At 25, Rossana Llenado founded AHEAD Learning Systems, Inc., the Philippines’ pioneer in Test-Based Review programs for college entrance exams. Today, the company continues to grow through distinct service brands: AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center, AHEAD Books & Things, AHEAD Professional Network, and most recently AHEAD Interactive, which brings AHEAD’s tutorial services to the rest of the world via a dynamic proprietary video conferencing platform. Rossana shared her experiences in starting and growing her business via a Q&A.

What makes your business unique?

It is unique in several ways:

• It addresses practically all learning needs: we cater to preschoolers, grade school and high school students, college students, and even professionals and those pursuing post-graduate studies.
• We bring students and teachers, who are continents apart, face-to-face via a proprietary internet-based video platform. (Other online tutorial services use only instant messaging and rely on public platforms. We have not found any other service provider that offers live video tutorials.)
• We screen only the top graduates of internationally recognized universities as teachers. When they’ve passed our screening process, we hire and intensively train them. During online tutorials, our teachers are at our centers; they do not log-on from their homes or other locations.
• We customize sessions according to the specific needs of the learner. Students receive the undivided attention of their tutor the entire session.

What decisions have best enabled your company to endure the current economy (and excel)?

We have created added value for our services without raising our fees. We started offering mind mapping and speed reading sessions with our tutorial and review programs for no extra cost. Every year, we try to find other ways to enhance our programs with value-added service. This strategy has worked well for us because our clients find our programs worth their money.

They do not think twice about spending their hard-earned money on our courses, even during the toughest economic conditions.

What most influenced you to launch your business?

Ever since I wrote a speech for a government official when I was in college, I’ve dreamed of making a contribution in the field of education. Having come from a very poor family yet having had the opportunity to get the best public education, I realized early on how powerful an equalizer education could be. With the right education, children of disadvantaged families grow up to be leaders, inventors, lawmakers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

I believe teachers are heroes. They have the power to influence and inspire. I’ve made it my mission to find exceptionally intelligent people and convince them to share what they know with others.

Many of our teachers have successful careers in medicine, law, engineering, and other fields but they make time to teach at our centers because this is their passion. It has been a very fulfilling 15 years; changing lives, leading people to the vocation of teaching, and helping shape the future.

What key strategic and operational tactics helped your business first get started?

From the start, we positioned tutorial and review services as competitive tools for high achievers. We changed the then-prevailing notion that such services are for flunking students. We highlighted the achievement of our students and made them proud to be excelling with our help.

We pioneered Test-Based Reviews for college entrance tests of the Philippines’ top three universities and created an entire industry out of it. Our online interactive program is just an extension of our ongoing commitment to assist as many students and professionals as we can.

What failure or missed benchmark proved a good business lesson (and why)?

There was a time when we tried to lower our prices for college entrance review programs since many of our competitors offered theirs for very low rates. This made our clients think we had cut down on our program features. Ironically, our staff found it harder to explain the lowered prices.

We realized that our service had become a status symbol for many of our clients and that they had certain expectations when it came to price. We went back to offering premium rates and have learned to apply more creative packaging techniques.

Do you use social media for your business? How? If not, why not?

We’ve been using social media quite extensively for the past year or so.  Our company Facebook fan page has over 10,000 fans, while our service-specific Facebook accounts have a total of over 6,000 selected students. We also maintain several blogs to engage students, parents, and professionals. These have a consistent following.

Where do you envision your business in (5) years?

With the expected demand for online tutorials, we foresee a huge need for qualified Filipino tutors. We will be able to open employment opportunities not just for licensed teachers but for other professionals who have mastery of specific subjects and who have a passion for teaching.

We have been studying the competition for nearly a year now and we are certain we can give better service. First, we are the only company to provide live video sessions for all programs. We simulate actual face-to-face lessons as our tutors give their full attention to each student they handle. Through the technology we are using, students and tutors can solve math problems together; show each other their computations and notes; study reading materials online; and exchange resources with each other. Ours is a fully interactive system.

Image of Rossana Llenado used with permission

Libby Wagner, Libby Wagner & Associates, is one of only a handful of published poets regularly welcomed into the boardroom. Author of the new book The Influencing Option: The Art of Building a Profit Culture in Business (Global Professional Publishing), she has been labeled The Influencing Coach™ by her clients. Her expertise in leadership, strategy, management, and executive team development helps organizations create environments where clarity and increased trust lead to unrivaled results, shaping such Fortune 500 cultures as Boeing, Nike, Philips and Costco.

What makes your business unique?

I think working with me, specifically, is probably more unique than my business itself. Because my background is non-traditional for a business consultant, it offers me a different perspective and approach. This blog article gives some highlights. I work primarily with leaders, companies and teams to help them create “Profit Cultures,” which are in essence cultures of abundance. There’s more than enough … profits, innovation, great employees, good communication, etc. I’ve never worked with a team I didn’t help get better.

What decisions have best enabled your company to endure the current economy (and excel)?

Certainly to diversify my offerings, appeal to clients and buyers on different levels, i.e. the retail sector (they purchase directly from me in terms of products, coaching, classes, etc.) or the wholesale sector (organizational projects that have an exponential impact).

Also, working to empower my clients to create significant change after our engagement, thus maximizing their ROI. For example, we might finish a strategy or team development project, and they have the option to purchase a follow-up option I call the “accountability audit,” where I come back to visit once every six months for 2 years. That increases the probability that their changes will be long-term, rather than short term or “flavor of the month.”

I have also offered incentives and discounts for full-fee, up-front payments.

What most influenced you to launch your business?

I left my tenured position as a college professor after I lost my sister to breast cancer. It was a transformative time where I asked myself what was important to me, how I wanted to create an impact and a legacy for my work.

I really want to change the world, one conversation at a time, and in business, those conversations take many forms: a compelling vision, a highly functioning executive team, one-one conversations between peers and employees/supervisors, the conversations we have with our clients and our communities.

What key strategic and operational tactics helped your business first
 get started?

I got a good mentor and joined a community of the best consultants in the world. If I hadn’t done that, there’s no way I’d be as successful or happy in my work now.

What failure or missed benchmark proved a good business lesson?

I don’t get every proposal. Most of the ones that fail are really an opportunity to focus my energy elsewhere. There are some clients who really won’t be the perfect client for me, so I move on.

When I began using subcontractors in larger projects, this allowed me to have greater scope and reach. I didn’t do my research about what might be a reasonable and fair fee to pay, and I paid too much, thus eroding my profit margin and not really impacting my workload as I’d liked. I had to re-start and revise.

That was painful since I’d set precedence, but we’re on track now and my team feels great to me.

Do you use social media for your business? How? If not, why not?

Yes, blog, FaceBook and Twitter … however, it’s mostly to create marketing gravity, and I can’t say specifically how my current practice has significantly impacted my business. My business is relationship based, and fueled primarily by referrals.

Where do you envision your business in (5) years?

I think we will continue to expand and grow in the training and development areas, creating long-term relationships with clients who want to equip their employees with practical skills that work.

I also think that I will continue to work with high-level leaders and teams, improving performance, effectiveness and job happiness. I would enjoy (and have set the intention) of increasing my speaking business so that I can help and interact with more people on a broader scale.

I’ll write more books so that an even broader audience will have access to my work, philosophy and teachings.

Ed: check out Libby’s recent articles for Women Grow Business on creating a success mindset and articulating your vision as a leader.

From “Ouch” to “Eureka!”

Rebecca Savich‘s unique product – the Adjustable Breast Comfort System (ABC System) - was inspired by a spa visit with her mother who, rather than enjoying a relaxing massage, experienced incredible discomfort and pain in her breasts while lying face down on the massage table.

“I, too, always had this problem. The best they could do would be to roll up or fold towels to prop me up. Sure it was something, but still far from comfortable for me and awkward for the therapist.”

Sound familiar, ladies? Well, rather than put up with the discomfort, Rebecca turned her spark of genius into a successful business. She’s shipped tables to Italy, Korea and Canada in addition to sales across the US. Rebecca has been working with and endorsed by Lama Amin, massage therapist for celebrity clientele including Mariah Carey, Rihanna, P. Diddy, Serena Williams, LeBron James and Magic Johnson.

Here’s how Rebecca has made it happen, with a recap of my Q&A with her below.

What is it?

“The ABC system is an adjustable, cushioned platform built within the massage table that rises up or down to accommodate breast comfort and advanced massage techniques. The tables are multi-functional. When the platform is raised above the table, it acts as a headrest.

“If you move the client further up the table with the back of the head placed in the face rest, you can raise the client’s upper back above the table for a chest stretch and advanced shoulder work. (Men love this, by the way.)

“Then, there’s the ability to lower the platform that women love, since it allows women with breasts of all sizes to rest comfortably.”

When did you know you had a unique concept and marketable idea?

“I went to many spas and Chiropractic offices to see what they offered, researched online, even went to Hawaii to get a massage at the famed Halekulani Spa. They did what everyone else did: roll up towels! I knew then and there that I was going to bring something new and revolutionary to the world of massage.”

“The only massage tables designed to accommodate breasts on the market at the time,were tables with cut-outs for breasts. The cutouts were one size, and you would have to separate your breasts and stuff them into these holes. I knew right away that this had to have been created by a man.” (When Rebecca looked up the patent, she found she was right.)

What are your tips on finding and choosing a manufacturer for a product?

• Research! Online and by making calls.
• Find out who you need to speak with and call until you get their attention (tactfully).
• Be careful; don’t just sign away your patent/or product.
• Lease your idea if you can. This way you still have some control and a way to release yourself from the contract if you or your product is being treated with the respect.

What has been your biggest challenge?

“Honestly, creating it was easy for me. I drew many designs and imagined how I would feel lying on the table. That part was fun.

“Finding and working with engineers was challenging. The biggest challenge was knowing who to trust…”

“In my case, I asked my patent attorney for suggestions. I interviewed a few firms and went with the engineering firm that I felt most  comfortable with. (After all, every discussion we had was about breasts!)  The engineers were great guys and we worked well together but I have to caution anyone going down this route.

“Quite often, as in my case, my engineers would try to put unnecessary ‘add ons’ to my idea that really had nothing to do with what I had asked for. This of course adds to the bill and engineers are expensive! Be sure to have them contact you before they decide to venture off exact designs.”

What surprises you most about ABC ?

“… That chiropractors, acupuncturists, and physical therapists use these tables too. Rehabilitation is so important, and knowing that people are using my table for all around benefits puts me in awe every day.”

How did your women’s intuition help you?

I knew that this would be big, yet I was fought by engineers. Others said that there was no need for this product.

“When I asked myself why such a simple concept hadn’t been executed before, it dawned on me: they were all men. So despite the naysayers, I stuck to my guns, and after things started to fall into place they ALL ‘got it.’

“If you really know you have something to offer, stick to your guns (and your gut feeling).”

What’s next?

“There are two tables available now, a portable and a fully electric/hydraulic lift table, but soon there will be more, including medical tables. I hope to see the ABC system in trauma tables in the next year or two.”

Also, Rebecca is planning a line of organic massage oils, lotions, cremes and gels.

Can you share two tips you wish you’d had when you were starting out?

First, I wish I’d known how expensive it was going to be. Be careful, because there will always be surprise expenses.

Second, I didn’t realize how much work it was going to be, but I love it all and as they say, ‘If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life!’ ”

More from Women Grow Business:

• 5 reasons to love doing business online, also by Rebecca
• ACTiVATE trains women entrepreneurs in tech commercialization, a guest post by Donna Vincent Roa
• Two Great Motivators: Adversity and Change, a guest post by Elizabeth Perelstein

Images courtesy Rebecca Savich, used with permission

Rebecca Malik is president of contemporary furniture ecommerce business 17th and Riggs. She thrives on beautiful home design and explores related conversation at her blog The View from 17th and Riggs. Rebecca would love to hear from you on her blog or via Twitter.

The timing of my interview with Victoria Livschitz couldn’t have been more perfect.

Just a few days before our scheduled interview, a national study revealed that women still make 80% less than men in the workplace. One of the factors discussed as part of this assessment was that women do not to go into high income fields like science and technology.

“I definitely don’t think that’s the case,” said Victoria.

Victoria is the CEO of Grid Dynamics, a consulting company that provides  technological consulting services to companies in the technology and retail sectors. It generates millions of dollars each year, and employs 150 people worldwide.

“More women are pursuing careers in technology fields, and are taking more senior roles with these companies,” she says. “We are also seeing a growing interest in math and science among the younger generations.”

Role model

A student of mathematics, computer science and engineering, Victoria is not only a role model for women entrepreneurs, but for women aspiring to pursue careers in a fields which have been male dominated.

She launched Grid Dynamics in 2006 at the age of 35 as a two-person shop with four engineers contracted from Russia (Victoria’s birthplace).

“It wasn’t a question of if’; it was a question of when,” she said.

With a strong vision combined with realistic business plan and support network, Victoria continued on a path towards building a successful company.

“Putting together a business plan and building a network were only part of the early stages of starting Grid Dynamics,” says Victoria.

“Gathering the right team and funding were by far the key components for successfully launching the company.”

The company grew one client at a time. And today, Grid Dynamics client list includes EBay, Macys.com, Microsoft Corporation and a number of Wall Street firms. Though it is headquartered in Silicon Valley, Grid Dynamics also has offices in New York, Moscow and Saratov, Russia.

Attitude matters

While the growth of Grid Dynamics is extremely impressive, it was by far Victoria’s attitude and drive that caught my eye.

Victoria’s rules to building a successful company are ones that other women entrepreneurs should consider (whether their dreams are to launch a one person shop or one that employees talented people to get the job done).

Victoria’s Top Five Rules are:

Make sure you have a clear vision.

You cannot succeed without having a clear and compelling idea of what the world needs to make somebody life’s better.

Create an execution plan.

You need to know if you can meet that need. You need to be pragmatic.

Relationships are key.

Companies do business with companies but it’s people who are making the decisions.

Strong leadership skills are a necessity.

You have to be somebody that people want to follow.

You must be fiscally responsible.

You have to pace the growth your business in an organic and meaningful way.

Make the right decisions to invest and know when you need to slow down.

In today’s competitive world, women are not only making a footprint in male-dominated fields, but are indeed breaking the glass ceiling.

Just look at Victoria Livschitz.

More from Women Grow Business:

• Dea Surjadi interviewed Crystal Gentilello as part of our Young Entrepreneurs series
• Sharon Armstrong spoke to Patricia Frame on performance management and authorship
• Shonali Burke’s conversation with Lynn Tilton aka the Rock Star Boss

Image © Victoria Livschitz, used with permission

Sherrie Bakshi is communications maven at Matrix Group, and co-founder of Stylee PR & Marketing, which is now run and managed by co-founder Vladia Jurcova Spencer. Sherrie’s 10+ years of experience encompass everything from traditional media relations to effective social networking and online strategies. She is a volunteer and committee member for The Reading Connection, which helps at-risk families throughout the DC Metro area create environments that encourage family reading. When not working or volunteering, Sherrie enjoys spending time with her dog, Nikki.

Crystal Gentilello is the founder and editor in chief of Rue magazine, a digital magazine focusing on home entertaining and interior design. At 27, Gentilello launched the magazine of her “dream” in the Fall 2010 with executive editor Anne Sage of The City Sage. She refers to social media as a “powerful tool” that helps build her network and the branding of the magazine. She has been blogging for Plush Palate since 2008.

Tell me the story behind Rue. How did it get started and what inspired you? Most importantly, what made you decide to take a leap and publish your own magazine?

The idea for Rue happened last April on my 27th birthday. I had one those epiphanal moments where I thought to myself, “It’s time I take my passion to the next level!”

The magazine came to me as the perfect way to do that by marrying my two loves: magazines and interior design. I’ve always been one to lead with my instincts so once I had that in my mind, there was no stopping me.

Admittedly, I had no idea at the time that it would involve as much work as it has required, but I’m lucky in that I love the challenge and have an amazing team around me!

When taking a leap, it’s important to really think out your long-term business plan first. Make sure you’re making calculated risks, not crazy ones.

Have you always been interested in design and home decor? Tell me a little bit about your background.

I’ve always loved interior design, I just never really articulated that to myself growing up nor did it dawn on me that it could be a career.

That realization only happened about two years ago when I started my design blog, Plush Palate. That was my way of exploring the passion that had always been inside me but with no real outlet to develop it. The more I got immersed in the design community, the more I became enamored with interiors. Soon enough, I just knew design had to be part of my career.

Another lifelong love of mine has been writing. I was an English major in college and after graduating I pursued that track and did editorial work in Rome for two years Then I worked for a big trade publisher when I got back to the States and before starting Rue.

Upon starting Rue, it seems like you really see the value of a great network. Is this something that you have cultivated over time or did you just happen to be lucky being surrounded by such talent?

My network is something I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate over time. As my design blog grew, I started to come into contact with more and more industry people and designers via various events and online communities.

When starting Rue, they were the first ones I reached out to for support and many of them either contributed to the magazine or were featured in the premiere.

My cofounder, Anne Sage, had also built a strong network through her own blog, The City Sage, so together we pulled our resources and went from there.

We think of Rue as a community effort and we’re so fortunate to have the contributions, love, and support of so many.

What were the very first things you did after gathering your team of support and talent? Anything you found most challenging?

It all happened so fast, sometimes I can’t even remember! The first thing we did was start contacting people we wanted to feature in the magazine and book photo shoots with them.

Simultaneously, I was working on the business side of starting the magazine (getting a business license, accounting software, advice from people I looked up to and trusted, etc.).

Then after all the shoots were wrapped we started writing the stories, and pulling together all the loose ends like product round-ups, etc.

Looking back on it now, it all feels like such a whirlwind – I don’t know how we kept the pace we did! I guess that’s when passion and adrenaline kick in. We’re much more of a well oiled machine now, even just two issues in.

What differentiates Rue from other up-and-coming home decor publications? And also, why a digital magazine over print?

I believe one of our strengths as a magazine derives from the fact that a core value of ours is community.

We play close attention to the feedback we get from our readers, engage in online design conversations via our blog, Facebook and Twitter, and look forward to nothing more than going out and meeting our readers at events and conference.

We also have a lot of fun with our editorial and enjoy having a few highly stylized features (i.e. “Jingle Girl Rock” in the second issue), which readers have responded to really well.

“Why digital?”

We love our online platform because it provides a very interactive experience for Rue readers. In addition to the magazine itself, we also provide click through links to shopping sites, behind the scenes videos from shoots, playlists to go along with our entertaining features, and printable stationery you can download.

In short, we hope Rue is an “experience” beyond just a magazine.

As a new magazine, it seems like it is crucial to make your brand stands out from the crowd. How exactly are you doing this? Any marketing/public relations strategies that have worked for you?

We’re so honored to be part of such a vibrant community when it comes to shelter publications. We’re big fans and supporters of so many of the magazines out there, but don’t really get bogged down by trying to stand out from the crowd.

Instead, we focus on bringing the best magazine we can to our readers. At the end of the day, we compete only with ourselves and strive to make each issue more inspiring and beautiful than the last.

When you have a strong belief in your team and in your product (the magazine) matched with a lot of hard work, the brand naturally sustains itself.

It terms of marketing and public relations strategies, we approach both by asking ourselves, “What partnerships can we cultivate that will best support our partners, the community, and our readers?” When you strive for a win on all sides, you really can’t go wrong.

Good marketing and PR is about mutually supporting each other, and when you hold that fundamental value in mind, you’re much more likely to succeed.

I can see that you’re a big fan of social media. Tell me about how you approach it. What do you hope to get out of it?

What we love about social media is that it allows us to have conversations with our readers and community. It’s a place to take part in dialogue, share ideas, and build relationships.

It’s a massively powerful tool and one that every business should be utilizing in my opinion.

We’ve made new friends, found people to feature, and booked photographers all through Facebook or Twitter. It democratizes the world of publishing and for that, we love it!

What’s in store for Rue for the next few years?

For one, our team is growing and growing so we’ll be even more equipped to dish out the best stories and features with each new issue.

You can also expect to continue to see us on the road and in different cities for various conference and events (come say hi!). The new year also has a move in store – we’re moving our headquarters to the beautiful city of San Francisco!

Anything you’d like to share with #wgbiz readers about running a start-up? Is there such thing as “the right time” to make the leap?

My best advice is to hire people who have talents that complement your own.

Many business people are Type A personalities and dislike delegating and giving up control, but I’ve learned that if someone can do something better than I can, it’s in the business’ best interest to let them.

I’d also recommend having a strong support system around you. Talk to as many people as you can about your business – you never know when you’ll find that invaluable piece of advice or a new mentor. Inevitably there will be some difficult and scary moments, but keep your focus, faith, and humility, and you’ll be fine.

In terms of the right time to start a business, I think each person has to make this decision for themselves. For me, I was in a place in my life where I had the ability to give the magazine my all (no one will work harder for your business than you have to).

It was also important for me to make sure I had a good financial footing and people in my life who would be there for moral support before starting Rue. But yes, there is always that element of fear.

My personal antidote to that comes in the form of my favorite quote: “Leap and a net will appear.”

More from Women Grow Business:

• On entrepreneurship: Lori Saitz talks about flying in the face of your fear
• Kacy Paide says intuition is your cheapest, handiest business tool
• Guest contributor Karen Kerrigan gives you a checklist for starting your Internet business

Images © Crystal Gentilello, used with permission

Dea Surjadi is a freelance public relations professional specializing in media relations and social media. Having worked in various newsrooms including television, radio, and the web, Dea applies her journalism and marketing background to the PR industry. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, you can reach Dea through email: dea[dot]surjadi[at]gmail[dot] com, or connect with her on Twitter.

Managing up, managing down

Managing the performance of others, from the first team members to the growing company, is a challenge to every entrepreneur. And most have a string of failures along the way. So how do you beat the odds?

Today’s interview is with Sharon Armstrong, author of The Essential Performance Review Handbook.

We talked about her newest book as well as her advice for aspiring authors.

In too many organizations, performance reviews are an annual occurrence with little or no performance planning or management or feedback along the way. Everyone dreads them.

And recently a number of business publications have published articles and research recommending doing away with such reviews completely. So I asked Sharon what she is seeing companies actually do now.

She said many are “increasing the training of both employees and managers on how to effectively manage performance all along.”  That more progressive organizations understand: “Performance reviews are the culmination of all the conversations taking place each day at work. That ongoing workplace conversations are key to effective performance management.”

Executives need to “understand each employee’s motivation and create the environment for success.” Sharon recommends “using self-assessments as the blueprint for personal and professional development.”

She does address the changing nature of the workplace and the ways organizations are adapting to it in one chapter of her book. One of her examples is similar to several of my clients’: a quarterly system of goals and achievements documented in a one-page format.

She talked about the virtual workforce with its changing teams and needs: “Managers need to learn how to manage, motivate, and collaborate with their tele-commuting staff …. ; be able to focus on output and not hours.” This demands “clear goals and frequent communications.”

And that is often difficult for entrepreneurs who feel pulled in too many directions. Yet it is critical if you want to succeed and grow. Sharon calls this “making your convictions operational.”

Too often I have seen company founders use a performance review process from their previous employers, without realizing how ineffective or inappropriate it may be for their goals and culture.

Taking ideas from others can be smart. But you need to carefully consider what is realistic for you and how it supports your desired results.

Thus, a valuable feature of this book is the wide selection of sample forms she offers. Sharon attributes these to the “many terrific HR folks who offered their organization’s forms to help others.”

I found this book easy to read with clear ideas and checklists you can adopt. Sharon has authored several other books, including The Essential HR Handbook and Stress-free Performance Appraisals.

Want to write a book? Seen all the advice that every entrepreneur should?

I asked Sharon for her advice for other entrepreneurs or consultants who want to write a book. She told me that her first book, a humor book, was a total learning experience: “We had no idea what we were doing” in trying to get it published. She learned about agents and editors and the tremendous effort the author has to make to sell the books.

She says of writing professional books:

“Don’t expect it to be a money-maker.”

“Invest in an editor” before you submit it to an agent or publisher.

“You will need a publicist and a good website” – more investments of your own.

“You need to be able to find speaking engagements and otherwise publicize your book so it sells.” Sharon says that writing a book while also working and maintaining a life is “daunting.”

But she sees her author role as “a gift” which offers her a chance to “do research, read good business books, talk to many people, and learn of good practices in a wide range of organizations.”

“It’s a great journey” and “many people are willing to help.”

More from Women Grow Business:

• “Can you hear me now?” Top tips on crystal-clear communications, from guest blogger Stacey Hanke
• Patricia relates a tale of business infrastructure
• Deirdre Breakenridge’s guest post, “I love to write, I want to be an author”

Photo © Sharon Armstrong, used with permission

Patricia A. Frame is an experienced Human Capital issues speaker and management consultant. She founded Strategies for Human Resources to advise organizations facing organization and people challenges. Previously she designed and managed human resource functions for GE, Software AG, Maxwell Online, and others. A Wharton MBA and an Air Force veteran, she actively supports the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Check out her website, SHRinsight.com, for management and development articles.

Can you tell me more about you, your company, and how it got started?

I’ve always been pretty independent and entrepreneurial, so starting a business came naturally to me. I attribute these characteristics in large part to the dedication, hard work and competitive nature gained from figure skating growing up, as well as building a work ethic early on – I held my first job at 14.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C. metro area, I had a slight taste of the city early on, but knew I wanted more. Right after high school I moved to New York to attend FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology), majoring in Advertising & Marketing Communications.

Through a Special Events class I took my last year of school, I jumped on an opportunity and gained my first client, Project Runway Season Two designer Zulema Griffin. I worked with her over that summer and fall, leading to my second client my last semester. I put a name to myself – RICHPR – and my very good friend Richard Phillips of Vanity Design designed my logo and business card.

I officially launched RICHPR upon graduation in December 2006.

What made you decide to take the leap to start your own company?

I was very lucky to have two clients in tow upon graduating, and thought – you know what, I’m going to do this.

Worst-case scenario it doesn’t work out and I go work for someone else, but at least I can say I tried.

I had taken numerous internships throughout school so I knew the ropes in PR & events – and while I didn’t know it all, I was ready to take on the challenge.

Not long after graduating from school, you decided to fly solo. What were the main challenges you faced when you first started and how did you deal with them?
Well, certainly lack of experience.

But I feel lack of just about anything can only hold you back if you’re not a) motivated and b) resourceful.

Given I had no prior work experience in PR beyond internships, I really had to rely on instinct and common sense to basically make up my own rules as I went along.

Starting from scratch, I had to build relationships from scratch – with editors,
writers, reporters, producers, stylists, and of course clients!

But where there is a will there is a way.

Through being creative, being proactive and staying motivated (thanks in large part to an amazing support system of friends, colleagues and clients) I was slowly but surely able to build a network of contacts and a growing portfolio.
Sure, I definitely made some mistakes that 1st year, but you know what? I learned from them, I grew stronger, and I kept going.

How did you realize you’ve reached the point that you’re ready to be on your own?

I don’t know if there was an exact point at which I knew I was ready… well, certainly gaining the second client helped!

I think it was more that I had this opportunity, and I was going to do everything I could to maximize it. Going out “on my own” right out of school just seemed natural to me, not daunting.

I think if you have an entrepreneurial mindset, you welcome challenges. There may not always be an ideal time to go your own, but I’ve found if you really want something, you will take that leap of faith and make it happen.

Anything else that the younger entrepreneurs out there should know about running a successful business?

Yes – stay optimistic!  If things aren’t moving along as fast as you want them to, or an opportunity doesn’t come through, do not feel defeated.

You are going to have BOTH achievements and pitfalls, and you have to be able to let go of the negatives and focus on the positives.

Surround yourself with a great support network, stay motivated, stay inspired, and stay focused!

More from Women Grow Business:

• Why women are powerful entrepreneurs, a guest post by Melinda Emerson
• Stacy Yamaoka gives you four reasons not to be an entrepreneur, and why you should ignore them
• Thursday Bram on learning entrepreneurship: something school doesn’t teach

Image of Lauren Rich © and used with her permission

Dea Surjadi is a freelance public relations professional specializing in media relations and social media. Having worked in various newsrooms including television, radio, and the web, Dea applies her journalism and marketing background to the PR industry. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, you can reach Dea through email: dea[dot]surjadi[at]gmail[dot] com, or connect with her on Twitter.

Hiring, from the first team members to the growing company, is a challenge to every entrepreneur.

And most have a string of failures along the way. So how do you beat the odds?

Today’s interview is with Bob Corlett, the founder of Staffing Advisors.

Bob sees the problems and frustrations of entrepreneurs and small organization executives regularly.

We shared some rueful chuckles about the common “understaffed, need to hire, don’t have time to hire because I am understaffed” cycle.

Hiring well is more critical in smaller organizations.

They do not have the support systems to train, develop, and coach a new person; most need immediate productivity.

The impact of “getting up to speed” time or errors is greater… as often there is no one else to do or check the work without taking time from another critical need.

Staffing Advisors prides itself on helping small companies make great hiring decisions and improve their hiring processes at a price they can afford.

Bob created this business because he has seen CEOs and EDs make the same mistakes I have:

• the difficulty of creating a realistic job description in a new area
• nobody to talk to about what is really needed and how to find that
• a reliance on hiring friends, family, and their friends so you can trust them
• giving up under the burden of too many resumes from recruiting agencies
• hiding behind “blind” job ads which never mention the company name and thus get lower quality applicants
• poor interviewing practices

But his solution can make your hiring much easier.

Think about what would be different if you hired the right person:
What specific results are you looking for?
How will you know you have achieved them?
Write all this down.

I have worked with Bob and know what a difference this view of hiring makes.

When I asked him for a recent example, he told me of a 20-person company which had been growing and having trouble finding enough of the right people.

But they were quite sure Staffing Advisors could not help them.

However, they were desperate and decided to give him one try.

And the first candidate came in and blew them away with how much better a match to their needs he was, and how much more value he could add immediately, than anything their own efforts had produced.

Why does this emphasis on defined goals, results, and measurements work?

Because now you have a good story about your company, and about the real work and value of the position.

When you tell it to your network, you will get the right referrals.

If you post it, you will get better applicants.

If you use a service, like a recruiter or Staffing Advisors, you will get better candidates.

And you have a way to interview effectively and recognize the right person.

All this works because you are in your business zone of comfort.

You are not relying on certifications, or degrees, or other factors to find expertise you need but don’t understand well enough to interview about in detail.

You are talking about specific goals and results,

about business acumen,

about the person’s ability to deal with the ambiguity common in smaller organizations, and

about their ability to allocate resources.

These are things you do every day yourself, and you can ask the right questions and recognize if their answers match your needs.

And talking to candidates about specific goals and expected results, and how you will define success, is highly attractive to high achievers.

The interviewee

Bob Corlett is founder of Staffing Advisors, which provides small companies with an effective solution to their hiring needs. For more tips and tricks to help your hiring, read their blog. Contact Bob at bob (dot) corlett (at) staffingadvisors (dot) com

Image © Bob Corlett, used with permission

More:

• Patricia’s interview on hiring with recruiting guru Peter Weddle
• Another column from Patricia on hiring and self-sabotage
• Bad job as attract desperate candidates

Patricia A. Frame is an experienced management consultant, speaker, and executive with expertise in human capital, and the founder of Strategies for Human Resources. She helps small to mid-size organizations achieve their goals through more effective human capital strategy and management. She can be reached through her website SHRinsight.com, where archives for her ongoing management series can be found.

Social Media Rule #1: Connect with customers as an actual human being

This isn’t easy to do for a large brand. But Ford Motor Company is succeeding. Through Facebook, Twitter and a few other social tools, Ford is doing an exceptional job of making authentic connections with the people they serve.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to Gwen Peake, Digital Communications Manager at Ford. We spoke about Ford’s social media strategy and the top-down support that continues to drive its success.

The top-down support is critical, as is Ford’s understanding of the role of social media in influencing perception and building communities.

I got a kick out of hearing about the tweets sporadically sent out by the CEO.  It was fun to hear that Gwen’s followers on Twitter treat her like their best friend when they meet at auto shows.

Great job, Ford!  You are mastering what smaller companies have done so well for years… and big brands can learn a lot from you. You’re getting it right.

Enjoy this excerpt of my interview with Gwen. The full interview can be found at socialmediavoices.org.

More from:

• Terri Holley and how small businesses can learn from big ones on breaking through the noise
• A neat social media checklist over at Grow Smart Business
• A classic from Seth Godin, why small is the new big

Guest contributor Terri Holley writes our series “Community Building Breakthroughs and Social Media.” She is the owner of Creative Blog Solutions and a social media strategist, plus a certified life/business coach. A forward-thinker and relationship-centric gal, Terri supports small businesses who understand the value of using social technologies to build deeper relationships with prospects and customers.

Recently at Women Grow Business I wrote about how the social media space is becoming much like a cocktail party. With lots of voices out there, it’s getting harder to woo your prospects.

I also posed the question, how can businesses be the distinctive voice that knocks their prospects off their feet?

This is an interesting question that will remain relevant for years to come. And it’s a topic heavily on the mind of Sandy Carter and her 2.0 framework (she just published her new book: The New Language of Marketing 2.0).

We recently engaged in a great podcast conversation on this very subject.

Want to listen in or even listen in the background while you work?

I recently had this opportunity to speak with Sandy who is IBM Corporation’s Vice President of SOA and Websphere Marketing, Strategy and Channels. To help drive IBM’s thought leadership in web 2.0, Sandy developed a breakthrough framework called ANGELS:

• Analyze and ensure strong market understanding
• Nail the relevant strategy and story
• Go to market plan
• Energize the channel and community
• Leads and revenue
• Scream!! Breaking through the noise
• Sandy talks about IBM’s winning strategy for “screaming” or breaking through the noise.

What are your thoughts?

More from:
Terri Holley and more community building breakthroughs at Women Grow Business.

Guest contributor Terri Holley writes our series “Community Building Breakthroughs and Social Media.” She is the owner of Creative Blog Solutions and a social media strategist, plus a certified life/business coach. A forward-thinker and relationship-centric gal, Terri supports small businesses who understand the value of using social technologies to build deeper relationships with prospects and customers.