep working the list of ideas until the strongest one bubbles to the top and then move on it.

Last but not least, describe your business including monthly costs?
RON: Earth Class Mail delivers postal mail via the Internet. Customers see their postal mail online and choose which items to open and scan to a PDF. They can also shred, recycle, archive or forward the mail piece. Our customers span 120 countries, and include traveling business people to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. The service starts at $12.95/month. For more information, visit www.earthclassmail.com.

What’s next for Ron Wiener?
RON: Homes and buildings designed to accommodate personal robots that unobtrusively perform the menial tasks of our lives.

If you have questions, comments or a great story to tell— let us know. Many of our best ideas come from readers like you!

Keep smiling,

Michelle Anton & Michelle Price

It must be great to hit a home-run with a new business venture. For Wendy Pease, being in the right place at the right time provided the backdrop for a business that is in demand globally and allows her to stay closely connected to her family.

Wendy morphed into an entrepreneur after finding herself jobless. Rapport International was one of the first businesses she saw on businessbrokers.com and she bought it. Wendy was quick to share her sales and marketing tips:

1. Non-stop networking with the giver’s gain philosophy

2. Asking clients for referrals

3. Speaking engagements

She has a fresh take on how she does business and her can do attitude energized me.

Recent breakthrough?
WENDY: Hiring a project manager

Role model?
WENDY: My Mom – professor and successful marriage.

Career mantra?
WENDY: Keep doing it until it’s not fun anymore.

Business mantra?
WENDY: Just keep selling.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
WENDY: While on maternity leave from a large publicly held company that decided to eliminate its corporate marketing department, I was laid off. While looking for my next position, I dreamt of owning my own business. I like business and I love my family time so I wanted to live a life where the two could co-exist. Luckily, I found Rapport International on businessbrokers.net and it all worked out.I own Rapport International – we offer foreign language translation and interpretation services in over 100 languages.

When did you start your business?
WENDY: Rapport International was founded in 1987. I bought it in 2004.

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but, don’t feel they have the confidence to move forward?
WENDY: Think about whether it is a dream you really want to pursue or one that you like to think about. Think about your personality – can you operate without a lot of structure? Do you like to develop business/sell (mostly what a business owner does). Can you live with a fluctuating income?

What gives you the edge over your competitors?
WENDY: Purchasers of translation services often believe that they are not able to check the quality of a translation. At Rapport International, we spend lots of time educating our clients on how to check quality and the best way to handle a foreign language project. We spend the time to educate for the long-term benefit of our clients.

Have you always been a positive person and felt that you could do anything to put your mind to?
WENDY: One of my favorite slogans is “just do it�. I’m very goal oriented and a big picture person. Plus, I believe that if you are not sure what to do, just try something and learn from it. I think it helps to have the personality that just keeps moving forward. Yes, I have always been positive and felt that I could do anything that I wanted.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus having a day job?
WENDY: I love the flexibility! I may work more but it doesn’t feel like it since I can juggle my schedule for the biggest priority at the time.

What if any personal challenges inspired you to launch your business?
WENDY: The biggest personal challenge in the corporate world was balancing work and family. All my two boys knew was that I went away to an office first thing in the morning, traveled occasionally on a business trip and they had no understanding of what I did. I felt uncomfortable bringing the kids to work so they couldn’t see what I did.Now, I have an office in my home that I can work from when they are around. I teach them words from different languages and educate them about what languages are spoken in each country. They are able to sit next to me and color while I work on the computer and they get to give their opinions on different projects such as my new branding campaign. It’s a blast having them more involved in my work life when I am working from home and they are not in school.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
WENDY: I bought a profitable business so it was profitable immediately. I was able to grow the business fast enough in the first year to pay off the loan that I took to buy the business.

Were there any challenges that you experienced along the way that you had to overcome?
WENDY: Through the Make Mine a Million contest, I learned that the biggest belief that women business owners have is that they have more control over their life and time if they keep the business small. I certainly thought so. After some coaching from the award coach and a mentor, I realized that wasn’t so. When I hired my first employee and got to delegate to her, I gained time to grow the business. And that’s what I want to do and like to do.

Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
WENDY: No – I have equity lines open that I’ve only had to draw upon once when a client was very late in paying on a big project.

What role have mentors played in your success?
WENDY: I have not had one particular mentor. There are many people that I depend on for different mentoring depending on what the issue is. It’s amazing how talking it over with an experienced person can help.

Approximately how much money did you invest before your business became profitable?
WENDY: We borrowed from our home equity loan to buy the business.

What sort of transition did you have when your job ended and you decided to buy a business?
WENDY: I left my last job in April 2004 and closed on the purchase in August of 2004. I understand that most of the time, when you are interested in buying a business, you have to look at about 100 until you find the right one. I was lucky and bought the only one that I looked at.Now I spend about 40-45 hours per week working.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
WENDY: Most helpful to me at the start was the prior business owner, books and internet research. Most helpful to me now is the extensive network of mentors that I have access to.If it’s really a dream that you want to pursue and your personality can handle it and you’ve thought out your business plan. Go for it. The worse thing that can happen is that it doesn’t work out and at least you know you tried.

What would you tell someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know what they want to do, or where to begin to get their idea up and making money?
WENDY:Look on businessbrokers.com or other business brokerage sites. There are a bunch of baby boomers that will be looking to sell their businesses. Established businesses have a much higher likelihood of succeeding than new businesses.

What’s next?
WENDY: Aiming to hit the million dollar mark with the support of the Make Mine a Million award.

I enjoy sharing stories about people who have their own business. Let us know what you are up to and next time we may be readinding about YOU!

QUOTE: Action is the enemy of thought. 

Recently I found myself mystified because I have seen quite a few people with limited experience and credentials becoming superstars on the internet. My curiosity got the best of me. I did a little snooping around and found one of the internet’s best kept secrets.

Before I get started, I would be remiss if I didn’t confess that I have thought, talked and day dreamed about having my own membership website. My friend Michelle Price, who I rely on for ideas and incredible resources said, �Let me introduce you to one of the leading membership site experts named Sheri McConnell. I said,�Cool!�

Right away I started researching and Sheri McConnell Companies is a membership-based company that helps writers and entrepreneurs profit from their intellectual knowledge.

Next step, the interview. Sheri is a dedicated mother and entrepreneur who is easy to talk to and her passion for seeing people succeed is contagious. On the other hand she is cool, calm and organized. Which made me feel relaxed and receptive to a new way of generating income. This is a woman who has been there and done that. She has overcome many personal challenges including divorce, a custody battle and bankruptcy.

It occurred to me that if she can do it we can too! Also, this could very well be the perfect vehicle to take your business or service to the next level.

What are the benefits of having a membership site?
SHERI: First, it positions the person who owns it as an expert almost immediately in their chosen niche and even industry.

Second, it automatically builds a list of loyal recurring customers by the nature of the model. They actually expect you to develop solutions to their problems—and they will tell you their problems often. That is why they join.

Third, members and other websites will naturally link to you and promote for free because people love to share when an association is helping them in some way. Companies will feature you just so you will turn around and promote them to your members. And even when members just say, I am a member of NAWW and link to it on their website—that really boosts the membership company in the search engines too. With most service-based businesses, these things just don’t happen without a lot more work.

Fourth, another unexpected benefit of the membership-based model is that when your members are successful, you leverage that too. When they do really well and we share their successes on our blog/website homepage—we get more traffic too. The Internet is fascinating in this way.

How does a person know if they should consider a membership website?
SHERI: I have some questions I ask people who are considering the model on the Create Your Group website. You must be passionate about the target market AND most of the time you really need to be one of them too—that is key. Here are the questions from my home page…
~ Do you like connecting with people who share your passions?
~ Do you enjoy helping others by sharing valuable information?
~ Would you like to be considered the go-to person in your niche or even industry?
~ Would you like to build a company that is structured in such a way that you serve your ideal customer over and over again?
~ Would you like to know how you can run your own organization/association/group from your home?
~ Would you like to build a business that positions you as the gatekeeper of a large database(s) making it easier for you to contact and partner with the top professionals in your industry?
~ Would you like to generate over six figures and even seven figure income from your home office while outsourcing crucial parts of the business to qualified companies and solo professionals?

You have several great testimonials on the Create Your Group website. Can you share a couple of success stories with us?
SHERI: Yes, I helped Dotsie Bregel start the National Assn of Baby Boomer Women at www.nabbw.com and I am coaching another entrepreneur with her website www.campuscalm.com.

They are both having lots of success in a short time. I have about 10 other clients right now that I have been coaching since Feb. that are at various stages of building and launching their groups too. Many of them are on the verge of launching. We have one that will be for weight loss coaches, one for hobby farmers, one for a group of Daring women and several other interesting clients.

On average what is the time-line and cost to launch a membership site?
SHERI: It is a business like anything else—so the amount of money and time it takes is proportional to the amount of time and money the owner spends on it. So every case is different. When I conducted interviews for the Create Your Group Blueprint and Tool Kit though I made sure that I selected a variety of membership-based businesses and also chose very successful ones because I wanted people to understand the potential of what they could create if they were willing to grow and step into this type of leadership. All but 1 out of the 7 had either reached 7 figures or was about to in less than 5 years, which is amazing. Their websites and pictures are on the home page at www.createyourgroup.com too. The power in this model is the leverage you create for yourself as the owner. It is just a fantastic job that gives you lots of rewards and allows you to help others and do something you love. I forgot to tell you that my Bachelors is in Social Work—so what is great about NAWW is that I felt like I could combine those skills with those of the Masters in Org. Management. I love the different people I get to meet each day. AND I do this all from home. It is really cool.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
SHERI: I was inspired to start my first association, National Assn of Women Writers (www.naww.org) because I really wanted to connect with other women writers like myself. I later started a second Association for Web Entrepreneurs (www.aweconnect.com) and my third membership-based company will be launched in a couple months—this company will teach and provide millionaire mindsets so people can grow their companies to the next level. Last year, I launched www.createyourgroup.com because all my coaching clients wanted me to document all of the information I was teaching them as they were building and growing their own profitable membership-based businesses.

When did you start your business?
SHERI: I started NAWW in 2001 and have been connecting with women writers, creators, and entrepreneurs on and off the Internet.

What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
SHERI: I think my membership-based companies are unique in that I always make sure the members receive new tangible products each and every year when they renew. I think no matter who you are—most people still love to get “real stuff� in the mail that is of interest to them.

What if any personal challenges inspired you to launch your business?
SHERI: When I started NAWW (National Assn of Women Writers), I had just quit working in the corporate world to have my third child and I had also just finished getting my Masters in Organizational Management. I was at a crossroad and for the first time in my adult life I was faced with the decision to figure out what it was that I wanted to do. After about six months, I came up with the idea to start the NAWW.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
SHERI: NAWW was profitable the first year—however, I did not pay myself for the first two years and put all the money back into the company in the form of advertising and product/service development and design. By year three, I was able to pay my salary and hire contractors. Today I have four virtual assistants that help me run all the companies.

Were there any challenges that you experienced along the way that you had to overcome?
SHERI: My challenges have always been around life balance. I am 37 and grew up in the generation of women that believe we can have it all and often do. I love running the types of companies I do because I get lots of freedom in how and when I work. My problem is because I love my work so much that I have to make myself turn it off to do other important things in life. Over the years, I have learned to delegate everything I can as much as I can to free up my time for those things I love (like hanging out with my family) or doing the business functions with a high return on investment that only I can do.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
SHERI: For me it wasn’t so much a positive mindset as it was a stubborn mindset. Quitting was not an option and I got better at communicating that to friends and family. I was really good about not letting negative energy into my world at all because I knew what that would do to my dreams.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus a day job?
SHERI: Family—I know for a fact I would have never been able to have four children if I were still working in the corporate world. I remember that life and I would have never been able to see them. I wouldn’t have been able to take off and go to the movies and the theme parks and the beach and the bookstore (all things I was able to do with them repeatedly this summer).

Financially—There are no limits on my income as an entrepreneur. I am only limited by my own mindsets as an entrepreneur. If you surround yourself with millionaires and their mindsets—eventually you will have the knowledge you need to become a millionaire. That doesn’t happen at a JOB.

Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
SHERI: Yes, it was in the beginning because of personal circumstances having to do with a previous divorce/custody battle, which led to a bankruptcy. What I learned from the difficulty in getting financing was that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way to make your dream come true.

Has the media picked up on your story? If so what have you done to attract the media?
SHERI: Since I run national membership organizations, my company receives lots of ongoing regional media attention that my Regional Representatives generate. We also get a lot of publicity on the Internet.

Did you have mentors to help you get started?
SHERI: Yes, I have had mentors from the beginning. I have always been an entrepreneur and drawn to other entrepreneurs. I seek them out. The Internet has been an amazing tool in this area. A couple of my favorite organizations that helped me grow as a business owner were the Women’s Leadership Exchange and the eWomen’s Network. I have also built an extensive and exclusive group of entrepreneurial millionaire friends over the years that I can call and get help from. The only reason I was able to build such a network was because I was a gatekeeper to these membership-based businesses. It is a powerful business model for many reasons.

Are you still working at your full-time job?
SHERI: I left the corporate world in 2000. Now, I work about 20 hours a week in the summers and about 30 during the school year. BUT, I am always “working� on the companies—I am constantly networking on the phone, listening to CDs from my mentors, reading books, and much more—I just don’t consider that real work. I delegate everything I can because as the visionary I must be able to spend time learning and networking to grow my companies.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
SHERI: Books were extremely valuable when I had really small children and then as they got older and I was able to travel more—networking with mentors is really what helped me to grow and change my mindsets. I had to be exposed to these millionaire women to learn from them.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
SHERI: The Internet has been an amazing marketing tool for my businesses. Ninety percent of my income is generated via the Internet through my web/blog sites, the e-mail newsletters, and the teleseminars.

What tips can you give others who don’t have a lot of confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
SHERI: Seek out mentors who have done it before you and be willing to invest in their expertise. You really do get what you pay for. Joining a mastermind program is a great way to jump-start and move forward quickly. Networking in associations is of course a great way to find the support you need also.

You must start with your passion. Anyone who is successful will tell you the same thing. Passion is the fuel that keeps the entrepreneurial spirit alive. Also, people don’t spend enough time comparing the profitable business models. Some businesses just aren’t that profitable and never will be—their model won’t allow it.

I am inspired by Sheri and hope you are too. Let me know how we can support your emerging goals and dreams. Just knowing you enjoy my blog is helpful feedback. I’m here for you.

Michelle

Renee Wood, a devoted wife and mother took a chance and turned a hunch into a wildly successful business. Finding the right niche helped her accomplish three major milestones:

~ September 12, 2004 - Chicago Tribune Business Feature
~ April 19, 2005 - Appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show
~ October 24, 2006 - Awardee in the Make Mine a $Million Business, founded by Count Me In and American Express
Ok, so now that I’ve gotten your attention, who else besides Renee has felt at least once that they lack business experience? I can relate to that feeling but the difference is– Renee didn’t let it stop her. Without hesitation she confessed, “Like many entrepreneurs, I have a tendency to be controlling when it comes to running my business. Rather than hiring out or delegating job responsibilities (search engine optimization, press release writing, etc.). I read the book on each topic and figured out how to fulfill the role myself. Lack of confidence proved to be a lofty challenge. My tendency to be risk and debt averse continues to be a challenge as the business grows. In the beginning, I decided to try the ‘fake it till you make it’ approach. That didn’t last. Ultimately, I have gained authentic confidence in the accumulation of small successes.â€?

Did you encounter any personal challenges that inspired you to launch your business?
RENEE: There were several events that inspired me to launch The Comfort Company. The first is that I longed to find a way to continue my social work career in a capacity that would allow me to prioritize my role as a mother. The second is that my spouses’ industry was directly affected by the events of 9/11, and his job security was threatened. When we began to weigh our options, I realized there was a very real possibility I would have to find gainful employment. I was willing to move mountains to find a way to continue to stay at home with my children, yet still contribute to our household income.

What kind of business do you have?
RENEE: The Comfort Company is an online store specializing in the development and sale of meaningful sympathy gifts. Our mission is to help simplify the difficult task of selecting an appropriate sympathy gift. I was inspired to start this business after a family member lost her father and I struggled to find a special gift for her to remember him by. Frustrated by a lack of options, I ended up designing a pendant and writing a comforting verse to accompany the piece. Creating and giving this gift of remembrance was so fulfilling that I decided to pursue it and started my business in 2001.

As a medical social worker who was, at one time, a member of the medical team present when a patient was removed from life support, this seemed like a natural choice for me. Because I had young children at home, creating a website was the perfect option.

What is unique or special about your products that gives it an edge over your competitors?
RENEE: Every product we carry is designed to acknowledge loss rather than to minimize it. Comfort Company is unique in that we offer the largest selection of non-traditional sympathy gifts in the country.

Our largest indirect competitor is the floral industry, but we do find people who order from us are looking for a lasting alternative to flowers. We have a definite edge over our competitors because we have intentionally created custom products based on the needs of the bereaved. These products are available only on our website.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
RENEE: I had very few start-up expenses. Initially I took out a small home equity loan to cover some basic manufacturing, printing and web hosting costs. After about four months, my website began to show up in the SERPS (search engine results pages) under popular keywords such as “sympathy gifts�. This led traffic to the site, which resulted in steady sales. I have maintained a high organic ranking in the SERPS and have been profitable ever since.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
RENEE: I think you can have many mind sets and still achieve success. I have always had a positive mental attitude and felt, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.� I wanted so badly to see my business succeed that I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. Were there doubts along the way? Absolutely. But I have a secret weapon to use against doubt. I simply close my eyes and for a few moments visualize myself reaching certain professional milestones. Keeping the goal in sight—if only in my mind— was a powerful motivator to keep moving towards it.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus having a day job?
RENEE: There are so many advantages to being an entrepreneur vs. being in the traditional workplace, particularly if you are running a household on the side. The schedule is flexible, the work is rewarding and I feel I am in complete control of my destiny. I have found a way to earn an income doing something I believe in. Being an entrepreneur is challenging and at times all consuming, but borrowing from one of my favorite bible quotes, “the yoke is easy and the burden is light�.

Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
RENEE: No, but I haven’t needed financing in excess of our home equity line.

Has the media picked up on your story?
RENEE: I have been fortunate enough to experience some very influential media exposure. I was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, a front-page business feature in the Chicago Tribune, spotlighted on CLTV, interviewed on WGN radio and written about by an AP business writer. I handle my own publicity by default and have very little time to work on it. My secret to attracting the media is to simply send a sincere thank you note or email to a specific reporter letting them know how much I appreciate the story they wrote. This is how the Chicago Tribune picked up my story for a front-page business feature, which later syndicated to over 20 papers across the country. Genuine compliments have the power to open media doors.

Did you have a mentor to help you get started?
RENEE: I did not have a mentor when getting started, although I do have access to mentors now as an award winner of the Make Mine a $Million Business program.

Approximately how much money did you invest before your business became profitable?
RENEE: Less than $6,000.

How long has it been since you left your job?
RENEE: I left my traditional social work position 8 years ago after I gave birth to my third daughter. I currently spend 30-50 hours on my business depending on the season, what’s going on at home and how inspired I am to get to the office on any given day.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
RENEE: I read every business book I could get my hands on and relied heavily on internet research. Because I am also a mom running a business, I frequently turn to the Mompreneurs Online forum for advice. Ultimately, I believe the most influential resource for running a business is the School of Hard Knocks.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
RENEE: Word of mouth marketing has been my most effective tool to increase sales. I do have a small advertising budget, which I spend on exposing our products to a highly targeted audience. Grass roots publicity efforts have also produced great sales results.

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but, don’t have the confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
RENEE: Give yourself the permission and the tools you need to properly get your business off the ground. I stumbled through the start-up phase, recycling paper clips and skimping on the technology that was absolutely necessary to successfully run an online business. I couldn’t justify investing my personal time and our household money to chase a dream that I wasn’t confident would come true. One day I made the decision that I would invest up to $10,000 dollars and one year of my time to make this business happen. Once I made that commitment to myself, confidence and success naturally followed.

What would you tell someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know what they want to do, or where to begin to get their idea up and making money?
RENEE: I would tell them to take a good look at their life…what makes them happy, what do they love, what inspires them, what do they choose to spend their free time doing. Based on those answers, create a broad job description and try to narrow that description down into a product or service that serves a distinct market niche.

In nature, when you narrow the channel you strengthen the stream. The same principle can be applied to business. When you narrow your market niche, you strengthen your chances for business success.

For more inspiring stories and shortcuts to success, visit us soon. And as always tell us what you are up to and what sort of info you might be looking for.

Recently 6,000 people had their 15 minutes of fame when they pitched their novel product to QVC for Oprah’s Next Big Idea Show. If you missed that event read on because this could be the opportunity you’ve been hoping for. You can be seen, heard and get valuable feedback from the QVC Quick Product Review at an upcoming Women’s Leadership Exchange Conference. Imagine, representatives from QVC evaluating your consumer products to see if it has the potential to be sold on the shopping channel!

Women’s Leadership Exchange is the place to be if you’re a successful businesswoman looking to become spectacularly successful or want to access the wisdom of high-powered outside experts.

When I first wrote this, there were five upcoming dates in various major cities, weel Los Angeles was incredible and now there are 4 cities left:

Southern California - August 14, 2007

Dallas, TX - August 21, 2007

Northern California - September 27, 2007

New York, NY - October 30, 2007

Atlanta, GA - November 14, 2007

The Women’s Leadership Exchange is an organization with lots to offer and the conference is extraordinary. I attended last year and it totally exceeded my expectations. Yet this year the lineup looks even better and more exciting.

If you are wondering what to expect, here’s a snapshot. You’ll get two days of knowledge and connections in just one 12-hour day. The seminar offers fast business insights, educational seminars, networking and the opportunity to hear and meet top women leaders like tennis legend and social activist Billie Jean King, Sharon Allen, Chair of Deloitte and Touche; and Cathy Hughes, founder of billion dollar media company Radio One.

Speed Coaching is available to conference attendees several times throughout the day. If you decide you want to be coached you’ll be seated directly across the table from a Women’s Leadership Exchange business expert, called a “Growth Guru.� These experts are from marketing, sales, public relations, leadership, finance, communications, franchising and more. The coach listens to your question, and then provides you with five-minute nuggets of advice on your business issue.

Who Should Attend:
• Women who want to grow their businesses
• Women who have been in business for three or more years
• Women who are leading established businesses of $500,000 - $25 million in revenues
• Women who are starting a second or third company

Why You Should Attend:
• WLE is the premier conference for you to connect with the right people through guided facilitation throughout the day
• Our seminar program addresses the critical issues you need to master in order to run a successful enterprise
• You’ll learn how other business owners faced challenges and thrived
• WLE will give you a renewed sense of energy to tackle your business with a new perspective; WLE will get you “unstuck�
• Every minute of WLE is orchestrated by women business owners for women business owners

One thing to keep in mind, attending this event may provide the new skills and connections to take your business up a notch.

Oh, and don’t forget to take extra business cards, I didn’t take enough last year. LOL.

I’d love to get your feedback about this awesome event. Or, feel free to just share whatever is on your mind.

No, this isn’t a parody on Saturday Night Live. It’s more like The Apprentice meets YouTube. Next Internet Millionaire is the new kid on the competitive reality show block. But, there’s a twist. It won’t be on television. And executive producer, Joel Comm is the “Donald Trump� of the show. His claim to fame is that he was one of the first internet millionaires.

Oh, wait a minute—there’s an even bigger twist…
I was surprised to see the line-up of 6 women and 6 men competing for the gold. I haven’t done the research but the internet seems be dominated by men. My curiosity has risen a notch because I am wondering if these are token women, some of which may have been thrown in as eye candy or if any of these chicks have enough in their back pocket to win. Will this be one small step for man and a quantum leap for women? Time will tell.

Clearly, there isn’t a shortage of TV shows where people compete for a large sum of cash (sigh). So my first question for Joel Comm, even before wanting to know what this internet show is about is … why do you think people will watch the show for the next twelve weeks starting Friday, August 17?

JOEL: I can think of several reasons!

First of all, this really is a historic event. No one has attempted a competitive reality show of this magnitude for an Internet audience. When the public embraces this program, it will take more power away from the big networks and advertisers will shift more of their advertising budget to future new media-based projects. Since I am strong believer in free markets, I have to believe that this can only be good for business and consumers.

Next, unlike other reality programming, viewers actually stand to LEARN something from watching The Next Internet Millionaire! Yes, the show will be entertaining and a certain degree of drama will ensue. However, those who watch will pick up on valuable information from the teachers who appear on the program, bringing educational value as well.

Finally, the show is really about our cast members and their drive to win. Reality TV is big because it provides us with real characters that we can identify with. I believe viewers are going to enjoy watching the contestants learn and compete for the ultimate prize. After all, there is a $25,000 cash prize and a dream joint venture on the line. So who will it be? I hope you will tune in and find out!

What’s the story behind The NIM (Next Internet Millionaire)?
JOEL: Earlier this year, I surveyed the Internet marketing landscape and realized that many marketers were selling their products and services to the same people, again and again. Recognizing that the potential market is far greater, I sought to find a way to bring the online business opportunity to the masses. With the popularity of reality television and the rise of online video, I decided that an Internet reality show would provide a timely convergence of the two.

I contacted one of my previous joint venture partners, Eric Holmlund, and we set out to create the world’s first competitive Internet reality show. The goal was to raise the bar for online video by giving viewers a compelling reason to tune in to long-form weekly entertainment on the web. We know that viewers are leaving traditional television in record numbers, so the show would seek to provide an alternative for those who were turning to the Internet for their entertainment. We decided the show would have to maintain network-quality production values and a compelling storyline where viewers would not only be captivated by our cast and the competition, but also by the educational element that would introduce them to the opportunities afforded them to make money on the Internet.

How did you become an Internet Millionaire?
JOEL: I started my first website, worldvillage.com, in 1995, before the Internet was a household staple. I intended to design sites that provided a family-friendly alternative to much of the “garbage� that was available online.

In 1996, I partnered with a graduate student who had developed the foundations for a multi-player Internet game site. Allowing people from all over the world to play board and table games such as hearts, spades, chess, checkers and backgammon against each other in real time, it quickly developed a loyal following and was subsequently purchased by Yahoo! In 1997. The site is now known as Yahoo! Games, one of the world’s most popular multi-player game sites. That was my first million-dollar deal!

My company has since developed a number of popular websites, including one of the web’s first bargain-hunter shopping sites, DealofDay.com.

In 2004, I released my first ebook to immediate success and acclaim. I had discovered strategies and techniques for maximizing revenue streams with Google AdSense, Google’s contextual advertising solution for site owners. After learning how to generate $500-$1000 each day in passive income with the AdSense program, I discovered there were thousands of people who were eager to learn how to do likewise.

In 2006, my traditionally published book, “The AdSense Code,� hit the New York Times Best Seller list and has become the definitive guide on the topic.

I continue to develop new products and services designed to help small businesspeople harness the power of the Internet to build their businesses. As a result, I am often asked to speak at seminars and conferences on the subject of making money online. It is truly a blessing to be able to see the lights go on over people’s heads when they see the potential for what can be done online.

What are the chances of the average person becoming an Internet Millionaire?
JOEL: Well, I consider myself an average person! Honestly, I think it is much easier now than when I got started because people don’t have to make the same mistakes that I made. With all the resources and training materials that are now available, I think the opportunities are stronger than ever before. It really just takes someone with an entrepreneurial spirit, a creative spark and a willingness to do what needs to be done in order to achieve their goals. Most people fail because they give up to soon. Let’s face it. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. You have to be willing to take risks and believe in your dreams.

How many people competed to be one of the final 12?
JOEL: We received nearly 300 audition videos for the first round of our competition. What’s interesting about this is that some larger, well-established sites had attempted online audition submissions and several of them struggled to gather at least one hundreds auditions. So we’re pretty pleased with the number of people who were willing to make a video and throw their hat in the ring.

Is this anything like “The Apprentice�?

JOEL: I was a big fan of Trump’s show, but he really lost me last season when he had the losing team sleep outside in a tent. I really believe it was inappropriate to be treating young professionals as though they had signed up for Survivor. One look at the declining ratings would indicate that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

The Next Internet Millionaire certainly focuses on business, but it is about the NEW way of doing business. While Trump was looking to hire someone for a job, we are looking for the right joint venture partner. The winner will be someone whom I will work alongside, seeking to build a success story for them, not just for me. The world is changing, and when you compare the traditional ways of corporate America with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Internet, you discover that it’s an entirely different mindset. And it is the way of the future.

Will we be able to watch previous episodes if we miss one?
JOEL: Absolutely! There are several wonderful benefits to having a program developed purely for the Internet. First of all, we don’t have the constraints of television. That is, we don’t have to “fill� a timeslot with storyline that doesn’t advance. Each episode of The Next Internet Millionaire will be as long as it needs to be in order to tell the story.

Next, when we put an episode online each week, viewers will be able to enjoy the episode at their leisure. Just as Tivo has demonstrated that people are eager to watch what they want when they want it, the Internet allows us to cater to the “on-demand� mentality and let people decide when they want to watch the show.

Finally, we expect that new people will be tuning in with each new episode. They will be able to visit our site and start with episode one right away. It’s kind of like the way I watched season one of Lost. I waited for the DVD set and consumed the entire season in a matter of days!

Who are the contestants?

Jaime Luchuck - Toronto, Ontario
Born in Saskatchewan, Jaime grew up heavily involved in dancing, even winning the Western Canadian Championships in her age group. After high school, Jaime’s weight mysteriously plummeted to 92 pounds and doctors were unable to diagnose her. Unwilling to accept defeat, she took matters into her own hands and ended up getting well with the advice of alternative health professionals. Since that time, Jaime has pursued her dream of acting and honing her graphic design skills.

Alisande Chan - Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
From the pain and endurance of being disciplined in a martial art to waltzing in a ballroom, this semi-pro-poker player achieves her goals. Alisande has a carefree attitude that is balanced by an analytical side. Her strength lies in her ability to see the positive in all people and situations. Alisande has been in the corporate environment as well as a homemaker, and she enjoys donating her time to coordinate charitable efforts.

Christine Schaap - Rockford, Michigan
Christine is a successful author, speaker, and life transition coach. Married for over twenty years and a homeschooler for twelve years, Christine is a mother of five who has volunteered with organizations such as MOPS, Habitat for Humanity, World Relief, Special Olympics, and her local crisis pregnancy center. Her company’s goal is to inspire women to lead productive lives with passion and purpose – no matter what
their age.

Carly Taylor - Cambridge, UK
Experienced in offline and online marketing, Carly has worked for a large radio station, handled media buy and built relationships with national magazines and newspapers in a male-dominated industry. A self-described tough negotiator, Carly thrives on the buzz of a fast paced marketing environment. A practioner of yoga, martial arts and dance, Carly has a love for creative writing, poetry and philosophy.

Debbie Ducic - Pueblo, Colorado
Not one to shy away from challenges or new experiences, Debbie is an advocate for women who want to step up and take on their challenges. She is a team builder, leader, mentor, mother, risk taker, networker, teacher and a wife. With years of experience in a range of different industries, Debbie is an adventure-seeker with a compassionate heart for others.

Laura Martin - Austin, Texas
A country girl with a love for the big city, Laura is an accomplished athlete with an independant streak. Having worked with some top Internet marketers, she comes to the competition with a strong desire to learn and apply. Laura enjoys traveling, photography and outdoor activities. She is determined to make the most of this opportunity.

Jason Henderson - Lewisville, TX
Nationally certified personal trainer, actor and model, Jason is a former professional basketball player and fitness expert. An online entreprenuer of several years, Jason’s company is focused on helping people achieve better health and improved lifestyle through better posture.

Charles Trippy - Tampa, FL
As the son of a professional musician, Charles grew up surrounded by people in the rock and roll industry. A musician in his own right, Charles is a college student who has developed a love for computers, and in particular, online video. He currently maintains a popular YouTube channel with over 30,000 subscribers.

Nico Pisani - Costa Rica
A self-defined Renaissance Man, Nico is an American living in Costa Rica who has become an expert in Costa Rica travel and wildlife conservation. His diverse life experiences include interests in real estate, exports, tourism, expatriot relocation, business consulting and conservation. A former PGA of America Golf Professional and Certified Personal trainer, Nico is also an accomplished musician and video producer.

Steve Schuitt - Diamond Bar, CA
The youngest cast member, Steve reigns from Massachusetts, has lived in both Alaska and Hawaii, and now resides in California. After four years of college, Steve has recognized that there is more to life than just getting an education to get a job. His desire is to go beyond the traditional work environment and seize opportunities that can be leveraged to have a significant impact on his life and the lives of others.

Thor Schrock - Lincoln, NE
Thor is an entreprenuer with a successful computer repair company in Nebraska. His creativity has led him to create and host a weekly radio program that enjoys the highest ratings in its time slot. A dedicated husband and father, Thor is driven to succeed by helping other people succeed.

Jason Marshall - Ocean City, NJ
Committed to pouring his life into others, Jason considers his strong faith to be his most important attribute. An aspiring illusionist and amateur video producer, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and is a one-on-one aid to Petey, a young man who suffers from muscular dystrophy.

What skills did they have to learn?
JOEL: Over the course of the 12 episodes we have filmed, the contestants had the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most respected Internet marketing teachers. People like Mark Joyner, Armand Morin and Marlon Sanders spent several hours each day equipping the contestants with skills they could apply to their online business. They learned about branding, copywriting, ecommerce, online video, guerilla marketing, viral marketing, social networking sites and many more techniques and strategies that are used by those who are already making millions of dollars online.

How will you determine the winner?
JOEL: In true reality show fashion, contestants are eliminated each week based on their performance in a challenge or task. We started with twelve contestants, but with each episode, the pack is narrowed. I think viewers will enjoy seeing who can take on the challenges and come out on top.

I’ll be watching and writing more about NIM (Next Internet Millionaire) over the next few weeks. Let me know who you want to win. I’m expecting your comments.

PR maven Nancy S. Juetten says, “My husband Steve and I both run our businesses from a home office. We are able to flex our schedules around the needs of our 10-year-old son Kyle and what our clients require. When asked what he wants to do for a living when he grows up, Kyle says that he’d like to go to work in one of the family businesses. We are showing him through our example that you can do work you love for great clients, earn a good living, and live a great life. That’s powerful.

Nancy enjoys the convenience of her ten-foot commute to her office. However, she adds, “Maintaining boundaries between home and work can be challenging.�

If you are trying to make a name for yourself read on because Nancy shares her insider marketing tips that you can start using today.

What kind of business do you have?
NANCY: Nancy S. Juetten Marketing, Inc. is a boutique public relations agency based in Bellevue, Washington.

February of 2001 marked the launch of my PR business. July 2006 Media-Savvy-to-Go information products division was born.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
NANCY: I was inspired to become an entrepreneur in February of 2001 out of a desire to earn money to buy better groceries. I had grown tired of buying two boxes of generic brand wheat crackers for $.99 when I really wanted to buy one box of Nabisco Brand Wheat Thins for $2.99 a box. When my son Kyle was born in 1997, I left a lucrative marketing position to take on chief domestic officer duties at home and buy everything we needed on half the income. Now, business is booming, and I am too busy to cook.

Today, the quest for better crackers is just where my business got its start. I’ve redefined my success by the impact my guidance has on supporting the business success of others. That’s what gets me out of bed every day – to make a contribution that will be felt in a very personal way by business owners who are working very hard to earn the media attention that can catapult their businesses from obscurity to the media spotlight. They make many personal sacrifices to create, grow, and sustain winning businesses over time, and the media recognition they earn for their winning ways is highly meaningful and personal for them. I understand because I’ve traveled a similar road myself. I appreciate what it is to be seen, heard, and celebrated in my own backyard and beyond.

What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
NANCY: I am a work-in-the-trenches publicist who works with the media every day to bring great stories from obscurity into the spotlight.

How did you decide what kind of business to start and what if any personal challenges inspired you to earn extra income in your spare time?
NANCY: I’ve been fascinated by good storytelling and passionate about writing for results for as long as I can remember. At the editor for my high school’s weekly newspaper, I had a nose for news and a good gut instinct about what students wanted to read about. As I rose up the corporate ladder in a variety of marketing positions for some of the nation’s leading fast food restaurants and a leading broadcast company in Seattle, I learned a thing or two about helping customers get what they wanted quickly and affordably.

When my son Kyle was born in 1997, he gave me a good reason to reinvent my career (and with credit to Pam Slim, escape from cubicle nation). My intention was to influence others and their success through the power of words, while working from a home office. Six and a half years later – mission accomplished!

The Media-Savvy-to-Go Publicity Toolkit speaks to my very practical nature and to the results orientation of business owners everywhere. With this information people can quickly learn and apply what they need to know to earn “ink and air.�

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
NANCY: My business was profitable from the start. I did some pro bono work for a business event that was debuting in Seattle. By the end of that pro bono assignment, I had earned two new clients – including Fran Bigelow of Fran’s Chocolates Ltd. and the Seattle Office of the Tom Peters Company.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur because you are a woman?
NANCY: Connecting with others is a strength that woman share. Having come to entrepreneurship at 39 years of age, I have never been afraid to admit what I don’t know. And, I never shy away from asking the stupid questions.

Has the media picked up on your story? If so what have you done to attract the media?
NANCY: Absolutely, and it is a beautiful thing!

I landed a monthly newspaper column in the Snohomish County Business Journal that debuted in September of 2006.

The column has be