"Gain a true understanding of winning that can often be in learning from our mistakes" with Orville "Oh Yeah" Wright

Photo Credit: Sherman Wright

Orville "Oh Yeah" Wright is a seasoned professional in the music industry. He uses his songwriting abilities and talents to serve the public. He provides music to uplift and encourages others on their journey to success. His music is reaching many diverse communities and bringing them together with a common goal of victory for those who desire it. He applies the mindset of a humanitarian through music service and delivery.

What are the interview questions for entrepreneurs?

●     Can you tell our readers about your background?

I am an ASCAP singer, songwriter, and music producer of many different genres. Music has always been a part of my life with dancing, singing, and entertaining. A lot of my family has ties to music including my grandmother who sings and plays the piano. She was the one who taught many of my family to use our talents in music to demonstrate greatness. I am from Colorado Springs, Colorado and listened to a lot of genres including Pop, Jazz, Country, Rock, Rap, Hip-Hop, and R&B.

●     What inspired you to start your business?

What inspired me to start my business was observing first hand how many faults and flaws that the system has when it comes to musicians and content creators conducting business. I began as a music producer (as many others did and still do) that provided music to music libraries for users with subscriptions to use. One redundancy took place when a song was reused heavily to deter other users from wanting to use it. I also discovered that not all libraries are willing to accept new-comers as contributors. The many times being turned down from the libraries gave me enough fuel to become my own source as a sole contributor to a content creator's success. Though many of the outlets were exclusive, I discovered that I did not need them to make a sale. I decided to help a small select few creators with music production. I wanted to give users a different aspect of obtaining music that was more exclusive than a monthly subscription with a set of distribution releases. I learned and wanted to demonstrate how to be INCLUSIVE.

●     Where is your business based?

My business is based in the U.S. but serves across the globe. I started serving a small community of individuals that all collectively discovered are in a much broader community.

●     How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I thought about how I was going to have business and be successful with music so I thought of Madonna. I learned how she built her empire and made history from the ground up. I realized that I could do the same. To start my business, I had to think of a name along with a logo. Being in the music industry, part of the name and logo were easy for me to figure out. I then had to become established and recognized across numerous platforms and am not done doing this as many more are being created today. I also knew about filing with my state department of taxation and assets along with the IRS starting my business. These were two important milestones of considering myself as a business. I came up with an LLC and a DBA (Doing business as). In the music industry, it is also important to be represented in a performance rights organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, or GMR. Registering with these organizations is how additional revenue is collected for you as an artist or songwriter/ music producer and a publisher. Royalties are a vital method of receiving payments for music in businesses outside of direct sales.

●     What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

The most effective way for me to raise awareness has been through the promotion of my clients and vice versa. Happy clients return but before they return, they run and tell the town about the experience... good or bad. (Knock on wood) All of the experiences have been great so far and their promotion alone has helped to get my name into other households. Across different industries, the promotion has also left a great impact and influence on others that sparks the curiosity of my business and how to align beside it. One additional aspect impacting many in the content creator space is awareness through exclusive music products and services that music libraries do not truly present to the public. In the last few years, numerous accounts incurred copyright claims and strikes that even include take-down requests of content that features music they "thought" were exclusive. To be part of the solution, I knew that I could present to individuals and their brands a way to have music solely for themselves. My company creates music that clients can be a part of in the beginning process and have true representation for the end-goal they are trying to reach or message that is desired to be portrayed. Many new customers discover that they would like this form of protection and begin requests to my company. Many customers seek the "Oh Yeah" experience from my company thanks to the ecstatic reviews from previous clients.

●     What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Honestly, the biggest challenge has been to say "No". I am often given challenges by clients but somehow overcome them with persistence and determination to make them happy with my many works. I am however a perfectionist as many other musicians are so I always think that I can do better. Somehow, the work and effort delivers the best to satisfy the expectation of every customer. I believe that the time has not yet come for me to be able to afford to say no, yet. Though I do feel the time is close, I need to continue obliging everyone the best to my abilities with music services in business. I did learned to say no to my wants but say yes to my needs. This applies when I need some time to sit back and reflect or decompress. Often in the past, I would move from one project to the next without having true moments to relax and that does in fact intensify stress. As a business, we need to learn to say no to somethings, sometimes.

●     How do you stay focused?

This is an anomaly. My focus is a beat and a few metronome clicks away from being lost. What I mean is that I focus on one song at a time. To micromanage myself in the process, I focus on small objectives in composing music. I determine the mood, the tempo, a particular melody, along with instruments that will construct the song. Every project has the same process so I figure the focus deals with consistency. The easier it is for me to remain consistent, the easier it is to focus and attain success.

●     How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

How I differentiate from "competition" is by incorporating collaboration over competition. I do not see myself as having opponents in this industry, though others will disagree with plenty of reasons. I believe in the inclusion and collaboration of others for the success of everyone who is willing to put forth effort. In my past, I focused on opponents but not on my growth or success and this is what presented a "set-back". For a while I compared my position and status with similar individuals in the same industry. I ended up in the same position as I started by chasing behind others. I wasted money (thousands of dollars), energy, and talent, having them channeled in the wrong outlets. Now I can say I am in a different place and have grown. While observing my "competition", I can figure out how to offer inclusion while shining and standing out with my brand that is connecting more personally with each client and new customer. I am sure my competition knows that I am offering everything but capitalism on a plate to everyone and the value just cannot be matched. I think one reason is due to the mission behind the drive not being similar to mine. In fact, it often becomes transparent for many of my competitors that they do not stand with the people nor do they desire to stand for them. As a result, the traffic comes to my business and brand. My business is becoming more of a household name than many competitors but remaining humble and grateful is what seems to keep me soaring above the rest.

●     What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

The most effective way for my brand and business to grow has been through theme songs. I never imagined that creating complete music compositions for others to highlight their works would become such a thriving approach. Theme songs alone have driven more traffic to me and now a long list of clients is created because of the desire to have the branded element of "Oh Yeah" on background music and in lyrical delivery. Currently, many of my fans are waiting for the next set of songs to be delivered that will be historical. Aside from this, I have not had much of a marketing strategy. All that I ever desired to give to the public is my brand, myself, and my missions. I believe that the established connections of human-to-human interaction have been the best approach next to theme songs. Everyone is consistently receiving a personal touch of myself and in that more realize that we are "like-minded". With that in mind, the laws of attraction fall into place and my business grows. Essentially as my business grows, the same occurs for my clients.

●     What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

The best advice that I can offer to new entrepreneurs is to line up the levels of success that you desire to achieve. I have not reached the success levels I am currently at by wishing and hoping for opportunities but I have determined where I can get and how I can get here. I have written so many notes about every aspect of business to reach success. This includes names of people and organizations that I can offer value to as can they for me. A true entrepreneur will think like a business person constantly and thoroughly. \

What this can intel is that you should think about the next "set" of moves that you need to take for your business. This is identical to chess and can land you a position and status "on top", learning about how to handle set-backs, face adversity head-on, and find triumph in struggles. We are always going to have ambitions for things to fall in line how we imagine them but life has its own rules in place. Every business person quickly understands how to get ahead of adversity. For every person aspiring to be successful regardless of the business or industry, gain a true understanding of winning that can often be in learning from our mistakes.

●     What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app is Instagram. Facebook... ahem... Meta has done a good job with this platform, allowing the world of influencers and celebrities to connect with one another. I constantly engage with stories, posts, and comments with others. Many have included me in a lot of group conversations that eventually mold the members into members of a community or family. I do not read blogs but allow me to tell you about books. I am all over with this selection but I can read over-and-over "Monster" from Sanyika Shakur, "Gifted Hands" from Ben Carson, and "Culture Vultures" from Damon Dash. I have learned so much from these books and several others that make me grateful for my journey and the tribulations in it. I have learned how to understand others more and become more open-minded in order to become the best humanitarian of my abilities. I have also learned the best ways to conduct business, with whom to do business with, and when not to do business. I found a lot of similarities in perspectives with the writers and myself. I suggest to each person with business in mind to check them out.

●     What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business tool is Zoom. It is a communication platform that is perfect for scheduling business meetings and One-on-One conferences. It is a favorite because it can connect me directly with clients without the need to disclose personal phone numbers. Meetings can be scheduled and also recorded for cross-referencing in the future. Zoom has helped me to continue business practices to further the extent of success for all parties.

●     Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is Damon Dash. I have watched his career in the music industry and TV & Film. I have seen his growth and focus on wins that matter despite what headlines may portray. Facing much adversity even with friendships and partnerships that have gone sour, he displays the poise that identifies him and his new team as fighters and survivors in the aftermath. He has built another empire from the ground up with a loving and supporting family. He also offers the most amazing advice for others to pick up when conducting similar business that he is most familiar with. He has also identified the ideal types of people to do business with as opposed from who you may think is the type to remain around. Dame Dash is indeed a great business role model for me.

●     How do you balance work and life?

Work and life balancing is tricky. There is never a shortcut or straight road of success when trying to balance the two. Life and business will always have unexpected occurrences that can demand immediate attention and imbalance. I do put forth efforts to balance the two by setting approximate time slots for activities of the two. The slots include half-hour periods to sort through business emails. Family time matters to me and ways to show support to my family is by taking time to have video chats and half-hour phone conversations. Date nights are still a thing for me so some slots on calendars will be full. Emergencies take place but being transparent helps me to function the best in both worlds. I occasionally have executives that will contact me in need of files and contracts to be signed and they can be demanding. For that reason, a little time may have to be taken to handle business for my future success. The same could apply to artists and content creator clients that may have an urgent matter. With certain projects, I fill my family in on the time that I could be pulled away to be transparent and offer comfort in "knowing". This is how I handle the balance of business and life.

●     What’s your favorite way to decompress?

The way that I look forward to decompressing is by watching my favorite set of movies at home. I have a few comedies and thrillers that I have memorized scene by scene. When I have overloads, I will often load up a movie in cue and relax with content that is not out of order and I am completely familiar with. I add into the equation my go-to snacks and drink, finding my grounding again. I forget about the momentary overloads and relax. This is how I decompress.

●     What do you have planned for the next six months?

For the next six months, I will be quite busy serving the public with more music and finding some common interests with a few investors for bigger projects. I also plan to have some music videos published and that will be intriguing to all. In most forms of art, I find new ways to project my creativity as well as the best ways to connect with the projected audiences. There is also going to be more investment in equipment. One of the greatest decisions for anyone in business is to continue investing in yourself and your brand. When you invest in your business and brand, you are setting a foundation for growth and success. My next six months will be busy if not exciting.

●     How can our readers connect with you?

I can be connected with across social media with the handle "@Ohyeahbeats". I spend a good amount of time responding to messages and comments, making sure that as many voices directed to me are heard and felt. Everyone can also stop by for the latest content on "Ohyeahbeats(dot)com". Understand that it may take a moment but it is a heart-felt mission to remain inclusive to all. I thank you all for your time and wish you the best on your journey towards success.

Start with a passion and have a learning mindset: keys to a successful business with Mary Dealy, NP

Mary Dealy, NP, is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner with over 25 years of clinical expertise from some of Massachusett’s most prestigious hospitals.   Mary has worked in many clinical settings, from Emergency Departments to intensive care units to outpatient clinics.  She has taught medical students and nurse practitioner students and has traveled to third-world countries to care for people who lack access to health care.  In 2017, she launched BeautoxEtc, a Nurse Practitioner owned and operated cosmetic dermatology practice located in Medfield, Massachusetts.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Professionally, I have been very fortunate to work in an industry that gave me many opportunities to follow my passions.   I have been a Nurse Practitioner for close to 30 years and have practiced in many different settings - most recently in Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.  About 6 years ago I became interested in the emerging field of cosmetic dermatology.  I learned that this would be a great opportunity for me to practice independently and open my own business.  I started with one local training that turned into years of ongoing training both here and abroad to hone my craft and become an expert.   I started my business offering Neurotoxin and dermal fillers, gradually adding other products and procedures.  Over the past 5 years the practice has grown and now offers neurotoxins and dermal filler treatments as well as a complete line of medical grade skin care, chemical peels, and microneedling. 

What inspired you to start your business?

After a long career working in roles that became more and more autonomous, along with the current healthcare climate where Nurse Practitioners are working more independently, I realized that starting an independent practice as a Nurse Practitioner was well within my reach.  As my passion for aesthetics grew I learned more and more, and before too long it became my living and breathing passion.  As I researched cosmetic businesses,  I became inspired by other Nurse Practitioners, primarily women, who have started businesses and are making them successful. 

Where is your business based?

BeautoxEtc is located in Medfield, MA - a suburb west of Boston.  We service Medfield as well as the surrounding communities.  

Who is your business role model?

I have role models from the business end and role models from the clinical end of the business.  Regarding the business end, I have to give credit to @LexRx, a cosmetic dermatology practice in Boston.  They started a Nurse Practitioner owned and operated cosmetic dermatology practice that is hyper-focused on injectables and skin care.   This really resonated with me and after following their progress and success I felt confident to start my own business.

Regarding the clinical procedures, I give credit to @PA-Nicola, who practices out of California.  She is very knowledgeable and generous with sharing her cosmetic injectable knowledge on social media.  She posts things like “Anatomy Sunday” and “Friday Feels - treatment of the week”  that highlight specific treatment areas.  She explains them in depth and gives some great information. She is also available to answer questions about procedures and products.   I really have learned so much from her.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness about your business?

When I first opened BeautoxEtc, I was located inside a day spa.  That gave me some visibility in the community, however not as much as I would have liked.  After 2 years I was able to move to a beautiful building in the center of town.   My signage with my logo was large and had lots of visibility.  That was very helpful.  Also - my demographic is primarily on facebook, so facebook ads were helpful as well.   SEO is also vital in any industry - people tend to look at the first thing that comes up when they google.   Along those same lines, client reviews are a MUST!  I recently learned a shortcut with the Google my Business APP where I can send a text to clients to place a review - this makes it easy for them.  I generally do this with clients before they leave the office.  

How did you start the business?  What were your first steps?

The very first thing I did was to learn the trade.  I enrolled in a basic neurotoxin and dermal filler two day course.  This gave me a good fundamental knowledge, however I did not feel ready to perform the procedures.  I then asked in the aesthetic community where the best training was and I was directed to Derma Medical in London - so I traveled to London to take the course.

I then had to find a medical director.  At that time, NP’s did not have full practice authority as they do now.  As the actual neurotoxin and filler products are prescription, I needed a medical director in order to have an account in the state of Massachusetts.   I reached out to SO MANY physicians on Linked in to see if they would be willing to do this.  I was able to partner with  a medical director who was an anesthesiologist and worked with her for one year.  I then decided that a plastic surgeon would be a better fit.  I viewed the websites of local practices and found my current MD, who I have been with for 4 years.

What have been your biggest challenges in running a business?

Although there is A LOT to learn when running a business I would have to say that the biggest challenge for me is marketing.  It is so complicated!  Facebook ads, Instagram, Google, SEO, website analytics, and now tik tok and reels!   It’s just not possible to keep up with everything from a marketing perspective.  My advice to other entrepreneurs is to find a person that you can afford and trust and hire them to do this for you.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

That’s easy.  BeautoxEtc is NOT a med spa, but a concierge, boutique cosmetic dermatology practice.  There are no machines in our practice - no lasar, coolsculpting, or PRP.   We offer the latest expertise in cosmetic injectables and medical grade skin care and skin evaluation only.  We are not a jack of all trades - and our hyper-focused approach makes us the best at what we do. 

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

I would say that the road of a business owner is all about learning, learning, and learning.  As a business owner the learning curve is steep and constant.  You must of course learn your trade, keep current with it, practice it, and read about it every single day.   You need to know your clients, your customers, how they shop and what they need.  You need to learn about marketing and what specific platforms work for your demographic.  You need to be constantly watching your competition in the industry and adjusting your business as needed.

How do you balance work and life?

I am at a point in my life where I have raised and launched 4 children.  My business is like another child to raise and is an integral part of my life.  My clients have become my friends - I know about their families, jobs, difficulties.  My business is also one of my favorite hobbies and I never view it as “work”.   The flexible schedule of a business owner always leaves time for my other passions, which include travel, pickleball, dinners and drinks with friends, hanging out with my husband and my German Shepherd Rosie, and all things outdoors.

How do you stay focused?

When you are so passionate about something it’s easy to stay focused!   I have a great scheduling software system that alerts me when a client books or changes appointments so I always know what my schedule looks like.  I can order products that are delivered the next day so that makes it easy to keep track of inventory.  I also book in lots of downtime at my office to get the housekeeping things done.

What’s your favorite business tool?

I would say it is my wordpress website - it is packed with so much information and can do so many things it has been a game changer. That being said, I hired a marketing professional to manage, tweak, and update it as needed

I also recommend Quickbooks.  It integrates nicely with my bank accounts and square accounts.  Makes monthly reporting and tax time so easy!

 What is your favorite way to decompress?

Meditation and Yoga.  While I am by no means an expert on either - quieting my mind for that brief period of time is healthy for me.  I also play a lot of pickleball which is great exercise and very social. 

What do you have planned for the next 6 months?

Strategic planning for BeautoxEtc is definitely focused on bringing more clients in the door. I will have a heavy focus on facebook marketing and analytics as well as website analytics to track my website visitors.  I also have plans to integrate email marketing to my social media in order to increase my email client list.  

How can our clients connect with you?

www.BeautoxEtc.com

Gmail: mary@beautoxetc.com

Instagram @beautoxetc

text or call - 508-734-9529.

One on One with Nellie Akalp: Successful Serial Entrepreneur and Mother of Four

Inside North Ranch Magazine

Nellie Akalp is a passionate entrepreneur, business expert, and mother of four. She and her husband have been happily married and running businesses together since 1997. Their first business was started with $100 and eight years later it sold for $20 million. Today, Nellie is the Co-Founder and CEO of CorpNet.com, a trusted resource and service provider for business incorporation, LLC filings, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I am a law school graduate who basically decided, upon graduation time, that I did not want to go the typical route of others after law school. Instead, I found myself drawn to the idea of entrepreneurship. When I was finishing up law school and my husband was studying for the bar exam, we decided to invest $100 to launch our first business and never looked back!

What inspired you to start your business?

I was inspired by many facets in life to become an entrepreneur. The main inspiration were my grandparents who owned an antique store. As a child I was able to go to their shop, see the backend work and understand the strength it took to run a successful business. Although my current business has nothing to do with antiquing, I know that the fundamental skills of business ownership is something I absorbed as a child and young adult in their store. 

Where is your business based?

My business is based in beautiful southern California. Westlake Village to be exact!

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

Well with our first business, we literally took $100 to purchase a one-page website back in 1997. This was in the early days of the internet, so it was an entirely different ballgame than it is now. It was, in may ways, easier to get established and business immediately started flowing in. With my current company, it was a much different experience. We spent a lot more to build a fleshed out website with the goal of streamlining the business incorporation and compliance process. So instead of just a singular form as in 1997, our site was now much more complex. But the industry in 2009 when we launched CorpNet was also much more saturated so we had to invest more upfront to stand the chance against competitors. After our site was up, we just started organically getting the word out to our network letting them know we were back in business and then established ourselves on social media to market our services online.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Over the years, I’ve found the best way to raise awareness for CorpNet was to establish myself as an expert in the industry by providing educational content about legally starting a business in as many places as I could. I spoke at events, I hosted webinars, I was a guest on podcasts, etc. I just tried to get myself out there as much as possible to share the knowledge I know about the industry in order to help answer other people’s questions and hopefully bring in business.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge over all of the years, no matter how much success I find from my business and how well my children are flourishing, is my personal struggle with anxiety and depression. I may appear to have it all, but on the inside many days I’m filled with self-doubt about my choices. I’m afraid I will let my husband my team down, I’m afraid that the panic-attacks that lurk around me will come up and grab hold and won’t let go. I constantly put on a smile so others don’t get affected by my struggles, but that only hinders my internal struggles. The best way I’ve found to overcome these dark times is to unplug, regroup, focus what I’m grateful for and pray for strength. Going deep, taking time for myself and meditating is really powerful and healing and helps me get back on my feet.

How do you stay focused?

As a mother of four who runs a business alongside my husband, I’m pulled in many different directions throughout the day. Mom, wife, CEO - all can happen within an hour! So to stay focused I just stay in the moment. I tend to whatever role is needed at that time and move onto the next. If I get ahead of myself, my to-dos can get pretty overwhelming! So again, just staying in the moment and tending to what’s needed at that moment allows me to be laser focused on that task or person. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

We launched CorpNet at the height of the recession and amongst an array of very big corporate competitors. At first I thought the only way we’d survive is to pour a ton of our budget into advertising so we stood out against those bigger corporations. But that only left us bleeding for cash month after month. As we were inching closer to having to close our doors, we decided to put in one last effort by pulling the plug on those ads and just seeing what happened. To our delight, our phones were still ringing, orders were still coming in and our website traffic was still strong. So as a result of that, I realized that our business stands out because we are a small and dedicated team that goes out of our way to make each of our clients and partners happy. We’re not a corporate company that automates or outsources tasks. We do it all in house and our customers appreciate that. Word of mouth is our strongest asset as is social media.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Our most effective marketing strategy has been focusing on content marketing. Establishing a blog for our company, creating our own content and also sharing content with third-party outlets has been monumental in establishing CorpNet as a leader in the space. We were able to remind the online community that we’re not just a service, but we’re a resource that can answer questions and help entrepreneurs who may be struggling.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

My best piece of advice for entrepreneurs just starting out is to ensure they have the passion for the product or service they are trying to launch. The reason for this is because there will be LOTS of hardships and times when funds are very limited. In those difficult days, if the passion for the business is not intact, many entrepreneurs will give up as they’re in it for the wrong reasons. I’ve known many entrepreneurs who start businesses with the goal of just making money, and sadly they don’t make it because that’s just not realistic most of the time!

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app by far is InsightTimer. It’s an app I was recommended to deal with my anxiety and depression as it offers meditation tips and prayers 24/7 which help get me through any issues I’m having in any particular moment. My favorite blog and book are by Berne Browns. The book is called The Gifts of Imperfection, Rising Strong and Daring Greatly and it just speaks to me.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business tool is Microsoft office tools and teams app. Especially during this pandemic, it has helped my team an I stay connected and work flowing regardless of our locations.

Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is Oprah Winfrey. Her story, her strength and her true wisdom is so inspiring to me. If I find a great business quote that speaks to me, often times it ends up being from Oprah without me even knowing it! 

How do you balance work and life?

As I mentioned a few questions above, I balance by staying present in the moment and dealing with whatever task may be infant of me  - whether with my children, my husband or my business. I remind myself that it’s OK not to be perfect and that I am not perfect and I don’t have to be perfect. There doesn’t have to be a 50/50 balance of work and home life and that makes it easier.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

My favorite way to decompress is to wake up earlier than the rest of my family and meditate in a quiet house. If for any reason I cannot get centered to meditate, I always fall back on exercise which just clears my head and sets the stage for a productive day.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I actually have been really inspired to write a book so I hope to get that started in the next few months. I will also be focused on growing and scaling my business as we are slated to do our best year yet in 2021! Finally, now that my family and I are all vaccinated I cannot wait to travel again with my husband and children and celebrate life!

How can our readers connect with you?

I admit that I am not as active on social media personally as I used to be. But all of my content and insight can be found through CorpNet’s social channels: twitter.com/CorpNet and facebook.com/CorpNet. In addition, you can always reach out via my website: www.corpnet.com

Iliya Valchanov, Co-founder of 3veta: Never Underestimate Your Abilities

Photo Credit: Alexander Nikolov

Iliya Valchanov is a co-founder of 3veta.com, an end-to-end solution for hosting online meetings and getting paid. He is also a co-founder of 365 Data Science and a data science instructor on Udemy with more than 800,000 students.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My name is Iliya Valchanov and am a co-founder of 3veta. Going a bit back - I was a Mathematics competitor for 10 years. Later on, I graduated with International Management, Economics, and Finance. Despite that, I was always fascinated with teaching so I co-founded 365 Data Science and became a data science instructor on Udemy with more than 900,000 students to date.

What inspired you to start your business?

The first time around, I joined a couple of friends in their efforts to create online courses. I was taking a gap year, so it made sense for me to take a risk and try my luck. It worked quite well, and we scaled the company from 4 people to 30 people.

The second time around, with my current project, 3veta, I was already an experienced business owner. Therefore, it was much easier to make the decision. We just had a very, very good idea and decided to pursue it. 

Where is your business based?

Our business is registered and based in Sofia, Bulgaria. However, with the current situation (relating to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020), more than half of our team is not actually there at all. Together with the fact that we are a completely online business, our physical location has become irrelevant – a lifelong dream of mine.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The very first step was to create a series of sessions in which we could really talk the idea through. We called it a boot camp.

During our first bootcamp, the concept changed a hundred times within the span of a few days. However, by the end of it, we had a very clear idea of what we wanted to achieve.

Every six months, we get together for another boot camp where we can decide the next steps of our business.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Our business empowers service providers to get online and start providing their consultations online.

As such, LinkedIn has been by far the best place for us to find our target audience and raise awareness.

What have been your biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?

Being a business owner is an eternal challenge.

Historically, the biggest challenges I’ve faced were due to overly optimistic goals. I believe that anything could be achieved with enough passion and perseverance (grit), but time is not always on our side. Actually, it is always against us.

Therefore, my nemesis has always been time. I want everything to happen today, if not yesterday.

To overcome this challenge, sadly, I have learned to be patient.

How do you stay focused?

Usually, I do all my mental-heavy work in the morning and early afternoon. Once my mind becomes exhausted, I start pulling “mindless” tasks from the backlog (e.g. post an article, schedule a post, format some Excel spreadsheet, etc.). I don’t need to be too focused for those, especially because I have many checklists.

If my mind clears up, I reengage in the demanding tasks.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

3veta is fast, reliable, and extremely easy to use. And this is what our customers want.

Ultimately, we have been striving to achieve the lowest number of clicks from sign-up to getting paid (similar to what Revolut did in the Fintech world). 3veta is simply made for online video consultations in 2021. We haven’t used tech from an older product that was later refurbished – no, we are utilizing state-of-the-art technologies. Moreover, when it comes to video, we haven’t simply added “an option to integrate with Zoom”.

Instead, we have optimized any and all parts of the product – with less choice, there is more actual work done on the provider’s part.

Finally – our team. Given a good product and decent funding, having the right people on that team is the only thing that makes the difference between success and failure. We are the five co-founders with very different skillsets, but with one common goal: to make an extremely successful product.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

We have also automated almost any process that could be automated. Most prominently – email marketing, content dissemination (e.g. you post a new article and it gets promoted on all of your social media or even other places), auto-replying chatbots, etc. I am pretty sure that these will be the most effective strategies long-term.

Certainly, there are some channels that are better than others for each company. With 3veta, we know that all of our providers are professionals, so LinkedIn is our most natural match. So that was our most effective strategy so far.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

You can achieve everything you want, as long as you fully devote yourself to it.

Five years ago, I was a Finance graduate with a Mathematics background. Since then, I have hardly used Math or the Finance that I studied. However, I can code, create machine learning algorithms, edit videos, write compelling articles, manage people and projects, run ads, and much more.

Everything I have accomplished has been possible because I have never assumed that I cannot do something, without trying.

Stay open to learning and never underestimate your abilities!

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

App: The Slack mobile app has really changed the way I work from my phone. Therefore, it is on top of my list.

Blog: The one blog I’m devouring lately is Li Jin’s Substack, focusing on the passion economy and how creators are being empowered to make a living from their passion.

Book: There is no single book that can make this list. However, ‘Winter of the World’ from the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. Why? It’s just a really good book. Reading Ken Follett helps you understand why some people are great writers and others are just… writers.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Trello.

I have tried out a dozen different tools to organize my work (Asana, Jira, Monday.com, etc.).

Most of the time, Trello is all that one needs.

So simple, yet so powerful.

If every tool online was like Trello, we would have a perfect world.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I haven’t found a single person that I can call a business role model. I try to internalize as much as possible from different business leaders.

Steve Jobs versus Bill Gates has always been the most intriguing of clashes to me. I like both of them (and dislike both of them). So, the best of these men would be my business role model.

How do you balance work and life?

This one is the easiest. I started working with my sister and wife. Therefore, I no longer have to balance work and life.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Being in a sensory deprivation capsule (flotation pod) is one of my favorites. It is a capsule that you enter naked, you float on top of the water (with a lot of salt) that is the same temperature as your body; it is completely dark; there is no sound. Being in such a pod for an hour or more helps you really get rid of the noise in your life and focus on your inner self.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I have decided to start a multi-media approach to both the company brand and my personal brand. As such, I am starting a podcast (audio), a LinkedIn series (video), and a Substack (text). I believe that this approach is not only great for our marketing efforts but also a great way to challenge myself in different formats.

How can our readers connect with you?

The best way to find me is on my LinkedIn account[IV1]. However, if you feel like reading, my newsletter will be more appropriate.[IV2] 

If you are interested in providing online services, then 3veta [IV3]  is the place to be.

"Do your research and get out and talk to potential customers" with Ryan Schwartz

Ryan Schwartz is currently CEO of Mental Health Match, a free and confidential service that matches people to the therapists and counselors who best meet their needs. Prior to founding Mental Health Match, Ryan was principal of Full Focus Communications, a messaging and communications strategy firm for social change organizations.   

Ryan geeks out on understanding how people think, feel, and act – especially when it comes to breaking through the stigmas of mental health. He was trained as a cultural anthropologist at Stanford University and spent many years as a communications strategist for social change movements. Ryan’s stories have been told across the globe; he's been recognized by the Media Institute of Southern Africa for producing the community radio show of the year.  

What inspired you to start your business?

A few years ago, I searched for a therapist for the very first time. My mom had suddenly passed away and I was grieving.  

I started asking friends and family about how to find a therapist and was discouraged by what I heard. Some people said they were so overwhelmed finding a new therapist that they gave up on the process altogether.  

One day, I was sitting in a coffee shop with a friend. I was scrolling through endless therapist websites and unhelpful online profiles, unsure of what to do next. My friend sat across from me setting up an online dating account. Within minutes, she was being matched with the potential loves of her life, and I was still confused and overwhelmed.

I compared our processes and realized it was time for a modern approach to finding a therapist. It should be easier to find a therapist than a life partner. That was the moment that Mental Health Match was born. 

Where is your business based?

We are fully remote across the US. We started in Houston, Texas, but now have employees in every time zone.  

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The first thing I did was market research. I interviewed people who had recently searched for a therapist about their search process and then interviewed therapists about how they connect with new clients. Then, I iterated on ideas. I drew out wireframes on a piece of paper and got feedback from both audiences. With that feedback, I then made PowerPoint mockups of the site and got additional feedback. Finally, I was able to secure investment from friends and family to turn those mockups into a working site, and we launched the MVP in 2019.

 What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Media and interviews such as this one. Both therapists and people looking for therapists are so hungry for new resources that they tend to widely share news about our Mental Health Match. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Self-care. When I first started Mental Health Match, I worked nonstop. I was working to start the company while also working as a consultant to pay the bills. I would have quickly burned out if I didn’t listen to the advice of my therapist to “not let my passion kill my self-compassion.” So instead, I slowed my pace a bit and started listening to my body when it needed a break. I recognize now that work is endless. There will always be just one more thing to get done. Since startups really are a marathon and not a sprint, it is important to set healthy boundaries around work and give your brain and body a rest.  

How do you stay focused?

It is really hard these days. I built a gym in my garage and workout every morning before work, releasing some of that anxious energy that can make it hard to focus. I also try and meditate for 10 minutes every afternoon to clear my head of all the distracting noise. Finally, if I feel my mind wandering, I let it go for a few minutes then come back to what I’m doing. And sometimes, I just have to turn off Slack.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

When we first started, this wasn’t a challenge. The major competitors were like the Yellow Pages with overwhelming impersonal listings that you just scrolled through. It was very easy to see the differentiation. Now, there are more and more companies popping up trying to replicate what we do. So now, we lead with data that proves our specific approach and the quality of matches we are able to create because of the experience and anonymous data we do have. At the same time, we are developing a new round of features that are not offered by anyone else. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Really nurturing the fans we have. Many therapists love what we are creating and what we’ve been able to do for them, so they are happy to share our site as a resource for both clients and colleagues.  

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Do your research and get out and talk to potential customers. A decade ago, I started working on a different business idea. I searched the internet for a similar product and saw nothing so I hired some programmers to design a little mockup. I put a lot of energy into it but never talked to potential customers. It turns out that an existing and well-established company was already creating something similar and had announced their new product to their customers in an email. If I had just asked, I would have learned that my idea was superfluous.  

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

App: Calendly. I no longer waste time trying to schedule meetings and phone calls. Now people just click a link and find a time that works for both of us.

Blog: Coglode. I really love the intersection of psychology and design and think they do an amazing job of presenting the science of behavior in tangible ways. 

Book: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown. It really helped me cultivate self-compassion and prevent burn out.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Loom. They have made it really easy to create and share screen sharing videos. We’ve started growing from a very small core team to a bigger staff, and these videos are incredibly helpful for bringing on new people and documenting institutional knowledge. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

Hamdi Ulukaya. I really look up to the bold ways he makes sure all of Chobani’s employees are taken care of.

How do you balance work and life?

I go to therapy. With my therapist, I’ve clarified my values and what is important in my life and made sure I put appropriate and healthy boundaries around work. I am very passionate about what I do, and without these steps, I feel like I would have worked 80 hour weeks for months and then completely burned out. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Meditation. It is amazing what 10 minutes can do. A quick mediation allows me to silence all the noise in my head and get back into my body.  

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We are growing! We’ve got some new features in the works to remove more of the barriers that prevent people from going to therapy. Personally, I’ll also be planning a wedding to my amazing, supportive partner.

How can our readers connect with you?

Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mentalhealthmatch/

"Do work that you care about" with Katie Girogadze

Entrepreneur, photographer, blogger, jewelry designer—Ketevan (Katie) Girogadze is taking the social media world by storm teaching her loyal followers how to take incredible photos and travel in style. Katie shares the story that led to the development of her hugely popular and breakthrough photography app KATIE ONE.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I was born in 1993 in a rural mining town in the Republic of Georgia (located next to Russia and Turkey in the Caucasus region) and was orphaned at 12 years old. Thanks to constant hard work, dedication, and a strong desire to succeed, I got a chance to enroll and graduate with honors from a top French business school. After graduating, I started my career in a social media management position at L’Oréal. Since I was responsible for the social media strategy of a L’Oreal brand, I spent a lot of time doing research on Instagram which I eventually turned into a side hustle. Two years later I left my job to work on my fashion and lifestyle blog full time.

What inspired you to start your business?

I used to see Instagram posts and photographs that were so poorly executed and I would think to myself “I can do way better than that!!” That’s how I began developing the KATIE ONE App as a reaction to all the poorly designed photo apps on the market and the fact that photo maps weren’t even a feature. These were improvements and upgrades that we needed so much for improved content creation.

Where is your business based?

We are a content creation and digital software company based in Paris, France.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

Initially, I had spent months researching online to see if there were a photo map and editing app all in one. There wasn’t. I thought “This is crazy!” Such a massive industry and there is not a single solution out there to help users like me save time and guarantee to find the best photo locations around the world. I realized there was definitely an opportunity to create something to help people. I started to work on it right away and the first thing I did was look for people with a technical background who could collaborate on building the app.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

For me, it’s content creation for multiple social media platforms (Instagram and TikTok) and partnering with influencers for content creation and promotion. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

There are significant challenges caused by the pandemic and the situation the world is in right now. We haven’t overcome these challenges yet, but we’ve introduced new solutions. For example, since most people cannot travel right now and they can’t enjoy the interactive map to the fullest, we introduced educational guides and programs to teach photography and stay creative even while being at home.

How do you stay focused?

Minimizing multitasking and training my brain to stay focused!

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

We are highly focused on providing solutions for our customers. We saw the gap in the market and created a product that fully satisfies our customers’ needs. With the KATIE ONE App, our users have the best solution for photo and video content creation.

 What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

So far, influencer marketing!

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Do work that you care about. There’s no doubt that running a business takes a lot of time. Steve Jobs noted that the only way to be satisfied in your life is to do work that you truly believe in.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

The KATIE ONE App for photo and video editing! I use it daily for my content creation! Lifehacker is one of my favorite blogs because it mixes technology, productivity, and life hacks. My favorite book is usually the one I happen to be reading. At the moment, I’m rereading “Amok” by Stefan Zweig.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I can’t live without Gmail or messenger apps like Telegram and WhatsApp (the best and the fastest way to get in touch with our employees). And I would be lost without Adobe Creative Cloud apps that I use on a daily basis for content creation. They have the best software for creators.

Who is your business role model? Why?

Charlotte Tilbury is one of my business role models because she has done an incredible job of building an e-commerce empire. She has worked so hard to build her social media following and business by insightfully recognizing a gap in the market (that also happened to be one of her own needs) and fulfilling it by successfully bringing that product to market.

How do you balance work and life?

This is challenging. My Instagram feed was the start of everything for me, and it has developed into an online blog, complete with Instagram stories (which is basically an additional platform in itself these days) and TikTok videos. As soon as I channel a little more energy into one social platform, the others fall behind. I try not to take on too much work and delegate as much as possible so I can focus only on things that are really important and enjoy the weekend and free time as well. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Taking a day off! That’s what I’m doing today. It doesn’t necessarily mean going on vacation or traveling for me. I am just going to veg out and allow myself to calm down and center myself.

 What do you have planned for the next six months?

We recently hit a milestone of 150,000 users of my editing app, KATIE ONE, only a few months after its launch. We are extremely happy that we were able to reach that huge number even in the middle of the pandemic. Currently, we are working hard to introduce new, exciting features in the app over the next few months! We are also working on introducing new fall and holiday collections for my jewellery line.

How can our readers connect with you?

Follow me on Instagram for daily life and travel: @katie.one

For photography tips: @katieoneapp

I also share funny content on TikTok: @katie.one

And detailed blog posts with insider tips on the blog: www.katieone.com

"Surround yourself with the right people" with Sasha Schriber

Sasha Schriber is CEO and founder of NANOS.AI, a machine learning startup based in Switzerland. Nanos turns the process of creating and placing online advertisements into a simple, automated, and transparent action by using machine learning. A former Walt Disney Imagineering cast member, she also founded and developed an innovation group within Disney Research in collaboration with the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). Background in math, finance, and law; 20+ patents in multimedia, previsualization, machine learning, and online marketing technologies, and publications at ACM IUI, IEEE InfoVis, IAAI, ICIDS.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I have a wide range of experience and I’ve changed my career multiple times. I went from studying physics and math furiously in high school and dreaming of formulas at bedtime to getting my first paid job as a sixteen-year-old selling kids’ underwear at a retail store. I became a manager of that store within roughly a year.

I’ve built several other companies, from B2B retail to restaurants, to telecom services and hardware equipment, at the same time studying for a Ph.D. At one point, I went full force on the creative as a freelance filmmaker and opera director. I picked up all kinds of filming gigs and worked for free on various film and opera sets. I did everything possible — from stage lights to camera and sound assistance to post-production sound design, from assisting a make-up artist to scriptwriting and editing. After all of that, I started my own production technology company and eventually crossed over to the corporate research side for six long years.  

What inspired you to start your business?

One of the main challenges in all of my previous businesses was - how do I find my customers, without paying an arm and a leg for it?

While running an innovation group at a large corporate research laboratory, I came up with the idea of Nanos. Marketing as an industry should be demystified, lowering the entry barrier into online visibility. Many processes related to marketing can be automated using machine learning. These concepts became the foundation for my current company - nanos.ai.  I was always driven by this romantic idea that anyone should be able to advertise online at a low cost. The flower shop owner next door should have the same chance to prosper as a big online flower franchise, even with the smallest marketing budgets. An international fashion brand should not block an independent shoemaker’s online visibility just because they have their own internal marketing army. Established companies and brands usually have marketing specialists, sales teams, and all kinds of governmental support. But as a small business owner, you are literally left alone when starting a new venture.

There is a strong need to lower the barriers of entry into online marketing. Small businesses are the economic drivers in most developed countries. But they risk missing the boat when competing with the bigger players in their fields when it comes to marketing. One of the most common issues for small businesses is awareness. As an example, you might have stumbled upon a nice store by chance in the basement floor of your office. You only knew about it because you walked by it every day. Sadly, by the time you finally consider paying them a visit, they may already be out of business, since not enough other people knew about their existence.

Marketing should be demystified. It's really not that complex, but very iterative. One has to experiment a lot to find out what works for each type of business, product, or service. There are so many parameters to keep in mind: the visuals, the story, the website, the timing, the budget, industry trends, competitors’ actions, and much more. If you don't have big budgets to experiment with, you are literally gambling with your money in hopes of reaching the desired results fast. This is why there is a need for a tool that caters to small business owners, making the knowledge that worked for other similar businesses available to them.

I strongly believe that everyone should be empowered to do their own marketing. Technology can make it accessible to anyone. That's why I created Nanos, a do-it-yourself, pay-as-you-go digital advertising tool. At Nanos, we, a dozen computer scientists and technology-generalists, have built a tool where anyone without marketing, design, technical background, or big marketing budgets can very quickly create, place and optimize online ads. We want to help people and businesses who lack technical, marketing, or design skills, and those who cannot learn marketing or simply don't want to. We can make a difference for entrepreneurs without big budgets to spend on marketing, or people who have already tried advertising alone or with agencies and failed. This is why we created Nanos.  

Where is your business based?

Nanos is based in Zurich, Switzerland. There are several reasons we chose Switzerland. First, it's about quality. Switzerland has very good tech schools and a pool of tech talent. It leads the Global Innovation Index, with the most patents per capita in the world. Also, Switzerland offers legal services tailored specifically to startups’ needs along with direct access to seed and Series A funding, governmental support, and competitive tax advantages.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I was working for a big research organization. One day, the language teacher the company employed, Tim, showed me a stack of old-fashioned white business cards. They had imprinted florals and his name on them, and he told me to share them with people that might be interested in language courses. He spoke seven languages and was a highly skilled language teacher. I was slightly taken aback by the business cards and questioned why he didn’t just have a website. We made him a website and a month later he came to me again with the business cards. When I asked him about the website, he shook his phone and said, “yes, but no one has called me!”

This made me think. Tim was not a digital native. I’d dare say that he was born with a remote control in his hands, but not a smartphone. I was convinced that he didn’t have the online advertising skills or knowledge to promote his new site on a regular basis. This idea sparked something in me, so I asked a colleague where she would advertise Tim’s website. She happened to be reading Google Adwords, a 700-page book. Right then and there, I started reading it too. I was inspired by all the opportunities I saw for automation. “Imagine if we could build a technology that automated everything from this book,” I thought. There was no way Tim could ever successfully accomplish placing an ad campaign through this complicated avenue!

I thought the idea was brilliant. I went back to my desk and drew a few low-fidelity frames of what would later become Nanos. I met with a software engineer friend and asked if it was possible to call up Google and Facebook APIs to get this through in the first place. After some testing, he confirmed we could. With a little money, my own free time, and a couple of intrigued friends, we investigated the romantic idea that anyone should be able to advertise online.

After much testing and prototype after prototype, we finally reached our goal. Today, anyone can place an ad about their business or service in less than ten minutes, starting from as little as five dollars, and without any advertising knowledge.

Few years have passed since that day Tim inspired me to create Nanos.  

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

It’s definitely been a combination of paid media and social media. Paid advertising and social media content are two sides of the same coin. Nowadays, both are equally important in growing a business.

One thing is for sure if your company is not online, it doesn’t exist. If anyone is interested in what your company is doing, they will first go to your website. Then they will check your company’s social media channels. How many followers and how interesting your content is might influence the decision of a prospective client and whether or not they purchase your product or service.

With paid media, you are more or less in control of who will see your ad. As a stand-alone effort, it can become quite expensive if you are to compete with others in your field for that same audience. When it comes to social media, you’ll never fully know who ends up seeing your posts, and you can’t easily influence how many people will see it. This is why both are important.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

At Nanos, we aimed to build technology that automates as many digital marketing processes as possible. But it was not easy from the start. For instance, there was not much tech talent available. Machine learning and AI as sciences were not as established then as they are now. Only in the last 2 years, it has become "sexy" to be a machine learning engineer or a computer scientist. So many students now follow the trend and switch from another science, for instance, physics or biology. We see this a lot because having a machine learning degree means having a much higher salary nowadays.

Another challenge was that there also was not as much data available, and computer power and cloud services were still very expensive when we were just starting out. But what was driving me was the knowledge of how many people could benefit from our AI. So slowly, step by step, we were able to hire the best tech talent from ETH Zurich (The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), as well as find cost-efficient solutions to keep our machine learning models running. 

How do you stay focused?

On one hand, I make sure that I live a healthy, balanced life. This includes personal and family time along with work. The ability to stay focused and in control requires balance.

On the other hand, I like to work with a system that I learned working with Pixar animators. It’s the art of  “in-betweening”. It’s used internally when they want a smooth transition from one keyframe of an animation sequence to another. If a bunny needs to cross the room, an animator starts by defining several important keyframes for its movement. He draws the first keyframe where the bunny starts, then a second keyframe where the bunny reaches the middle of the room, and then the third keyframe where it stops at the door.

Once the perfect keyframes are found, the rest, or “in-between” frames, can be created faster, or even delegated to others. I look at any business decision, large or small, in a similar way. This system also helps me stay focused on things that need to be done. Instead of making big, bold moves, I set up keyframes along the path and move from one to another consistently. Then I use the process of in-betweening ,  slowly transitioning from one keyframe to another. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Nanos is the only do-it-yourself, pay-as-you-go digital advertising tool for non-experts. It’s a powerful tool that gives small business owners and entrepreneurs who don’t have marketing knowledge or resources the ability to profit from digital advertising. You choose your budget according to what you can invest in. There aren’t any hidden fees or contracts.

It’s a tool that gives any business the marketing superpower it needs to grow online.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Recursive Marketing plus social media content is the strategy I decided on when starting Nanos. Recursive marketing means we have been advertising ourselves through our own tool - nanos.ai. We would place ad campaigns about us worldwide and attract visitors to our website. Additionally - we produced a lot of videos and articles about who we are, what we have built, and why are we doing this.

From the very beginning, I had a vision of where I wanted to go with Nanos and how it should look in terms of features and innovation. It was important for me to create an environment where my team could prosper in order to create amazing technology. It was also important that through social media content our customers saw and experienced this innovative culture. It is also about letting our own customers advocate for us. 

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Surround yourself with the right people. The “right people” are those who share the same principles as you but come from different backgrounds. They have skills, expertise, and personalities different from your own. They also have their own established networks.

If I were to give anyone advice, it would be to spend as much time with these people as you can. Perhaps by making a contribution to someone else’s idea, participating in work-in-progress concept development, or joining a strong team that is about to really take off. With the right people, you gain the right network and expertise in your domain. Once you find your people, give it all you can.

To me, this is important because no one builds anything alone. Working on something with others means integrating different strengths and perspectives.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favourite book is “Just Kids” by Patty Smith. It’s a fiction book but could serve as a manual on how to create great commercial art and a personal commercial brand. For apps, I like tracking apps - for monthly expenses, ski runs, periods, and others. For blogs, I like to read the New York Times. They always offer fresh and different perspectives. To me, it’s a great example of true professional journalism. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Since I work remotely and my team is international and based on different timezones, I value tools that enable me to create a good work system. That’s why my most used tools are Google calendar and Hangouts. They’re also simple and easy to use.  

Who is your business role model? Why?

I wouldn’t say I have a business role model. Rather than having a business role model or relying on someone's acceptance and opinion, I think it’s important to listen to your intuition and rely on your own competence. In my life, I’ve heard “no” and “you can’t do it” many times from family members, close friends, colleagues, bosses, mentors and others. But, with time, I learned that we should not rely on others’ acceptance of our business ideas. I value criticism from experts and many people inspire me, but first and foremost, I rely on my intuition and make sure that I use all the inputs to succeed.  

How do you balance work and life?

Well, Nanos has been a remote company since its existence. We value flexibility and independent working. In that sense, I have options in planning my day. I always include exercise and personal time in my daily routine.

One thing that helps me balance work and life is a very simple system called the Three-Legged Strategy. These legs are your professional life, your private affairs, and your hobbies. Your professional life is your whole work environment. When I say your private life or family, I’m referring to all the humans that are present in your life outside of work and those with who you interact the most. If you feel perfectly fine without any strong ties to your family or friends, that’s fine too. As long as you’ve found your balance and you’re not subconsciously or consciously seeking to change it. When it comes to your hobbies, here I’m talking about activities that inspire and motivate you personally to take action or learn. As with family and work, your hobbies might also change from time to time, but they should not be directly related to your professional endeavors or family members. A hobby is something that you truly do for yourself.

For me, maintaining a balance between these three well-functioning, supportive legs keeps my life balanced, but also helps me avoid stress or getting caught off guard by surprises.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

For me now, it’s exercising. I’ve had many hobbies over the years. I was into art, meditation, and other things, but going to the gym or exercising outside really works best and helps me let it all out. This year has been very peculiar, and while we couldn’t go on living the routines we had before, I found it even more important to keep exercising at home. Since time outside has been limited, I created my own small home gym so that I can still release that extra energy.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We are currently working on Nanos Pro and are set to launch it in the next six months. It’s a version of Nanos for marketing professionals that will allow them to launch multi-platform campaigns from one single place. It will also allow marketers to improve campaign performance with a configurable AI that optimises the ads every hour.  

How can our readers connect with you?

You can find me on social media or write me an email ask.sasha@nanos.ai

Facebook: Sasha Schriber

Instagram: @sashaschriber

TikTok: sashaschriber

LinkedIn: Sasha Schriber

Twitter: @SashaSchriber

Website: sashaschriber.com

"Put all your efforts into what you do" with Bella Schneider

Bella Schneider is the founder, clinical skincare pioneer, and paramedical esthetician behind Bella Schneider Beauty Cosmetics and LaBelle Day Spas & Salons. She leads a team of more than 200 esthetic professionals at two premier spas and her wholesale division of professional cosmetics. For more than 35 years, she has traveled the world to bring service providers the best in esthetic science; as a groundbreaking formulator, successful retailer, and respected educator, her mission is to help professionals enhance their practice and grow their business. Winner of the Nouvelles Esthetiques lifetime achievement Crystal Award for contributions to beauty science.

https://www.labelledayspas.com/

https://www.bellaschneiderbeauty.com/

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I took an interest in skincare as a teenager when I was breaking out. My mother took me to have my first facial at a European facial salon. When I moved to the United States, after growing up in Ukraine and Israel, I was shocked at how limited the beauty offerings were in San Francisco. I came to San Francisco on my own. My parents were deaf, and my brother had severe cataracts and was even blind at one point. I came to America to complete my education and find a job to send money back home. I managed to secure a scholarship and complete a joint Political science and Economics degree at UC Berkeley. I worked in cosmetics and makeup to support myself.

What inspired you to start your business?

Once I graduated, I realized it was time to bring European quality esthetics to the San Francisco area. Quality European facials, cosmetics, waxing, and makeup were missing here at the time. What I would call vanity and beauty culture, with high in-depth skincare were less prevalent. I decided to take the economics acumen I acquired at Berkeley and combine this with my passion for beauty and skincare. I opened a small boutique salon in the heart of San Francisco’s shopping district. It was instantly a success; I couldn’t keep up with the business and appointment requests! I had clients travelling from an hour away for appointments. That’s when clients asked me to open another location in Palo Alto, CA that was an hour away.

Where is your business based?

Today it is in Palo Alto, California. 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I had a small sum of money I had acquired but I needed more funding. I spoke to people I knew and approached the banks for additional funding. This was the hardest part, acquiring money as a woman in the late seventies and eighties, particularly in the beauty industry, was just unheard of. I had to rely on other strong women who had made it in banking to network and secure the loan in a male-dominated creditor field.  

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Communicating the message that beauty and vanity are healthy forms of self-love was big in the beginning. Also, sharing this message later on with men, that taking care of yourself and grooming are important personally and professionally, became an important message to convey later on. Today it is less necessary as the current generations thrive on self-care, beauty, and image. From picture taking to me-time, our current culture really appreciates salon and spa-time.

For me, the best ways to increase awareness have been by providing high-quality services and products as well as having central locations in popular shopping centers that have easy parking and access to other stores. Our clients refer my spas to their friends and family because they know we prioritize excellence and convenience. I found my niche by creating full-service spa-salons that offer everything under one roof and by creating my own products based on my years of experience and client feedback. They simply can’t get this from our competitors. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

I would say that the biggest challenge is developing loyal employees that are hard-working and meticulous. I have high expectations and so do my clients, so I require this level of devotion from my employees. It makes it harder to hire, as I look for long-timers, but it has also been the strength of my business. I have employees who have worked with me for as long as 20 or more years. I run my business as a family in this way. This can open me up to disappointments. My work has been to not take challenges personally and to realize that people will do as they do. 

How do you stay focused?

I am naturally a driven person. I have discipline and know that I always must be one step ahead of the rest. I never shy away from change or re-modeling my brand to keep up with the newest discoveries, technologies, and market trends. With this said, I know how to indulge in the things that cause me pleasure at the end of the day. To stay focused, I disconnect from the emails and phone at the end of the day. I also focus on optimism; I don’t indulge in feeling sorry for myself or imagining worst-case scenarios. I simply believe in my and others’ ability to overcome difficulty and come out stronger.  

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I focus on uniqueness. As I mentioned earlier, I offer a full-service experience. Clients can get all their services under one roof. Most spas don’t have this today because it’s more work for them. But my priority is what’s best for my clients. I make sure that our techniques, technologies, and products are always the best. By formulating my own products, I know that clients simply can’t find what I offer elsewhere. I personally train all my esthetic staff and only hire someone I would go to myself. My corporate culture is one of a family. From Christmas parties to one-on-one time, I treat my staff as my family. This is the atmosphere our clients love.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

It’s important to contribute to the community you live in. I focus on Public Relations. I actively donate to the community and participate in my client’s passions and community service. More recently, I’ve focused on actively engaging my clients through an email newsletter. In this way, I keep them abreast of new developments and stay in constant touch.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Do what you love. Put all your efforts into what you do. If you don’t love the subject matter, the product, or the service you are providing, you won’t be able to put in the time it takes to be competitive, successful, or happy. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

Because of my diverse background growing up in a communist country than in Israel, traveling the world, and living in the U.S., combined with my degree in Economics and Political science, politics are a passion of mine. Had I not chosen the beauty industry; I would have pursued a career in international journalism. I read news from around the world. Not so many blogs, but hard news from the Balkans, Europe, and the Middle East.

Truthfully, I prefer personal relationships with communicating online or on paper. Particularly, some of my personal clients, that are leaders in the political arena such as Condoleezza Rice, George Schultz, and others. I have the privilege of having in-depth discussions with them on current affairs. That’s what I find the most interesting. As far as books, I love Hemingway. I read all his books.  I have also read all of Elena Ferrante's books. They are brilliant!    

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I use my laboratories and my raw ingredient suppliers as my guiding light for quality ingredients that are effective and innovative. I continually read about new ingredients in trade publications and then create new formulations with my chemists in the function of my discoveries. I take the information that I learn about ingredients from the lab to practice; My true "laboratory" is my work with clients. I question them, experiment on them, and then come up with my new ideas and formulas based on their feedback. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

My main role model in life was my grandmother. I received my strength from her. She escaped and survived the holocaust and hid her family including a deaf child while her husband was in a labor camp. Her words and guidance are always fresh in my mind whenever I face opposition. She taught me to be strong and trust myself above everything else.

How do you balance work and life?

Spending time with my partner, daughter and grandson are especially important to me. I also make time to have coffee dates with my friends. I also love going to musicals and the ballet. I always plan ahead so that I know I have already scheduled in time for fun. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love to exercise, read a wonderful novel, watch international romance, and travel to Europe. Nature and esthetic there please all of my senses.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I plan on observing what happens to the marketplace and keeping up with the trends. If we need to have less people in the spa due to COVID, that’s what we’ll do. If clients or professional estheticians need home services or home kits, then that’s what I’ll offer. I keep my fingers on the pulse of my clients’ needs and the actual marketplace.

How can our readers connect with you?

By emailing us at service@labelledayspas.com

"Understand your 'why' and always keep that in mind" with Cindy + Carmen of Commerce Chicks

Three years ago, best friends Carmen and Cindy officially left their corporate jobs to pursue their eCommerce business together. With the desire to leave the rat race and reach financial freedom, they had initially worked on the venture as a side hustle until they reached their goal of 1 million in revenue in their first year!  

Now they have multiple e-commerce stores and a following of 75k on TikTik, @CommerceChicks, where they share their story and tips on how to use dropshipping as a way to generate passive income. 

Can you tell readers about your background?

Cindy & I met during frosh week of university. We were both in the same competitive 5-year program where you got two degrees from two neighbouring Universities in Math and Business. We bonded instantly. Both of us coming from similar backgrounds; being raised by first-generation immigrants parents who had to hustle and start small businesses to survive in a foreign country. We’ve been best friends ever since. 

In 2017 we graduated and took offers to do consulting at Deloitte. Shortly after,

we decided the corporate life wasn’t for us and tried our hands at a side hustle. We started our first business together in e-commerce! With limited funds and knowledge, we built our first store together selling women’s accessories and fashion using Shopify. We used the drop-shipping model as it allowed us to limit our risk and only order the products after a customer has paid us. 

Promoting our brand through social media & digital advertising, we were able to make 1 million dollars in revenue and quit our full-time jobs at Deloitte within our first year of business. For the next three years, we travelled & lived nomadically across the world while building multiple eCommerce stores using the drop-shipping model.  

Recently, we launched our first non-drop ship brand, kimonol.com, designing luxury silk & satin kimonos inspired by Japanese flowers. During the pandemic, we also started a TikTok account @CommmerceChicks to share our story and inspire others to start their own side hustles. Much to our surprise, our first video went viral - gaining over 5 million views! Due to popular requests, we started a mentorship program, CommerceChicks.com, and have since mentored over 70 students on how to start their first eCommerce brand from scratch.  

What inspired you to start your business?

The university program we were in actually required us to do internships in order to graduate. Through there we were able to experience different roles in finance, tech, marketing and even teaching at an all-boy boarding school. What we realized was that we hated the grind that the modern work culture promoted and aspired to break free of the rat race and be able to work for ourselves.

Where is your business based?

Since our business is online, I guess everywhere and nowhere! It’s wherever we are, I suppose.  

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took? 

We started by first finding our products and suppliers. From there we built our own site through Shopify and learned basic Facebook ads skills from our close friends who were already in the e-Commerce space. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Definitely through social media. It’s different for each business but we invest a lot into paid ads for our e-commerce stores. Ads on Facebook, Instagram, TikTik, Pinterest, Google, etc. They’re also great platforms to grow organically.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

How do you stay focused?

This is always tough especially working for yourself with no real deadlines. We like working as partners because we hold each other accountable. We try to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals to help us stay focused.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

The biggest differentiators in our business are ourselves! We only sell products we personally love and would purchase, so it definitely gives us an advantage when it comes to connecting with our customers and marketing. I think the same thing can be said about our mentorship program, our students say they loved our course as it feels like they can truly connect with us.  

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

The most passive one has definitely been Facebook and Instagram ads. It’s how we’re able to generate profits even if we step away for a few days to travel. Another great one but much less passive to do now is micro-influencer marketing. Try to find a niche where the influencers have a small but very active and engaged following. 

What’s your best piece of advice for spring and new entrepreneurs?

Our number 1 advice for new entrepreneurs is to really understand your “why” and always keep that in mind. Why are you doing this? It has to be a strong reason because there will be times where you feel like giving up but remembering you “why” will help you push through. Don’t give up! 

What’s your favourite app, blog, and book? Why?

We love to listen to the podcast “How I Built This”. It’s so inspiring to hear the stories behind huge companies and their early struggles. It helps to motivate us and remind us that great things weren’t built in a single day and to never be comfortable or give up on trying to be the best that we can be. 

What’s your favourite business tool or resource? Why?

We think communities are really important. The first place we go when we have questions is our communities of other e-Commerce or like-minded people. Come join our growing Facebook community “Side Hustle to 7-Figures”.

Who’s your business role model? Why?

In all honesty, we look up a lot to our friends. We have friends doing their own startups, e-commerce, or other side hustles. The non-stop hustle and drive always motivates us to challenge ourselves, try new things, and to grow. 

How do you balance work and life?

It’s definitely a bit tougher when you do your work at home to separate work and life. We try to set a daily schedule where we block off different hours of the day for certain things and try to reserve after dinner time for laptop free life things. 

What’s your favourite way to decompress?

We love to travel. We of course have not been able to do much of that lately so we’ve been focusing a lot more on random DIY projects, trying out new recipes, and going on nature excursions like hikes or uni hunting.  

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We’re currently on a break from TikTok & just finished the latest round of our mentorship program. In the next 6 months we’re focused on some more new e-Commerce brand ideas and also focusing on how to make our mentorship program even better. Also getting back to our TikTok page!

How can our readers connect with you?

Find us on CommerceChicks.com, Instagram @CommerceChicks or email us at hello@commercechicks.com