I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Consumer Power Play
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It's hard to avoid the politicization of almost all aspects of life these days, especially in light of the new US administration's aggressive rollout of an agenda and priorities that have proved to be incredibly disruptive to so many people's lives and livelihoods. The rollback of DEI programs, mass deportations, the threat of freezing and/or cutting federal funding, potential gutting of regulatory and compliance across industries, to say nothing of the significant federal employee layoffs, growing international ill will, and the tariff wars, impact us all whether directly or indirectly. But, there is (maybe) a glimmer of hope. While many consumers are banning together to boycott companies that do not align with their values—high on the list are: Meta, X, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, Sephora and Home Depot—others are providing resources to drive consumers to small businesses that are negatively impacted by these new policies and the political climate. Not gonna lie, I am 100% on board with consumers wielding influence with their dollars. After all, protest takes many forms. As our politics have become more and more influenced by corporate donors and extremist views, it's ever more important to remind companies that their actions have consequences that can adversely impact their revenue and stock prices. But do boycotts really work? You bet they do. Just ask McDonald's, who recently reported a decline in global sales for the first time in almost 4 years in large part due to boycotts over the conflict in Palestine. Kellogg's and Nestlé each took a hit last year after TikTok's Let Them Eat Cereal boycotts targeted each brand over Q2 and Q3, respectively. It's a great reminder that ethics and values matter to both our businesses and our customers and can play a powerful role in attracting, engaging, and activating real affinity and loyalty. Whether you're looking for good options for yourself or your business, here are some helpful resources spotlighting black-owned, female-owned, LGBTQI+-owned enterprises: Goods Unite Us and Open Secret may also help you figure out which companies and politicians you wish to support with your hard earned cash and loyalty or to share your feedback and values with. And, if you're struggling to navigate a path forward for your business in these times of chaos and uncertainty, I'd be happy to support you. Schedule some time with me. Your success is our strategy!No longer want to receive my newsletter but don't want to miss my special offers and announcements? Click here. |
Easily Said & Done
I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Hi Reader, Last week we had the first tornado warning in Manhattan and the second in New York City that I can recall. There was horrible air quality from the Canadian wildfires as well as torrential rains with their accompanying flood warnings the week before. Right now, Spain and France are suffering devastating wildfires and heat waves. I've written before about disaster preparedness, but I really want to drive home the need to think about and plan for the potential impact of natural or...
I promised I'd share some AI wins after bashing on it for the last couple of months, so here goes. An old client of mine runs a wine shop in Brooklyn. She's got some help but she's largely a one-woman show. She's been using Monday's AI features to help her analyze and manage her inventory and understand seasonal sales trends to purchase more smartly. She had to level up her investment and hire someone to help her set up the AI agents she needs but feels it's been money well-spent. Another one...
There are lots of thoughts spinning around in my brain at any given moment. Maybe you can relate. We're kind of living in whirlwind times where information is coming at us incessantly; it's like being caught up in a tornado. There's just no way to catch your breath and really marinate on anything for too long. So here are a few things I'm trying to give a little bit more thought and attention to these days: What impact will Pope Leo's AI encyclical have on governments, tech leaders, and...