SCORE Support

This morning Lisa and I met with two individuals from an organization called SCORE. SCORE (http://www.score.org/) is a national nonprofit organization set up to counsel and provide free advice for small businesses. We contacted them because while we’re doing well we know that we don’t always have the answers and the advice is totally free!

The two individuals who came to meet with us were both entrepreneurs themselves and both brought something unique to the table. One was an expert in cash flow management, the other a female business owner who sympathized in the struggles of starting a business in a male-dominated world.

Not only did we walk away with fantastic advice and new resources, we found the support of other entrepreneurs and cheerleaders for Red Shoes PR. There are great resources all around for entrepreneurs and reaching out to contact them only takes a little bit of time. In addition, never underestimate the power and knowledge of your networks. We have had a lot of great supporters along the way including all of our contacts on Twitter.

Poker or Russian Roulette?

Last week Lisa and I met with one of our business advisors and supporters. We talked about planning for 2009. We’ll probably need to hire another account executive, which will mean we’ll need a larger office, more computers and more furniture. Besides feeling like every time we turn around we’re dishing out more cash, this conversation really made me think of a game of cards. Forgive me, I don’t play cards so I don’t know which game this is like, but something that’s based on timing.

We will always walk a fine line between pulling the trigger to make a new hire and being hired by a new client. You need to be very strategic with the timing. It’s near impossible to land the next client without adequate staff, but it’s just as hard hiring a new staff member when you don’t have the client load to pay the new staff member.

Is this closer to a game of poker or Russian roulette? It’s all about timing but is it strategy or luck? I suppose it’s a little bit of both and I’m sure you learn more each time you need to pull the trigger. Some of the decisions are probably more painful than others. You just hope timing and luck are on your side as you determine your strategy.

Hello my name is…

this was right after we started the business

I’ll take a minute to introduce myself. My name, as of March 8, 2008 is Jess Dennis, formerly Jess Lang. My husband John and I were happily married in March surrounded by our friends and family on a snowy Wisconsin day. It was gorgeous! Our marriage helped legitimize our relationship which already consisted of a house (purchased in July 2007) a cat named Oliver and a dog named Kahlo. We did things a little backwards, but it worked for us and that’s all that mattered (sorry dad). Anyway, we spent a great week in St. Lucia for the honeymoon and about two great months as husband and wife when I threw a wrench in the whole thing and started a business.

On May 8, 2008 my business partner and I started a public relations agency called Red Shoes PR. My business partner, Lisa and I worked together at a “full-service” marketing firm when we decided to break off and focus solely on PR. As you can imagine it wasn’t an easy transition but it was one that made me stronger and one I will never forget.

So far the business is going great and with the economy where it’s at I’m happy to have more control of my future. I plan to use this blog to record what owning a business at 26 feels like and everything I learn (probably the hard way). I’ll tell you already I’m not at all the same person I was in May before I owned the business and I know I won’t be on my one year wedding anniversary. Everything in the middle I plan to share and hopefully help others that might be contemplating taking the next step. Please check back often as I will be posting at least a couple times per week (things move fast and I don’t want to forget the details).