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(It’s the Chicago way.) Support The Entrepreneur Equation for a Small Business Book Award by Small Business Trends. Voting takes 2 seconds (seriously). You can vote 1x/day per IP address – so you can vote with your phone and laptop if you want to. Please vote here.

Carol speaking at MPI-CAC TechCon

MPI-CAC TechCon Chicago 2012 on February 8. Here’s the registration link.

Promo interviews with Mark Carter.

• Social Media & Marketing Your Event: Carol Roth Interview Part 1 
• Social Media & Marketing Your Event: Carol Roth Interview Part 2  Continue Reading;

One of the questions that I get asked on a frequent basis is a variation of “Should I do ‘X’?” where the ‘X’ is some business related activity.

Macro Focus

Several months back, an entrepreneur wanted my advice on an opportunity that had come her way to host her own radio show in a relatively large market. Certainly being a radio host sounds sexy, but it is, in fact, an activity that takes effort and time.

I asked her what her overall business goals were and she answered, “I am not sure”.  I told her that if she didn’t know what her goals were, how could either of us have any idea whether or not the radio show (i) supported her goals or (ii) was the most effective opportunity to support her goals? Continue Reading;

Solopreneurship can be a huge challenge for even the most seasoned entrepreneurs. So, to help you navigate those bumpy solopreneurship waters, I have asked the CarolRoth.com contributor network of entrepreneurs, advisors and experts to share what they think is the biggest challenge facing solopreneurs. Their answers are presented below in no particular order.

You may notice some of the same ideas listed, but I kept them separate, as something in the way one is framed may resonate differently with you. Continue Reading;

What the #^$&!

If someone said this to you (with a straight face) would you move forward with a business contract?  Would you agree to commit your valuable time and resources to provide a service or manufacture a product for them?  No way!

What if they said to you, “You’re hired, but I’ll pay you 6 months late.”?  Hopefully, the answer would still be a resounding no.  You’ll work with them once they have the funds to pay you, not before. Continue Reading;

 In a meritocracy, people are rewarded based on their abilities, skills, accomplishments and achievements.

In a bureaucracy, regulations and systems rule.  People are rewarded based on politics and seniority.

When I worked for investment banking firm Montgomery Securities in the 1990s, it was a meritocracy.  You were given as much responsibility as you can handle and if you performed, you were rewarded financially and promoted.  This created growth and success.

You have to be a certain kind of person to survive in a meritocracy.  It’s sink or swim.  But if you swim, your success has no boundaries. Continue Reading;

There is a tiny little Moment that is wrecking your small business. Even worse, it is trashing people’s opinions of every small business, making it harder for you to succeed. And you probably don’t even notice it.

What is this Moment? It is the Moment when something costs you money… or messes up your nicely planned schedule…. or inconveniences you in any way. Once any of these Moments happen, most of us magically start reminding customers why they would rather shop online, visit big-box stores, or work with large consulting firms – because we lack the ability to look past our own interests. Continue Reading;

Carol was on CNN

Carol Roth w Piers Morgan on CNN talking Mitt Romney GOP Primary Clip of Carol on CNN last Saturday. She rocked it.

TV Teasers

Carol will be on several shows over the next week.

• Tonight – Tom Sullivan Show (Fox Business) 7 PM & 10 PM ET
• Thursday –Willis Report (Fox Business) 5:00 PM ET
• And there’s one more that we can’t talk about yet.. Check Carol’s Twitter stream or Facebook fan page for details.

Leadership

Do Extroverts Have an Advantage in Political Campaigns Blog post by Lisa Petrilli about a conversation she had with Carol. Continue Reading;

“I don’t need a brand. I’m a small business.”

Have you ever said this to yourself? As a brand strategist, I’ve heard this one pretty often and it always amazes me. It makes me want to poke my eye out with a sharp stick.

There are tons of myths out there: branding is expensive, branding is only for big companies. Well, I’ve got some news for you. Brand is just another word for reputation. More than just a pretty logo, your brand is your core, your essence, and your promise to customers. It’s the value you deliver, to whom you deliver it and why you are the best choice. And if you think your reputation is not important in such a crowded marketplace, especially during these tough economic times, you are sadly mistaken. Continue Reading;

“But, he’s so hot.”

We were out to dinner recently with a group of our friends. One of the younger members of the group had wandered to a nearby table.

She was talking to a guy- a guy we could all see.

Finally, she returned to the table. She had a huge smile on her face.

“I just met a guy. He’s so hot,” she announced. Continue Reading;

Speaking at events is a great way to spread your important messages and cement your status as an expert.  However, being a great speaker is an art, not a science.  Here are five ways you can quickly become a better speaker.

Don’t memorize your speech: You may think that the best way to give a flawless speech is to memorize the content word-for-word. In reality, that is a myth and is not recommended. Memorization not only lends itself to sounding over-rehearsed (aka not natural), but also, if your mind goes blank at any point during the presentation, you will lose your place and potentially create an awkward silence (or worse, start to panic).

Instead, create bullet points of the content, stories, data and key takeaways that you want to get across in each part of your presentation.  Then, speak naturally about them.  If you remember all of those key points, great, but if you forget some, no sweat- you can move on to another next point.  Having a looser structure also gives you the flexibility to change up stories and information in your speech based on the audience. And, as an extra bonus, you will deliver a more natural sounding, engaging presentation. Continue Reading;