It's not none of your business

I know that aint good grammar but I'm trying to make a point. The point being your nose. Point it where it doesn't belong. I don't mean rudely question your boss by asking who that overly endowed blond was he was with at the Martinis-R-Us all you can drink buffet on Hwy 68 last Tuesday when he said he was at a leadership seminar. I mean ask a lot of questions, eavesdrop, and pay attention to what everyone around you are saying. Even if you think there is nothing of value to be gleaned by the guy from the local feed mill who is lugging your 50 lb. sack of bird seed to your car telling you all about the self-filling-semi-automatic woodpecker feeder he invented. That could be more than just a Pileated knocking--it may be opportunity. Depending on the business you are in, or hope to be in, ask yourself or better yet, ask this guy...does he need a website to promote these feeders? How about a prototype built? Radio ad? Newsletter telling potential bird lovers of this gadget's wonders? Does he need a sales rep? You get the picture. There's potential clients everywhere if you know how to sniff them out. We obtained two long-standing accounts by listening to what was being said in a general conversation then sticking our noses in their business. One instance was a woman complaining how she was stuck creating seminar flyers herself for her business education organization and didn't have the time to devote to it. I literally followed her out of the store we were both in and asked her if she really wanted to keep doing them herself or if she would like us to take it off her hands. She didn't so we did! What was even better is she didn't have to hassle with trying to find someone to do it. That someone was standing right in front of her in the grocery store parking lot, risking melted ice cream and defrosted pot pies to help her business.

NEXT TIME: I Want You to Want Me ...not a Cheap Trick.

Work as much as you want or as much as you want

Sorry everyone, but I've been laid low with with the creeping crud to do much updating lately. But the beauty of running your own business and being your own boss is that you get to work anyway! You can try calling in but you'll just get your own voicemail and have to listen to it when you drag yourself to work, Kleenex (or TP in my case) in your sweaty little fist. I did however have the advantage of laying on the couch for awhile indulging in Golden Girls and Frazier reruns until the ads sent me running and screaming back to the office. Office being an ad agency. Go figure.
I mentioned in the last post about the advantage of being nosy. Maybe that's how I caught this cold. I'll elaborate when I recover next week!

Too busy running my own business to post

That's right. This is a blog in progress. And Madsen Ink seems to always be progressing. Why? Because we stop, think, and eavesdrop. Why is it important to put your ear to the ground? That's where all the business is. More than you can imagine. Yes, even in "today's economy." More so. As our new Prez sez "Yes we can!"...(he stole that from us as we did a campaign recently using almost that same slogan for a company whose bottom line keeps growing, but that's ok). You CAN work for yourself, and you can start your own business. More on listening in and being nosy, next post.

Think Before You Stink

Are you really good at what you do? I mean really good. No matter if your business focus is dentistry (in which case, PLEASE, be good, especially if I'm sitting slack-jawed in your chair), or if you are a farmers market stand owner (same there, don't sell me a rock hard kumquat, lest I bust my tooth and end up in aforementioned dentist chair). In other words, don't stink at your vocation or you will get nowhere. I know that sounds pretty obvious but it's often overlooked. Have you seen some people's attempt at business pursuits? Just because you like to do it doesn't mean that what you have to offer will be popular or sought after. But of course even if your idea seems to stink to some people does not mean it won't sell, or your business is not viable. Take for instance Precious Moments figurines. WHY WHY WHY? But they sell. My point is, yes, believe in yourself and do what you love, but make sure others love what you do and believe in you as well...as in customers. Not your mom or your boyfriend. Unless they have a lot of money to spend, in which case bring on the macaroni macrame and have at it.
How do you know people will want your product or services? History. And have history repeat itself over and over before you take the plunge to self-employment. When both my husband and I worked for others, people sought us out for our particular talents at our respective jobs. Customers of the companies we worked for wanted us for what we could do for them that no one else could. And what our companies (a screen printer and a newspaper with a printing department) could not offer if we were not there. When we left our jobs, many of those people followed. We didn't steal them. They came of their own accord because what we had to offer was what they wanted. How did we know what they wanted? We paid attention. We listened outside the box. We kicked the box out of the way. We drove our Subaru over the box, looked back at its squashed remains, and laughed.

Next installment: Stop, think...eavesdrop

Welcome to MadsenInk Thinks

After nearly 20 years of working for a small town Midwestern newspaper, surviving the good, bad and the ugly when it came to bosses and co-workers, enduring cockroaches crawling on my pica ruler (the newspaper building was rather a hovel), not to mention the lousy pay--the day came when I thought--there has to be something better than this. I want to run my own business and work for myself!

That day was my third day on the job.

But never one to make a hasty decision, I persevered for 19 more years working for someone else. And I'm glad I did.

If I had bailed when I wanted to--and I wanted to more times than I could count cockroaches--I would not have a successful advertising agency (which I run with my husband--more on that in future posts) today. I would not have the lifelong friends and mentors I treasure. Nor would I have had all the invaluable on-the-job-training I received during a technological time period that went from big blue Compugraphics, whose size rivaled a fish house, to virtual layout, design and communication on computers whose size rivals a pack of Dentyne gum.

What I'm saying is before you take that leap to self-employment there are things you have to know. Things no one else will tell you. Until now.