Funding a Business

How Much Money Do I Need to Raise?

In our Funding a Business Course, we look at how to assess whether you are ready to raise money for...

Funding a Business

What Funders Want to Fund

We often hear new entrepreneurs say, “I need to raise money so I can quit my job and work full-time...

Funding a Business

Are You Ready to Raise Money for Your Business?

When we interview entrepreneurs for our entrepreneurship education and advising programs, we ask them about their biggest challenge in starting...

Business Planning

Guide to Getting Started on Your Business’ Financial Forecast

Many entrepreneurs struggle to put together the numbers, or financial forecast, for their business. However, understanding your business’ financial outlook...

Building Capacity

How to Create an Annual Strategic Plan

It’s time to start thinking about how you will grow your business in the upcoming year. We’ve discussed the benefits...

Building Capacity

Start the Year Off by Organizing Your Business

Happy New Year! The beginning of the year is a great time to get organized in your business and prepare...

Thinking Holistically

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Business

As a business owner, the beginning of the year is an exciting time. It brings an opportunity to reflect on...

Building Capacity

Why Your Business Needs an Annual Strategic Plan

Running a business is hectic. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day operations, and then find you have...

Thinking Holistically

Are You Ready to be CEO of Your Startup?

We’ve been working on a number of strategies that require us to name a CEO. That got me thinking about...

Business Planning

Common Business Plan Mistakes to Avoid

Writing a business plan is an important part of your entrepreneurial journey. In our experience, it’s also one of the...

Thinking Holistically

The Hidden Benefits of Asking for Support

For many entrepreneurs, the idea of asking for support brings up all sorts of fears and anxieties. We’re worried that...

Building Capacity

Reduce Your Stress with These Tips for Managing Your Business’ Cash Flow

We’ve shared how to analyze your business’ cash flow.  Since this is such an important topic for business owners, we...

Funding a Business

How to Create Your
Elevator Pitch

If you’re not familiar with the concept of an elevator pitch, it’s an overview of you and your business or...

Building Capacity

How to Follow Up with Customer Leads

You’ve received the name and contact information of someone who could be a potential customer. Now, how do you begin...

Thinking Holistically

Managing Your Mental Health as a Business Owner

Last week, we looked at some warning signs that might indicate that your business might be affecting your mental health....

Thinking Holistically

Is Your Business Affecting Your Mental Health?

As we’ve written about in the past, starting and growing your own business is an emotional rollercoaster. Navigating those highs...

Getting Started

What to Do If Your Business Idea Already Exists

You had an “a-ha” moment when you came up with an amazing idea for a business. You quickly looked it...

Getting Started

Why You Should Share Your Business Idea

We often see new entrepreneurs hold on tight to their business ideas for fear that someone might steal them. This...

Business Planning

Is a Business Plan Necessary?

It seems that every businessperson has an opinion on whether a small business or startup founder should write a business...

Thinking Holistically

Embrace Your Vulnerability as an Entrepreneur

Some years ago, I told a business partner that I didn’t want to be a CEO. I was terrified of...

Thinking Holistically

Overcoming Perfectionism in Your Business

This week, we’re continuing to look at the ways that entrepreneurs frequently sabotage their businesses, specifically letting perfectionism take over. Perfectionism...

Thinking Holistically

How to Take Back Your Power in Business

In a previous blog post, we looked at the ways that entrepreneurs frequently sabotage their businesses. One of those ways...

Thinking Holistically

How to Prevent Decision Fatigue in Your Business

Last week, we discussed how decision fatigue can show up and affect your business. This week, we’re sharing some tips...

Thinking Holistically

Fall in Love with Your Business…Again

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I’ve been thinking about love and business. More specifically, falling in love...

Getting Started

How to Prepare Your Personal Finances for Business Ownership

We’ve discussed the importance of preparing yourself financially for business ownership. This week we’re sharing some tips on how to...

Thinking Holistically

Are You Cut Out to Be an Entrepreneur?

We are often asked, “Do you think everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur?” It is a thoughtful question on...

Getting Started

Is Your Business Idea the Right One?

As an entrepreneurial person, you probably have no shortage of business ideas.  It’s not difficult to come up with potentially...

Getting Started

How to Choose an Entrepreneurship Program

You recognize that you and your business could benefit from joining an entrepreneurship program. But, there are so many programs...

Business Planning

Tips for Making Better Business Decisions

As a business owner, you are faced with many opportunities and decisions that can affect your business’ strategic direction. It...

Business Planning

The Right Time to Write Your First Business Plan

Writing your first business plan is an important step in starting your business. Your business plan is your roadmap for...

Business Planning

Tips for Pricing Your Product or Service

For many entrepreneurs, setting a price for your product or service can feel intimidating. Your ability to attract customers, generate...

Getting Started

Is Starting a Business Right for Me?

If you’ve ever considered starting your own business, you may have wondered if that’s the right thing for you to...

Business Planning

What to Pay Myself as a Business Owner?

When we look at forecasting business expenses, we always get asked “When is the right time to start paying myself...

Thinking Holistically

Ways to Say “No” Without Hurting Your Business

In our previous blog post about setting boundaries in your business, we started the conversation about why it’s important to...

Thinking Holistically

How to Prepare Your Business for Your Vacation

As a business owner, it’s hard to find the time to take a vacation. Even if you are able to...

Thinking Holistically

Navigating the Emotional Rollercoaster of Starting a Business

If you’ve ever taken the leap of starting your own business, you’ve likely experienced an emotional rollercoaster. Your business seems...

Building Capacity

Responding to a Client that Says You Charge Too Much

I was reflecting on a past experience of tabling at an event for entrepreneurs and organizations that serve entrepreneurs in...

Thinking Holistically

Why Entrepreneurs Need Mentors

As a freelancer, small business owner, or startup founder, you may be the only person working on your business. And,...

Thinking Holistically

Are You Sabotaging Your Business?

As entrepreneurs, we start our journeys with great intentions and aspirations. But as we realize how much goes into building...

Thinking Holistically

Setting Boundaries in Your Business

As business owners, we often don’t set boundaries for fear of losing existing clients or not being able to find...

Business Planning

Can’t I Just Hire Someone to Write My Business Plan?

We often hear people ask “Can’t I just hire someone to write my business plan for me?” Writing a business...

Getting Started

Should I Join an Entrepreneurship Program?

This is the year you’re ready to start your own business. And you’re trying to decide whether you should join...

Freelancing

How to Respond to “Can I Pick Your Brain?”

As a freelancer or business owner, you may have been asked on more than one occasion, “Can I pick your...

Getting Started

Starting a Business?
Prepare Yourself Financially

You’re looking to start a business. You have a great idea. You are starting to evaluate the feasibility of your...

Getting Started

The Power of Entrepreneurs Right Now

Anyone who has been keeping up with the news knows that we are living in a new era, with a...

Business Retention

Surviving the First Five Years

This year, we turned five! Like it was yesterday, we remember that feeling we had when we unveiled our website...

Entrepreneurial Journey

From Trunk to Store: Chris McMichael, Threadz Culture + Fashion

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris McMichael, co-founder of Threadz Culture + Fashion. Threadz is an urban...

Thinking Holistically

Stop Procrastinating and Get Down to Business

This week, we’re continuing to look at the ways that entrepreneurs frequently sabotage their businesses. One of those ways is...

Entrepreneurial Journey

A Modern Lemonade Stand: Vicktor Stevenson, Gourmonade

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vicktor Stevenson, founder of Gourmonade. Gourmonade is a San Francisco-based gourmet lemonade...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Creating Things for Everyday Use: Geana Sieburger, GDS Cloth Goods

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Geana Sieburger, founder of GDS Cloth Goods. GDS Cloth Goods is an...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Building Family Teams: Joy Colino, Nannies Plus

This week, I had the honor of interviewing Joy Colino, founder of Nannies Plus. Nannies Plus creates authentic and impactful...

Building Capacity

How to Measure the Success of Your Strategic Plan

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been writing about the benefits of having an annual strategic plan and how...

Thinking Holistically

A Moment to Say Thank You
to Our Community

With Thanksgiving this week, I’m taking some time to reflect on my entrepreneurial journey and the many reasons I am...

Thinking Holistically

Where to Find Business Mentors

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about why entrepreneurs need mentors. From that post, several people contacted me asking...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Showing Off Oakland by Bike: Rehema Allen, This Is Oakland Bike Tours

This week, I had the honor of interviewing Rehema Allen, founder of This Is Oakland Bike Tours. This Is Oakland...

Thinking Holistically

Fighting Hate Through Business

In the wake of Charlottesville, many top business executives have begun to stand up and publicly condemn hate by resigning...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Supporting Black-Owned Businesses: YaVette Holts of BAOBOB

August is Black Business Month. And, this week we had the honor of interviewing YaVette Holts, founder of BAOBOB –...

Business Planning

Guide to Analyzing Your Business’ Cash Flow

When I was an investment banker, I went through extensive training on how to analyze the health of a business’...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Healing Her Community: Daisy Ozim, Resilient Wellness

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Daisy Ozim, founder of Resilient Wellness, an innovative, cooperatively-owned healthcare system designed...

Freelancing

Guide to Creating a
Self-Employed Budget

Being self-employed has its perks, including flexibility in your work schedule and the ability to work with the clients you...

Thinking Holistically

Manage Energy, Not Time

Late last week, I came down with a cold. For me, colds never come at the right time. It’s always...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Growing from Freelancer to Cooperative: Aaron Joseph, Identafire

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aaron Joseph, freelance web designer and developer. In this interview, Aaron shares...

Thinking Holistically

Working for Yourself Doesn’t Have to be Lonely

You’re working for yourself.  You get to work from home. Work with clients you choose.  Work on projects you enjoy. ...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Delivering to Her Community, April Fenall of Piikup

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing April Fenall, founder and CEO of Piikup, delivery services for businesses and...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Supporting Local Bookstores: Hannah Onstad, H2O Content Strategy & LOAKL

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Onstad, freelance content strategist at H2O Content Strategy and founder of...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Creating a Business on Holistic Principles: Nubian Flunder, The Healing Place Apothecary

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nubian Flunder, founder & CEO of The Healing Place Apothecary, an Oakland-based...

Entrepreneurial Journey

Following Her Passion: Ariana Marbley, Esscents of Flowers

This week, I’m excited to roll out a new feature on our blog. Every other week we will tell the...

Thinking Holistically

Create Relationships, Not Just Transactions

Since Valentine’s Day is this week, I’ve been thinking about love, relationships and business. You may ask “What do love...