One of the biggest challenges I faced when first launching ViXUS Communications was trying to be everything to everybody. By that I mean that regardless of the requested project, if it was even remotely related to communications services, the answer was always yes.
Graphic design? Yes!
Grant Writing? Yes!
Fundraising Strategies? Yes!
Now the challenge did not arise from my inability to do these things but in the fact that some of the projects I took on steered me away from the original purpose and vision I had for the company. What’s more, once I began fielding client requests, I realized that there were some elements that I hadn’t completely thought through. For example, was I just going to assist clients with developing public relations and marketing strategies or would I actually be involved in the execution as well? Should I get into the business of training clients on how to take on their own PR initiatives or should they plan to have me serve as their primary PR service provider? Hmmm…… these are questions that will arise when you decide to just “fall into” a business as I did the first time around.
And while there is something to be said for being flexible to the direction of the market, there is a lot more to be said for having a solid business plan in place and executing an effective marketing strategy to support your business goals. The lesson: Write a business plan and stick to it! Not that it has to be written in stone, a business plan should be a living document. However, it should also be used as a firm guide for what you want your business to be.
In re-establishing my business as The Harmon Group, I have found a great deal of benefit in taking the time to be purposeful in my business plan. I have also found it incredibly helpful to use a SWOT analysis to determine where I can be most effective as a service provider to my clients. Using these tools allowed me to fully asses the purpose behind my business and to determine what my ultimate goals were beyond the basic mission statement of the company.
To help ensure that you learn from my mistakes, I've provided these helpful tools in The Harmon Group Tool Kit. And you can be sure that as we make this journey together, I'll share all the tools I develop and come across along the way.
So while we're sharing, are there any helpful tools and tips that you've come across in business? We'd love to know. Til Next time...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
In the Time it Takes to Make a Baby
It’s been just a little over nine months since my last contribution to the blogosphere and while I’m not hearing the pitter patter of little feet, I can’t ignore the wails of a neglected project that has gone without nourishment for far too long. So in the spirit of rebirth (and because nobody could seem to figure out what ViXUS was supposed to mean) I’ve renamed the business and once again taken up the task of forging my own way out of the rat race and making my mark as an entrepreneur… btw ViXUS simply means Superior Communications!
To be sure, although I hadn’t blogged much in the past nine or so months, I have been taking on jobs and working, just not with the same fervor. So in an effort to bring things back up to speed, a quick list of the highlights includes:
• A well received presentation to a group of business owners and professionals
• A slew of free consultations that were often more trouble than they were worth (look for a future post on this)
• Lesson upon lesson on setting and sticking to your rates… still an on-going challenge
• A major project that went belly up (Also a future post on picking and knowing your clients)
• A business growth class chock full of resources
• and a whole lot of stop and go and stop and go…
But more than anything, the past few months have allowed me to cultivate and renew relationships and figure out some direction for the business. As I noted in my last post, success is often determined by who you know just as much as what you know. I’ve been blessed enough to get to know some amazing people who have served as sounding boards, road maps, and GPS systems. In fact, it is thanks to them that I’ve been inspired to pick back up and go for the gold once more. In particular, a girlfriend of mine who operates her firm full time recently told me, “This is not for the faint hearted” and to date that’s proven ever so true. So like a mother in labor, I’ll brace myself for what’s to come, knowing that the end result will be well worth any bit of pain endured.
Here we go again, wish me luck!
To be sure, although I hadn’t blogged much in the past nine or so months, I have been taking on jobs and working, just not with the same fervor. So in an effort to bring things back up to speed, a quick list of the highlights includes:
• A well received presentation to a group of business owners and professionals
• A slew of free consultations that were often more trouble than they were worth (look for a future post on this)
• Lesson upon lesson on setting and sticking to your rates… still an on-going challenge
• A major project that went belly up (Also a future post on picking and knowing your clients)
• A business growth class chock full of resources
• and a whole lot of stop and go and stop and go…
But more than anything, the past few months have allowed me to cultivate and renew relationships and figure out some direction for the business. As I noted in my last post, success is often determined by who you know just as much as what you know. I’ve been blessed enough to get to know some amazing people who have served as sounding boards, road maps, and GPS systems. In fact, it is thanks to them that I’ve been inspired to pick back up and go for the gold once more. In particular, a girlfriend of mine who operates her firm full time recently told me, “This is not for the faint hearted” and to date that’s proven ever so true. So like a mother in labor, I’ll brace myself for what’s to come, knowing that the end result will be well worth any bit of pain endured.
Here we go again, wish me luck!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Not What You Know but Who
Okay I know it’s an old statement and extremely cliché but it is so, so true and the deeper I get into this business, the more truth I see in the fact that it isn’t what you know but who you know.
When I think about how I even entered the work force, I have to recall that I landed my first full-time job in the PR industry because of having met the right person.
Fresh out of college, I ended up back home because I couldn’t find a job to save my life. With my heart set on becoming a television journalist I sent video resumes to anywhere and everywhere, even Podunk , Wisconsin wouldn’t hire me. I worked as a freelancer with the local community weekly and finally landed a part-time with a local TV news station as a web-producer working late nights and weekends. All the while, I was actively engaged with the local Young Professionals organization and meeting all kinds of folks from a variety of industries and backgrounds.
One Thursday evening they had a networking workshop, there were only a few people in the room and I was one of them. I collected a number of business cards, took notes and the very next day sent an email to every single person whose card I’d collected with a list of my skills a copy of my resume and a request to keep an eye open for a job that I may be suited for. Three days later I got an email back. Someone was on the board of a non-profit organization and he knew they were looking for a communications person. Viola! I followed up, followed through and landed the job!
Now that I’ve got ViXUS Communications up and going, knowing people has become even more critical. In fact most of my current clients come from having established a relationship with somebody or another throughout my journey to now.
What I find most interesting, however, is that growing a communications or media related business in a city the size of Columbia, SC breeds a sense of competition. I understand having to protect your business and your clients, I mean nobody wants to lose their clientele. However, I strongly believe that if you provide your clients with superior work then you breed a sense of loyalty between yourself and your clients. If I lose a client then it is because I have somehow failed them.
So today I am declaring an on-going quest to build relationships with as many other industry professionals who are willing to know and work with me. I can assure you that we will most likely be stronger and more effective as a team instead of one.
I love getting to know people and I think that we all have so much we can teach one another and beside you never know who we might know that can help us grow our businesses together.
PS. Shouts out to Teowonna Clifton who sent me an awesome email and inspired me to finally get these thoughts posted!
Visit her blog at www.thatteowonna.blogspot.com and check her business website at www.akeeneyecopyediting.com.
When I think about how I even entered the work force, I have to recall that I landed my first full-time job in the PR industry because of having met the right person.
Fresh out of college, I ended up back home because I couldn’t find a job to save my life. With my heart set on becoming a television journalist I sent video resumes to anywhere and everywhere, even Podunk , Wisconsin wouldn’t hire me. I worked as a freelancer with the local community weekly and finally landed a part-time with a local TV news station as a web-producer working late nights and weekends. All the while, I was actively engaged with the local Young Professionals organization and meeting all kinds of folks from a variety of industries and backgrounds.
One Thursday evening they had a networking workshop, there were only a few people in the room and I was one of them. I collected a number of business cards, took notes and the very next day sent an email to every single person whose card I’d collected with a list of my skills a copy of my resume and a request to keep an eye open for a job that I may be suited for. Three days later I got an email back. Someone was on the board of a non-profit organization and he knew they were looking for a communications person. Viola! I followed up, followed through and landed the job!
Now that I’ve got ViXUS Communications up and going, knowing people has become even more critical. In fact most of my current clients come from having established a relationship with somebody or another throughout my journey to now.
What I find most interesting, however, is that growing a communications or media related business in a city the size of Columbia, SC breeds a sense of competition. I understand having to protect your business and your clients, I mean nobody wants to lose their clientele. However, I strongly believe that if you provide your clients with superior work then you breed a sense of loyalty between yourself and your clients. If I lose a client then it is because I have somehow failed them.
So today I am declaring an on-going quest to build relationships with as many other industry professionals who are willing to know and work with me. I can assure you that we will most likely be stronger and more effective as a team instead of one.
I love getting to know people and I think that we all have so much we can teach one another and beside you never know who we might know that can help us grow our businesses together.
PS. Shouts out to Teowonna Clifton who sent me an awesome email and inspired me to finally get these thoughts posted!
Visit her blog at www.thatteowonna.blogspot.com and check her business website at www.akeeneyecopyediting.com.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Kaela on Air: Live and Unscripted
So, did I mention that I'm a radio personality?
That's still a funny concept to me even though I've been doing this for almost three years now. I especially find it funny when people say, "Oh, you're a celebrity!" However, I have recently discovered that I actually do have a little bit of a fan base.
The program is called The Weekend Countdown and airs every Friday afternoon from 5-6pm on 620AM so if you're ever in Columbia listen in!
Although it is only a weekly program it requires a level of planning and commitment on my part. Topics have to be researched and developed, guests scheduled and confirmed and then of course when I'm on air I'm producing and hosting simultaneously. That alone requires a certain level of multi-tasking.
Generally a good show requires maybe five hours or so of planning and preparation...assuming I have a topic in mind and that I can get guests lined up fairly quickly but five hours is a pretty good sized chunk out of my week considering I'm trying to launch a business, take care of the clients I have and still keep up with the responsibilities of my day job.
Not that I'm complaining. I feel that it is a huge privilege to be able to provide a voice to the public and, because my program is a call in radio show, they do indeed make their voices heard! It has also afforded me the opportunity to do some pretty incredible things. I attended the Democratic debates in the spring of 2009 and I've interviewed some pretty high profile folks including our now President, Barack Obama. The show has also be a great launching pad for my business. Not so much because I get to self promote, which I don't, but because I've been able to make invaluable contacts and learn about the industry from the inside.
To be perfectly honest, I love it. It is always a challenge as guests, listeners and of course the programming department keep me on my toes.
I do often ask myself, however, if I can continue to keep it up. With ViXUS Communications growing and me still having to meet the demands of a full time job, it can be a bit much. I'm not ready to let go just yet but I suspect that in the near future I might have to make some changes.
Lets just hope that change allows me to make ViXUS the full time job and keep the show on the side.
That's still a funny concept to me even though I've been doing this for almost three years now. I especially find it funny when people say, "Oh, you're a celebrity!" However, I have recently discovered that I actually do have a little bit of a fan base.
The program is called The Weekend Countdown and airs every Friday afternoon from 5-6pm on 620AM so if you're ever in Columbia listen in!
Although it is only a weekly program it requires a level of planning and commitment on my part. Topics have to be researched and developed, guests scheduled and confirmed and then of course when I'm on air I'm producing and hosting simultaneously. That alone requires a certain level of multi-tasking.
Generally a good show requires maybe five hours or so of planning and preparation...assuming I have a topic in mind and that I can get guests lined up fairly quickly but five hours is a pretty good sized chunk out of my week considering I'm trying to launch a business, take care of the clients I have and still keep up with the responsibilities of my day job.
Not that I'm complaining. I feel that it is a huge privilege to be able to provide a voice to the public and, because my program is a call in radio show, they do indeed make their voices heard! It has also afforded me the opportunity to do some pretty incredible things. I attended the Democratic debates in the spring of 2009 and I've interviewed some pretty high profile folks including our now President, Barack Obama. The show has also be a great launching pad for my business. Not so much because I get to self promote, which I don't, but because I've been able to make invaluable contacts and learn about the industry from the inside.
To be perfectly honest, I love it. It is always a challenge as guests, listeners and of course the programming department keep me on my toes.
I do often ask myself, however, if I can continue to keep it up. With ViXUS Communications growing and me still having to meet the demands of a full time job, it can be a bit much. I'm not ready to let go just yet but I suspect that in the near future I might have to make some changes.
Lets just hope that change allows me to make ViXUS the full time job and keep the show on the side.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Making Great Contacts in Kansas City, MO
So I'm officially up and running and this past weekend was incredibly successful.
I went up to Kansas City, MO to meet Shanise and her family and have a few meetings. This was actually the first time that I've met Shanise and she and her family were just as nice as I knew they would be. In fact her daughter was kind enough to let me stay with her over the weekend so I wouldn't have to spend extra on a hotel. Now if that isn't kindness and generosity then I don't know what is.
Friday turned out to be a hectic day as I missed my 6:10 flight out of Charlotte...I never was a morning person. So I ensed up spending most of the day in the airport. But I was still able to make a few calls and I got some reading in so overall it wasn't too horrible. I was supposed to be in KC by 9am but it was almost 5 before I finally arrived. That really turned out to be ok, though, because the meetings we'd hoped to have on Friday didn't come into fruition so we spent the evening running errands and meeting people before meeting her husband, Mike, for dinner at P.F. Cheng.
Saturday was pretty amazing because we started the day with an outline of what we'd hoped to accomplish but still left things open for flexibility. Good thing, too because just as soon as Shanise picked me up we received a call from Clay Johnson who wanted to meet with us regarding an upcoming fundraising weekend he is hosting for his non-profit organization. We had spoken with Clay earlier in the week to pitch the idea of having him commission Shanise to create several pieces specifically for the event and he was definitely interested so we were able to arrange to meet with him and his wife to show him Shanise's latest piece which was a portrait of Anthony Hamilton.
The meeting went better than we could have imagined and we've been in talks throughout the past week hammering out the details.
Later in the day we headed across town to the venue for that evening's Anthony Hamilton concert. We spent the afternoon hanging out with his road manager, KC Jackson. Great guy. He's getting an internet TV station going. You should check out his site.
After Anthony Hamilton finished rehersing, we presented him with his portrait he LOVED IT! See...
I went up to Kansas City, MO to meet Shanise and her family and have a few meetings. This was actually the first time that I've met Shanise and she and her family were just as nice as I knew they would be. In fact her daughter was kind enough to let me stay with her over the weekend so I wouldn't have to spend extra on a hotel. Now if that isn't kindness and generosity then I don't know what is.
Friday turned out to be a hectic day as I missed my 6:10 flight out of Charlotte...I never was a morning person. So I ensed up spending most of the day in the airport. But I was still able to make a few calls and I got some reading in so overall it wasn't too horrible. I was supposed to be in KC by 9am but it was almost 5 before I finally arrived. That really turned out to be ok, though, because the meetings we'd hoped to have on Friday didn't come into fruition so we spent the evening running errands and meeting people before meeting her husband, Mike, for dinner at P.F. Cheng.
Saturday was pretty amazing because we started the day with an outline of what we'd hoped to accomplish but still left things open for flexibility. Good thing, too because just as soon as Shanise picked me up we received a call from Clay Johnson who wanted to meet with us regarding an upcoming fundraising weekend he is hosting for his non-profit organization. We had spoken with Clay earlier in the week to pitch the idea of having him commission Shanise to create several pieces specifically for the event and he was definitely interested so we were able to arrange to meet with him and his wife to show him Shanise's latest piece which was a portrait of Anthony Hamilton.
The meeting went better than we could have imagined and we've been in talks throughout the past week hammering out the details.
Later in the day we headed across town to the venue for that evening's Anthony Hamilton concert. We spent the afternoon hanging out with his road manager, KC Jackson. Great guy. He's getting an internet TV station going. You should check out his site.
After Anthony Hamilton finished rehersing, we presented him with his portrait he LOVED IT! See...
In fact, he loved it so much he brought it on stage during the concert. More...
After the concert, I spent a little more time with KC picking his brain and just hanging out as he wrapped things up and pulled the crew together. I have to say that KC and I really just kind of meshed so wait to hear more about him as we come up with creative ways to work together and build business for the both of us. So all of this takes us into another week. Next week I'm hoping to schedule Shanise for an interview or two.
And hopefully I'll be able to get a new client on board before for end of the summer. You know I'll be keeping you posted!
In the meantime, Don't forget to visit my official site www.vixuscommunications.com
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Journey Begins
The web site is up twitter is active and I have one formal client to speak of. It has been a lot of work just to get to this point and I've had a lot of support from some great people. Now comes the really hard part, taking this from a dream to a reality to a success.
It is a little unnerving but I have full confidence that I'll get there. I know that I'll experience a lot of set backs and failures but also that I'll experience a lot of achievements.
The most exciting part is that I dont' have to travel this road alone. I'm looking forward to gettting advice and feedback and guidance from friends, followers and supporters along the way.
It is a little unnerving but I have full confidence that I'll get there. I know that I'll experience a lot of set backs and failures but also that I'll experience a lot of achievements.
The most exciting part is that I dont' have to travel this road alone. I'm looking forward to gettting advice and feedback and guidance from friends, followers and supporters along the way.
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