What exactly does it take to get ahead? Why is it that for many of us success is harder to come by? Quite simply it's because we are unwilling to open up to possibilities, listen to what people are saying and explore our own entrepreneurial potential. More often than not, we assume that our way is the best when it comes to doing business. I'm here to tell you, that that is far from the truth. Without a little sense of humor and a willingness to embrace the unexpected your business is likely to fail and here is why.

Before I started my own business, got clients and begun blogging for WizOf.Biz I too, was trying hard to fit in. However over time I came to realize that running a great business is about anything but fitting in. It's about leading your life, and your business according to your own inner compass, your values and ideas. The only way to be successful in whatever you set out to do, is to stand out and be noticed.

I don't claim to know it all. In fact even to assume I do, would be setting myself up for failure. The truth is that most businesses thrive because they are aware that their concept is an ever evolving one that will continue to tap into creativity, innovation and insight. That means relying heavily on your gut (which can never be taken for granted) and your own ability to reinvent yourself as an enterpreneur. There is no doubt that being an independent business owner has given me an edge when it comes to working with others. I have to know and ancicipate how my clients think, what drives them forward and how I can help them succeed.

Today, I would like to share with you a few of my personal tips on business success:

1) Always follow your inner voice. Intuition is both a personal and professional mechanism that we rarely listen to but it's important to recognize that most exceptional ideas are inherently intuitive. They are a type of instant and often subcontious response to something that we identify with or believe to be a solution to a problem. This intuitive impulse principle can, and should be applied to all aspects of our lives including business. Intuition can also lead to unexpected breakthroughs and discoveries which are crucial to business development. Intuition as I see it, is driven by our experiences and the desire to continue learning from others. People, particularly when it comes to business, are the inspiration you'll need to sustain and cultivate your ideas. That is why making sure you know all there is to know about what makes people chose you as a brand over the competition. Let me call this skill social intuition. Being aware of intuitive thought as your tool for success will help you steer clear of unecessary business blunders.

2) Make time to check in with yourself. While this is your journey, I strongly suggest that you keep track of where you've been and where you're headed. Conduct a professional inventory of the things you've been able to accomplish and those that you're working towards. Take note of the ever evolving business trends, viewpoints and popular beliefs. Most importantly keep reinventing yourself so that you can remain in sinc with emerging business realities. Things are constantly changing along with people's attitudes, wants and needs. Failing to stay abreast on these shifts can mean trailing behind. Building connections with people is what will propel you ahead.

3) Be willing to consider the input and opinions of others. Stubbornness will only take you so far in business. Open your eyes and ears so that you can see and hear firsthand what your clients are saying about you. Stay personable and plugged in to the suggestions of those around you. This is not to say that your own ideas don't count however it's important for clients to feel appreciated and responded to in a positive way.

4) These days it's difficult to escape advancements in technology. It is your job to learn all you can about new and emerging technologies that facilitate business development and growth. Technology is one of the biggest resources available to you as an entrepreneur; be it social media, money management or otherwise so don't lose it, use it.

5) Running a successful business is about using your education, your background and your everyday experiences as an integral tool for moving forward. Don't forget to be yourself and show people both your strengths and yes, even your weaknesses. Authenticity and generosity will never go unnoticed. Give what you know and the rest will follow.

6) Teach others about ways to improve on what they know. Become their vehicle for inspiration; there is hardly anything more valuable than working collaboratively towards an end result. Your reward is in making clients see that your thoughts and ideas are what is helping them do better. They will thank you for taking the time to work on what matters to them.

7) When ready, remember to share in your wealth. By that I mean offer free incentives. Give money to worthwhile ventures and provide expertise to those who need it. Having a human side to any business let's people know that your brand at its core, is thoughtful, generous and empathetic which is appealing to say the least.

8) Treat people the way you'd like to be treated. When it comes to business dealings, there is never a place for pre-judgements, unecessary claims or value statements so think before you act. You can't expect to be treated with dignity when your own idea of respect is questionable. Learn to accept criticism, re-evaluate your priorities and make the tough decisions.

9) Confidence and perseverance go a long way in business. So put your best foot forward and keep looking ahead. When you approach your challenges with confidence people will know. Anything is possible when you believe.

10) I am convinced that at the heart of any business venture is a desire to make an impact. So let that be the motivation for your work.

There you have it; my ten intuitive life tools to follow when forging your way to business success.

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Our focus at WizOf.Biz is on providing clients with new insight on how to succeed online. We believe in sharing ideas and offering innovative digital strategies that lead to entrepreneurial breakthroughs. The question is, how to get your ideas to spread? In his TedTalk video,writer, and ideas guru Seth Godin explains to us why “bad or bizarre ideas are better than boring ones”. Ideas that spread, says Seth, are ideas that dare to be different. “Very good” ideas according to Godin, are no longer good enough. In a world of too many options, and too little time, a purple cow is much more likely to turn heads than an ordinary one.

Go see it now and come back here after!

It’s true. In today’s over saturated business environment it is harder to get people to care. At the same time, this is a great opportunity to engage with people who are looking for your idea and are excited by what you have to say.

Seth is the creator of an online ideas platform called Squidoo.com where anyone can share their thoughts and make connections. You can visit Seth’s blog at: sethgodin.typepad.com. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed by what you’ll discover.

See you next time,
Irena Kagansky

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We have been working hard recently on a redesign for our site. I actually previewed the new design here not that long ago. As part of this process, we’ve made some important discoveries on website design. I thought I’d share some of those details today.

My hope is that this series of posts will help businesses learn how to incorporate the essentials that make for a great website. Later, I will talk about exactly why these elements are important and why they should be integral to any business.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how one might see it) looks are everything these days. Websites must be clean, easy to use and esthetically pleasing. A solid online presence for a business is very much a reflection of its image; presentation matters. It’s like putting on your best suit to impress the interviewer. This means that businesses can’t afford to seem less than perfect. It’s a rather fussy audience and should your business fail to put its best site forward…well you know the rest.

So what makes a site that draws people in?

Content Is Everything

Good content is largely dependent on how well you know your market. The key is to be intuitive about perspective clients’ wants and needs. Next to aesthetic appeal your content should entice the reader. Think of it from their perspective. The minute they enter your site the first thought on their minds is “What’s in it for me? How can I benefit from what you have to offer?” If a client deems your presentation, i.e. language or style, irrelevant to their specific values or expectations they will walk away and never look back.

Google is the answer to most questions these days from how to fry a chicken to flying an airplane. If you’re not a million steps ahead of these fussy Googlers; you’re up the creek. Give visitors a chance to learn more about what you do and why you do it. Provide excellent, easy to find and simple to share content which expands your reach and gives value to your clients. Remember content really is everything and its why people come to your site. Also, one final point on content, never forget that no one enjoys being sold to so don’t make things sound like a sales pitch. Give it some personality, some likability.

Design

People need to be reassured; they need to feel safe. Just like in life it is hard to make sense of a website if the colour schemes are jarring and your links are difficult to follow. Consider backlinks within the site, to the about us page, or link back to an article about who you are and why this business is important to you. Well placed links provide people with easy access to the information they need. Not to mention that a friendly online space they can browse through will make them feel at home. Such links are alluring and compel visitors to keep on clicking through for more. Besides, I personally enjoy a nice click much better than having to kill time scrolling down the page to find what I need.

Most of us want minimal confusion and maximum results. If a website is clean and inviting it will show people you care about answering their questions. Keep the design modern looking and easy to follow. Avoid over cluttering your pages and focus the reader on the most important part of your message. Also, an uncluttered menu with clear headings and links is vital for easy navigation. Ensure you have an easy to find way to contact you.

The Blog

A blog is no longer a diary. It is not an “I Love My Cat” page. Today it’s a way to be creative and personable. Present people with challenging questions, announce contests that speak to the unique attributes of your brand, provide how-to answers and engage directly with your clients. This is a wealth of resources generated by you and your contributors in order to make connections and generate results. A blog with good content keeps people coming back to your site, sharing it with others and puts your name front and centre.

That is it for now. In my next segment I will tell you how to write amazing content, conduct key word searches and equip your site with tools that will make content browsing a breeze!

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By now you’re probably fed up with surfing the internet. You’ve been staring at random business tips and how-to marketing videos but are no closer to finding the answers to your business questions. I’d like to help you make headway, with these top six marketing podcasts that have caught my attention.

1) Small Business Big Marketing Show: This is an opportunity to hear from small business owners about how their marketing strategies have helped them achieve success. These stories will inspire you and allow you to tailor these tips to your own ventures. The interviews are very informal and full of firsthand business advice.

2) How to Make Money and Do A World of Good: For those of you who are looking to do some good in the world and make some cash while you’re at it, Streat co-founder Rebecca Scott’s podcast is what you need. There is no doubt that social responsibility is on the minds of many but how exactly can you integrate it into your business? Learn more about social entrepreneurship and how to market it.

3) Funny Business: This is another interesting podcast by people who have made humor their business. Guests include Ben Huh, CEO of the Cheezburger Network and Ryan Dolan owner of 30Watt and former business developer for The Onion. Cheezburger takes full responsibility for initiatives such as FailBlog, ICanHazCheezburger and ThereIFixedIt.

4) Eight Stories You Must Tell to Built An Epic Business: Valerie Khoo is a journalist, speaker and small business commentator. This posdcast is filled with Valerie’s accounts of how storytelling can be used as a powerful marketing tool that can not only transform your brand but turn your clients into valuable allies. Subscribe on iTunes to download this fantastic resource.

5) Foolish Adventure: Tim Conley looks at the adventures of internet entrepreneurs who have made it part of their lifestyle to innovate, experiment and experience business online. Businesses and innovation come in all shapes and sizes. Foolish Adventures is proof that if we step outside the “norm” we can succeed.

6) Automate My Small Business: Have you ever wanted to take a vacation and not worry about how your business is doing without you? Well, it’s all in the title. These guys go out of their way to show you exactly how to automate your small business so that all you have to do is reap the fruit of your success. How do you do this? By using cutting edge technology and online management tools that allow you to set it and forget it!

All of these podcasts can be found on ITunes. So get to it, and enjoy!

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Un-Marketing takes marketing as we know it, and flips it on its head. It’s a lesson in the new ways to market in our new connected, social media aware world. The book has a total of 56 chapters that are two to ten pages long, short and easy go digest. Each gives us real, applicable advice. People first, customers second.

The book itself is more like a conversation rather than a preaching or a sales pitch. At the heart of Un-Marketing is active engagement not hard core marketing. Scott’s language is simple and genuine. His case studies are funny and familiar. It’s a book that does not play by the rules; in fact it tosses them right out the window. He shows us that Un-Marketing is about letting people know you care. The section on the trust gap and experience gap are what resonated with me. In this chapter Scott makes an excellent point: “The space between the best services, often what a new customer receives, and the worst experience is what I call the Experience Gap. As a business owner your goal needs to be having no gap at all, optimizing every point of contact with your customer.”

Stratten offers his readers a wealth of rather unconventional ideas, stories, and resources to enable them to think outside the box. He touches on the ideas of platforming and social currency. It’s the idea that when it comes to marketing, social relationships are far more rewarding than the mere exchange of goods and services. In this case honesty, authenticity and transparency are vital to business success. Engaging with clients helps motivate then and establishes an environment of trust. These relationships are social currency that can be used in a positive and impassioned manner to further people’s confidence in a product or service. “Investing your social currency means giving your time, your knowledge and your efforts to that channel. People don’t care about your business until they know you care about them”. Today doing business, means putting people first. It’s about starting conversations and building a platform that stems from shared values and understanding.

The way we do marketing today is rapidly changing. Thus the question we have to ask ourselves is; would we rather flop, follow or get ahead? When most of us are fighting to stay afloat, Scott tells us it’s time to change gears and reevaluate our priorities as far as social engagement. Viral, Social and Authentic Marketing all of which Scott is an expert, fall under the umbrella of what is known as Un-Marketing.
The central message of the book is that when we truly allow ourselves to understand people, and allow for these relationships to grow it inevitably leads to trust and generates instant results. What’s more is that Scott’s Un-Marketing tactics aren’t that different from those we apply to real-life situations and people, which makes this that much more doable. With ten years experience under his belt, Scott has been fortunate enough to work with the likes of Cirque du Soleil, Fidelity Investments and more. All of them have sought Stratton’s guidance when it comes to navigating the realm of social, viral and relationship media.

By reading this book we are once again reminded that market relevance is the key to success. “It is not about quantity but rather quality” says Scott, that if we use our best judgment and apply some common sense to the way we deal with others the market will always follow regardless of the competition. As long as we learn to foster and maintain these important relationships the marketing will take care of itself.

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A good business review should be written with care. If you consciously make the decision to become emotionally invested in the success of your business clients the payoff will be worthwhile. There is nothing worse than a sloppy review that fails to clearly make its argument.  It is important to thoroughly assess submission type and content then tailor your feedback to reflect the goals and objectives of the specific business clients. When writing quality professional reviews it’s important to have a clear understanding of your companies’ direction, motivation and purpose. 

The following are my eight simple steps to writing a professional review:  

1. The language you choose must be clear and concise. There is nothing worse than failure to make your point.
2. Your advice should be useful, insightful and applicable depending on the type of submission. Comments such as “I don’t think this is good” come across as sloppy and discouraging. Nor do they help clients achieve their business goals. 
3. Your advice must be realistic and feasible. Business clients want to know exactly what to do and how to do it.   
4. Stay positive. Negative feedback is disempowering and does not inspire confidence. Remember there is always a way to critique without criticizing. 
5. Your advice should be both constructive and encouraging. The truth is more often than not business clients are intuitive and well aware there is a problem they just may need that extra nudge to point them in the right direction. Identify issues by pointing out the areas that need improvement. 
6. Similarly, if a client has done something particularly well let them know that you’ve noticed. You could even go as far as explaining why a certain point has captured your attention  
7. Honesty is always the best policy; your clients will love you for it. 
8. Last but not least, remember that by giving clients quality feedback on their work you begin to cultivate trust and being trusted by clients is the best kind of leverage a business advisor can have. 

Now, I know that giving great business advice isn’t always easy. These eight simple steps will help you stay focused. Who knows, you might even surprise yourself. In the meantime keep at it and good luck. 

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On October 3rd 2012 the #cbcdragonden feed was filled with feedback from the Twitter-sphere. You were eager to share with us your comments about WizOf.Biz and our appearance on CBC's Dragon's Den that night. Subsequently I think its only fitting for me to make this post responding to that feedback. In doing so, I hope that I can answer most of your questions and let you know we're listening. 

WizOf.Biz has learned a lot from our experience on Dragon's Den. It goes without saying, that we are continuing to grow thanks in part to the input of our on-line friends and followers.

@REactionFaye who is a web expert at Reaction Marketing, tweeted to us: "Red text on blue burns the eyes. Forms, buttons and links are dated 1998. Your text is cramped and hard to read. Not trying to be harsh with this, but my advice is hire a new web designer and start over." 

@REactionFaye, we thank you for your comments. We wholeheartedly agree with you, which is why I'm happy to say that we are now working on making our website cleaner and much more accessible to people. The new format will have no unnecessary links. The color scheme will be much more inviting and modern. The site's content has been rewritten as not to overwhelm readers with heavy text. Our tech team is currently working to solve a few technical glitches after which the new site will be up. Check out the sneak peak at what we're working on at the bottom of this post.

@RayStultz is a business enthusiast from Guelph, Ontario. His goal is to help small businesses expand. He says: "I think you might have had a chance if you had one clear voice and vision". Ray, we admit that our appearance on Dragon's Den was far from stellar; in fact it was rather poor. I also feel, and I know you will agree with me when I say that being on television and under the scrutiny of the likes of Kevin O'Leary is a lot to take on even for the best of us. However, we do have a supportive team that is continuing to work relentlessly on furthering our vision which is to empower businesses by offering them end-to-end actionable business solutions to enable them to succeed. Ours in a platform that allows clients to quickly and easily access a team of expert advisors that can offer feedback, improve business content, share ideas and provide networking opportunities for startups, business owners and young entrepreneurs. We give people a chance to connect with others in their industry and do so in a safe and secure manner. We always welcome any and all feedback from people like you, that may help us improve and cultivate your confidence in what we do. 

We also received this from @cbcdragon: "Do you think wizof_biz should disband?" We have no intentions of disbanding. WizOf.Biz is comprised of a solid  group of people who truly believe in what we do and are committed to making the business work. Among the skeptics, whose opinions we value and accept, there is a growing number of those who support our cause and can attest to the the advancements we've made since the show. 

@JTreliving "It makes no sense to spend that kind of money for so little return" . In order to built anything worthwhile, sacrifices are to be made. Money is not worth half as much as a desire to realize potential and see a good idea through. Its true, we are not making the returns we should, but we are confident that it will come in due course. Right now our priority is to continue working with people who understand our objective while cultivating a sense of trust in our clients. They need to know that we are entirely committed to their success. 

@thevillagegreen says: "@wizof_biz just wanted to let you know that you guys are up my wheelhouse. Nice try on Dragon's Den." Thank you. We would love to hear from you. Perhaps you could tell us more about yourself. We are always looking for a fresh perspective. 

@TheCraigSutton correctly points out: "Presentations under that kind of pressure are tough. Good luck".They sure are tough. Its not easy to be standing in front of five fire breathing dragons and feeling like you're about to be torn to shreds. Under those circumstances even the best of business visions can get blurred. Thanks for recognizing that we at WizOf.Biz are only human. 

Our Twitter responses were as varied as expected. This post is meant to let you know we're here ready and willing to take on new challenges.  In the meantime, don't hesitate to say hello and stay tuned!

Twitter Bird by kopp0041 via Flickr with Creative Commons License 

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In case you were caught unaware (and really who wasn’t), the World Economic Forum recently released its 2011/2012 report on global competitiveness.  How do I know this?  An excellent article by the Globe and Mail’s Tavia Grant succeeded in passing this on to me.  I think that there are some real useful bits in the report, according to Ms. Grant, that may be insightful for local businesses.  Let me relate a few of the report’s Pillars of Global Competitiveness.

Pillar 1 is Institutions, which refers to, and I quote, “the institutional environment that is determined by the legal and administrative framework within which individuals firms and governments work to generate wealth.” Countries and people of all levels of economic standing are starving for administrative integrity and understanding. Too much red tape and little change in institutional attitudes can inadvertently stifle economic advancement. “While all of these factors are likely to be important for the competiveness and growth, they are not mutually exclusive-two or more of them can be significant at the same time, and in fact that is what has been shown in the economic literature.” I agree.  I believe that the successful steady growth and development of any economy is dependent on a kind of economic machine, where essentially all of these factors combined, create one functioning mechanism that propels the economy forward. In turn, all of these multiple, intricate components, compete with one another to enable economic development and sustainability.

Increasingly we see a shift towards independent business ventures, self-reliant projects and a desire to get away from the “corporate ideal”. Due to institutional instability and leaders’ chronic unwillingness to put themselves in the shoes of independent visionaries or aspiring entrepreneurs, startups often find themselves less and less able to compete against the ever-shifting economy and the unchanging institutional mindset. The problem is, in this uncertain environment how can these beautiful minds and aspiring business men and women get the know-how and guidance they need to succeed.

Tavia’s 7th pillar is Labor market efficiency:  well we all know that more often than not and in particular with today’s chaotic economic mood, business consultants and strategist struggle to make ends meet. It is important than, that we are flexible and efficient when it comes to ensuring that all workers are at their best. They need the flexibility of being able to multitask at a low cost while transitioning as smoothly as possible. “Efficient labor markets must also ensure a clear relationship between worker incentives and their efforts to promote meritocracy at the workplace, and they must provide equity in the business environment between women and men.” If these men and women are assured that they are making positive changes and that their talent is acknowledged and appreciated, business would prove to be much more efficient. I find myself empathizing with every unfairly treated worker and the uncertain future of a severely bruised economy that needs our help.

As I read on, I also understand that what we refer to so matter-of-factly as economic sustainability, is not merely government’s responsibility and that we really need to learn to work together. All of us are beautiful, capable and intelligent people who can run small businesses or engage in entrepreneurial activities.

In her recount, Tavia touched on some very real issues like poverty, global inequity, and market disparity. There is a definite sense of urgency and concern for the future of businesses, the building and encouragement of balanced economic and labor relationships between men and women.  

12th Pillar:  Innovation: Businesses must not forget to innovate, envision and think outside the box. Although this might be difficult to achieve, it will come a long way in helping grow and sustain our economy.

Tavia’s overall message is that we all should have a hand in the healthy recovery of our global economic climate. Each of us has an unstoppable desire to learn, grow and be a part of something bigger. We should rely on mutual respect and appreciation of our shared talent and effort. We need not to feel thwarted by the political and social uncertainties of our current reality.

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Recently I got a chance to sit down and interview
WizOf.Biz’s co-founder, Reg Charney to give everyone a little insight into the
business. 

Irena Kagansky: What motivated you to start a business like
WizOf.Biz?

Reg Charney: When Peter and I started to work on this idea,
our motivation was to help businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs find the
answers they needed to succeed. Quite often, people will have brilliant
business ideas, however a lack of experience, direction and expert advice stop
them short of making them a reality. We have a platform that allows business
experts in many fields to contribute to the growth of the inventory of business
solutions for innovators and entrepreneurs. We are a safe and secure online sounding
board where business minded folks can get the insight and inspiration to enable
them to get ahead. We bring together the business expertise that is out there
and allow innovators and entrepreneurs to access this wealth of knowledge and
experience.

I.K. Has there been anything that surprised you while
running WizOf.Biz?

R.C. We have gotten to know a lot of very interesting
people; including Peter Widdis who’s a professor in Business, Arts and Design
at George Brown College. This past April, Peter and our team made an appearance
on CBC’s Dragon’s Den where WizOf.Biz was a finalist. We all learned a great
deal from this once in a lifetime experience. Subsequently, we have applied
some of the lessons learned from the Dragons and are moving forward. I know
that WizOf.Biz can provide clients with the perfect recipe for success in all
areas of business.

I.K. What are/were some proven challenges in building
WizOf.Biz?

R.C. WizOf.Biz has the capability to widen the depth and
breadth of help available to solve most business issues that innovators and
entrepreneurs encounter. However, we are just starting and building our
inventory of solutions. One of our main challenges right now is establishing
the necessary level of trust with our clients. Our entire advisors clients’
interactions happen online which can sometimes mean that client confidence in
our legitimacy wavers. That is why we are working hard at cultivating their
trust in our brand, and our commitment to quality service and client
satisfaction.

I.K. In your opinion, what sets WizOf.Biz apart from the
competition? If someone disagreed with your point of view how would you
respond?

R.C. I would say that what sets WizOfBiz from our
competitors is that we genuinely care about the success of smaller businesses,
innovation and young entrepreneurs. One of our goals is to help point clients in
the right direction. We help businesses cultivate valuable professional
relationships which can lead to breakthroughs. If you consider consultants as
part of the labor market, WizOf.Biz helps them be more efficient because we
provide the back-up support for finding work and eliminate the need for
invoicing.

I.K. What is your personal philosophy about WizOf.Biz and
how it can motivate people to be the best at what they do?

R.C. As I have mentioned earlier, we are still just starting
out as a business. With WizOf.Biz there is no worrying about making the “right”
impression. Clients can sign in online and review the advisors profiles. They
can also post comments and submit materials. They have a choice of whom they’d like
to work with. This approach ensures compatibility and promotes productivity.

I.K. In five years, how do you see WizOf.Biz contributing to
the popular trend of managing businesses online? 

R.C. I am confident that in the future WizOf.Biz will be the
number one online review hub for businesses consultants and entrepreneurs. I am
looking forward to continuing to expand our client base as well as the scope of
innovative solutions that we can bring to your business. This is thinking
ahead, but it would be great to potentially increase our market size. Although
WizOf.Biz is currently aimed at the GTA market, it can be scaled globally. With
a global set of business advisors, it could help other businesses go global.

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