Entourage to present on Internet Marketing for Solopreneurs @ In Good Company in NYC
Emily and Cheryl will be up in NYC to present at the oh-so-fabulous, all women’s coworking space in NYC on 2/27. Our topic: Internet Marketing Strategy Workshop for Solopreneurs and Small Business Owners. nternet Marketing Strategy Workshop for Solopreneurs and Small Business Owners
As a small business owner, you know that your business needs to be active and present online. But which activities actually make sense for your particular business in order to effectively reach your target client? Which of these should you manage yourself, and which should you automate or delegate to the pros?
This workshop will explore just that. Our round table discussion will not only cover the basics of internet marketing, but we’ll select a few participants and help them map out an internet marketing strategy that works for THEIR business. Topics will also include the top internet marketing strategies, tools, resources and technology you can use to measure your results and refine your efforts. Bring your questions for laser coaching and discussion!
Click for more info!
February 27, 11am-1pm
RSVP: igcrsvp@gmail.com with VIRTUAL in the subject line.
Business Launch Services for Entrepreneurs
Bobby and John
The best part of what we do each day? We help entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. And even more exciting– getting to see and celebrate in the finished product!
Cheryl and I had the pleasure of working alongside (new) Philly business owners- Bobby Dombrowski and John Farrell while they launched the quirky new coffee shop Strange Brew Coffee in South Philly’s “Pennsport” neighborhood. Serving Fair Trade and Organic coffees by Counter Culture, fine teas by local House of Tea, tasty sandwiches from Le Bus, as well as delicious treats including pastries, granola and muffins, the shop features more than just a great menu. Displayed throughout the cafe, customers can also find a fabulous collection of vinyl toys and art.
Strange Brew Coffee has outdoor as well as indoor seating, wifi access, great music, and local art displayed on the walls. Owner Bobby Dombroski grew up in this neighborhood and now lives around the corner from his new café. According to Bobby, “I believe in bettering the neighborhood you live in. I am combining my passion, coffee brewing experience and fun nature into one shop to provide my community with some delicious coffee and treats.”
Bobby and John exemplify what it is that keeps us going with Entourage. We love that we have the privilege to work alongside people that are working within their passions. They have a clear and realistic vision of what it is they are trying to create and also understand the value of delegation as a means to success.
We were able to support Strange Brew’s launch by:
- Strategic market research and business planning
- Research related to opening and operating a business here in Philadelphia (lots of regulations!)
- Operational product research
- Press Release development and circulation
- Internet marketing and social media support
We’re so proud to have been a part of their launch! To continue the celebration of another entrepreneurial success here in Philly, we are planning to hold our next coworking session at Strange Brew. Come out and work alongside other Philly entreps in the heart of South Philly! Be sure to register via our events page!
Be sure to find and follow the guys at Strange Brew on Twitter to find out about their specials and daily happenings!
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
The Harvard Business Review ran an article this summer on How To Start An Entrepreneurial Revolution. How interesting I thought to myself; we have a great group of entrepreneurs here in Philadelphia that are all very active and networked, but are we really creating a revolution? In reading on it was very interesting to hear about other countries and how their government is getting behind entrepreneurs and supporting them for who they are and what they are trying to do. How refreshing; build upon skill sets and knowledge rather than pushing them to be a certain way or provide a certain service to fit the mold. As Rwanda’s president put it, “Entrepreneurship is the most sure way of development.”
Here in Philly experts in their field are stepping out of the mold to start their own companies and provide services they know best. We entrepreneurs are a strong force and growing every day. We are providing quality and necessary services ranging from web design to copy writing and everything in between. As a result of all sharing common goals, and the City of Brotherly Love, we are creating the ecosystem to foster growth and support for entrepreneurial success. In the article, 9 steps are outlined for Creating an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, and sure enough, step two is to the shape the ecosystem around local conditions to tailor the suit to fit its own local entrepreneurship dimensions, style and climate. We are doing just that; entrepreneurs in various fields are coworking, there are weekly meet ups to meet the needs of any level of networker, and above all, entrepreneurs are accepted and celebrated for their efforts.
The opportunities for an entrepreneur to be successful in this current market are high. Many companies are seeing the value of outsourcing and slowly starting to open their checkbooks to bring in these expert entrepreneurs to help their business grow. Many groups are also supporting entrepreneurs by hosting coffees, lunches, happy hours, meet ups and conferences to allow for networking, sharing, and learning.
In doing our part to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem, we have been hosting coworking and networking events around the city. Our next event will be on Thursday, January 20th, in Northern Liberties at One Shot Coffee. Here we meet with dozens of other entrepreneurs to work as a community for the day; sharing stories, asking questions, making new introductions, drinking coffee and just enjoying eachother’s company as we meet our work demands.
As a bonus for the new year, we will follow coworking with a Philly Entrep Hapy Hour, starting at 5:30pm at PYT in The Piazza
Please join us for our next coworking day!
Date: Thursday, January 20th
Coworking: starting at 2pm
Location: One Shot Coffee
George Street (and American) behind Liberties Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Come and go as you please; we will be grabbing some food and making business introductions all day!
Happy Hour: starting at 5:30pm
Location: PYT @ The Piazza in Northern Liberties
1015 N @2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
*Parking available on the street or in the free lot located on Germantown Ave on the Northeast side of the Piazza.
Be sure to RSVP here.
Coworking and Networking at The Piazza
EE Coworking and Networking Days are here to stay in 2010!
We have been working from various wifi spots throughout the city this year, with great turnout at all of our events. Entrepreneurs, business owners, freelancers, and other independents looking to get out of the office and network have been coming together at these events to meet, work, eat, and share business cards. Check out some of our coworkers in our quickie vlog post: http://www.watchuslaunch.com/
This month we are heading to a clean, bright, and friendly cafe in Northern Liberties called Euphoria Cafe. They have great coffee, tea, smoothies, sandwiches, and our personal favorite, iced bubble coffee! Euphoria offers free wifi and a comfortable area for us to all sit together to work and mingle. This cafe is also in the exciting Piazza, surrounded by restaurants, shops, galleries, and of course the big outdoor courtyard with the giant screen TV so you can stick around and watch the Phillies game that night!
If you are committed to evolving your business in 2010, coworking is for you. Entrepreneur’s Entourage’s Coworking events are a great way to get a change of scenery from your home or corporate office and hang in the presence of some of Philly’s brightest entreps. Our group brings together the open share of ideas and the strength of the entrepreneurial community here in Philadelphia across all industries. Our meetup days are informal and a great way to share your business, make connections, get some work done on your laptop, grab a bite to eat, and gain new perspectives.
“The collaboration, feeling of not being alone, and ability to get out of the house without being in a completely public place is why I am a part of these coworking and networking events”- Gloria Bell, owner of Red Stapler Consulting
Please join us for our next coworking day!
Date: Thursday, June 10, 2010 starting at 10am.
Come and go as you please; we will be grabbing some food around 12:30pm, and making business introductions all day!
Location: Euphoria Coffee
1001 N 2nd Street in The Piazza
Philadelphia, PA
Be sure to RSVP here.
Then please tweet that you will be attending, or just follow all of our participant tweets using #EECoworking.
Add Some SPARK to your business on May 24th!
Calling all Philly Entreps and Business Owners: Don’t miss our favorite conference and networking event of the year- SPARK!
Monday, May 24th, 2010 at The Hub Cira Centre
Spark is an interactive entrepreneurial conference that focuses on helping entrepreneurs grow their business, develop vital relationships and take away valuable insights from educational workshops. The conference has two parts; the morning session which consists of educational workshops and networking, while the afternoon is the opportunity for several entrepreneurs to pitch their business in front of an esteemed panel of successful entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture consultants and experienced advisers.
Check out this great video from last year‘s event!
Check out the day’s schedule here: http://sparknetworking.com/agenda.php
Entrepreneur’s Entourage sponsors Entrepreneur Expo 2010
There has never been a time like the present to start your own business and become successful at what you do best. Entrepreneurship is hot right now. You can major in it at college, you can be your own boss, and you can dictate your own future in this troublesome economy.
We find that our business is starting to lean more towards those wanting to get the word out about their venture, or grow their existing business. Some of the major ways we help these clients is by providing internet marketing campaigns, social media management, research and sales strategy development, website design, and branding.
One great way to get the word out about your business is to network and embrace your local entrepreneurial community. We are doing just that by sponsoring and attending the upcoming Entrepreneur Expo on April 13th in Philadelphia. The Expo will have over 200 attendees as well as 3-4 dozen vendors all taking about their passions and dreams! 
Not only will we be there to share how our business can help others grow, but we will also be giving away a great tool for growing your business and branding – a Flip video camera! 
Our custom designed Flip Mino video camera prize will help you start vlogging and recording all your business successes! So make sure to stop by our booth, share your business ideas, and enter to win the coolest Flip on the market!
More details on the Philadelphia Entrepreneur Expo 2010:
Philly Startup Leaders present The Entrepreneur Expo – Innovation on Display – April 13, 2010 at University of the Arts. This is a showcase of work by entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial community. If you’re an entrepreneur, you will be able to talk about your work and hear about the work of others. If you’re interested in new ideas, new business plans, the uses of new technology, or are simply curious about the creative energy in this region, you’ll have a chance to see and meet those beginning to make a difference.
April 13, 2010 6 pm – 9 pm Solmsson Court, Hamilton Hall University of the Arts Pine & Broad
Get excited about the future. Get excited about the entrepreneurial spirit of Philadelphia. Come to the Entrepreneur Expo. Come and see tomorrow, today.
https://philly-startup-leaders.ticketleap.com/entrepreneur-expo-2010-04-13-2010-18-0
Philadelphia is an Entrepreneur’s Haven
We recently found out that Philadelphia was not on the list of cities to be featured in Fast Company Magazine’s Shine section. Immediately all of us at the networking event were shocked and then very interested in learning how we can get involved to get Philly on the list! Thanks to Innovation Philadelphia we were provided with the email address to send our thoughts along. Here is part of what we shared. We hope many of your entrepreneurs out there feel the same way and will share your thoughts.
“I came to Philadelphia 4 years ago when my job as a magazine publisher moved me here. As part of a large west coast media company I did not get very involved in my community and neighborhood within Philadelphia for networking. But, when I left the magazine a year ago and decided to start my own company with a local friend, I was immediately embraced by the community and exposed to the limitless opportunities for networking, support, and social marketing. We couldn’t imaging running our virtual company, Entrepreneur’s Entourage, from anywhere else. We have been able to provide our clients with great services like web design, branding, internet marketing, research, copywriting, and project management by including so many of Philly’s talented entrepreneurs and free-lance consultants on our team of professionals.
There are many more reasons why my partner and I have found great success with our new business as a result of being located in Philadelphia. There is a networking group and business development group for every type of start up. There are great places to work from that are either coworking offices or just meetups or jelly sessions at one of the numerous coffee shops throughout the city with free wifi. There are also new entrepreneurs emerging every week in this area that are looking for assistance in getting their business moving forward!
Our top Universities excel in providing programs and opportunities for entrepreneurs and start up companies alike. The University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University both have entrepreneurial clinics and offer many services to our community out of their Small Business Development Center. Another great resource that my partner and I have been invited into is the entrepreneurial clinic at the University of Pennsylvania Legal Clinic. Each year graduating seniors work with companies in the area to help meet their legal needs pro bono. We were able to utilize the clinic to form our partnership agreement as well as help negotiate some business documents.
Many think of Philadelphia as industrial, dated and a little on the maniacal side when it comes to sports fans; but in reality, our city has only been on the up and up with making our neighborhoods green and eco-friendly, providing accessible resources for small businesses to launch, and providing better services for our budding entrepreneurs. Plus, what’s a city with a World Champion sports team without a few die hard fans!”
Help us send a message to set a new precedent to put Philly on the map as one of the leading cities cultivating entrepreneurial activities!
Finding The Relevance of the GCECS/Innovation Philadelphia Conference
The Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit was not only a mouthful to say but an earful of information. From workshops to panel presentations to pecha kucha slide shows one could gain insight on just about any topic closely related to the creative workforce. Both Emily and I were glad to be a part of this convergence summit on October 5th & 6th, 2009, and pleased with what we got out of it.
Day one started off with a welcome by Kelly Lee, President of Innovation Philadelphia, and was followed by an interesting breakfast talk by Elizabeth Gilbert. We all know her from her famous book, Eat Pray Love, but few of us knew (before this week) about the next book she is putting out early 2010 about marriage! Yup, you guessed it with whom she got remarried to! Elizabeth told us of her life and dreams and inspired us to find our creativity in ours.
Entrepreneur’s Entourage gave a Social Media workshop following the breakfast keynote. We expected a much different crowd, and not knowing anything about our participants’ backgrounds, nor how many were planning on attending, we decided to be creative in our presentation to better meet the needs of our participants. Our workshop introduced effective ways to build any social media campaign and then turned it into a Q&A/Discussion. We found that many people had specific questions about their current practices and wanted feedback on how to do it all better. I am so thankful that our web guru Mary was presenting with me to help answer the dozens of questions. All in all I think we helped a ton of people understand how to run their campaign with differentiation, relevance, efficiency and quality.
Later that afternoon Emily, Founder of Entrepreneur’s Entourage, sat on a panel discussing alternative workspaces. Many participants here were interested in the co-working buzz and how to find ways to make their office use some of the alternative practices to save money and go green. Emily talked a lot about industries that are ideal candidates for outsourcing and the benefits of using virtual professionals. Her other fellow panelists included David Walker, who runs a co-working space in Austin, Todd Sundsted, a manager of Shift101, and Nathan Gasser, Founder of Rock River Star.
The second day of the event was kicked off, rather abruptly, but the one and only Peter Shankman. He was his usual entertaining self and focused on the importance of relevance in a social media campaign and how to effectively market your business. Other great sessions throughout the event were delivered by Jane McGonigal, via Skype, all about the use of gaming to optimize human ability (which was really fascinating); Gloria Bell, Hajj Flemings and Melinda Emerson on growing your creative passion; and Emily Morgan on taking your office virtual and the green benefits. You can see that presentation at: http://watchuslaunch.com
The opportunities for networking each night of this 2-day event felt rushed. We had so many contacts lined up to speak with and ended up speaking to only 1 each night! Just one! But, that one conversation each night was fun, insightful and meaningful. We thank David Walker of Conjunctured and Melinda Emerson, the small biz lady, for their time and open discussions about business growth and networking!
Innovation Philadelphia hosted a great event and brought together some very talented entrepreneurs and professionals as speakers, sponsors, attendees and volunteers. We look forward to working with them again in the future. We also look forward to following up with everyone who attended our sessions and provided us with such great feedback and support.
Blog, Blogging, Video Blogging – How much is enough?
Social Media is all the rage right now, and rightfully so. Where else can you tap into your target market, share your content, and even get their feedback? One of the other big draws to social marketing is the affordability. One aspect of social media that is often overlooked is blogging. Blogging is creating posts online, relating to a specific subject, your business, your passion, your hobby, or just what you happen to see that day walking to work. There is no right or wrong answer about what to post, as long as you keep it clean and are sharing relevant information.
Did you know that it is National Blog Posting Month? Of course you did because you are in touch with the latest trends and have your pulse on the social market. And if you didn’t know about NaBloPoMo09 then don’t think your career is doomed, just get involved with the internet and become active in social media campaigns, namely blogging! Blogging is also good for the environment, it saves trees, it lets you share your thoughts with your target market in a non-intimidating manner, and it is low cost.
In case you are not a blogger, here are some more reasons for you to become a believer. Blogging helps improve your search engine rankings through easy to implement SEO, increases your customer base, and gets your name and brand out there to your target market. Blogging is just journaling online and can live on a variety of free and inexpensive hosting sites once you figure out a catchy domain name for your blog! This blog becomes your first image and your web page to promote your brand.
If you are running a blog, good for you! Share it with us in your comments and we will take a peek and hopefully learn some new information or at least have a good read! Do you have a good audience for your blog? While we are proud of you for getting your thoughts and ideas out there, how effective is your time being spent if no one is listening? Marketing, email campaigns, and building an audience is an essential part of your social media, namely blogging, campaign.
Have you thought about video blogging? Vlogs are more involved that posting a video of you talking on your website. A Vlog is more along the lines of a video journal or a video post as just another way to share your information. You can vlog on anything you can blog on; for example we vlogged about the launch of our business! I can’t tell you how many takes we did some days and how much fun we had documenting this process in such a unique way. It sure beat coming home after a long business development day and feeling obligated to write a long blog post. Check it out if you want some good insight as well as some good laughs! http://www.watchuslaunch.com
At the end of the day, blogging and vlogs are just good business practice. Take a moment to set yours up, talk to a friend, or call us to make it happen. As long as the content is relevant and interesting keep on posting!
What the heck is a Vlog and why do I need one in my biz?
Video Blogs, also known as vlogs, are entries that are primarily composted of embedded video or video links rather than text. Vlogs are taking on almost any topic imaginable from documenting research, to delivering news, to sharing a special moment. Video Blogs have been around for almost a decade, but it was just in the last couple of years that they have become an accepted form of marketing and communication. Vlogging started gaining momentum in 2005-2006 with the launch of YouTube and then the creation of the first annual video blogging awards – the Vloggies in November of 2006!
And the users of video blogging might surprise you. While all vlogs are experimental, some have a little further reach than others. Politicians are hosting their own vlogs to share information and answer questions. Radio and TV shows are using video blogs to interact with more listeners and viewers. Even iTunes allows you to upload video through their podcasts! Check out a sample here:
There are many sites to host your video blog. If you already have a blog check there first, as almost all allow video uploads. Some good sites for hosting a blog as well as a video blog are WordPress, Blogger, and Typepad. If you are launching with just a vlog then look into a video hosting site. Sites like WordPress have specific video themes (skins) that you can purchase to kick up your vlog. We went with a Woo Theme, “Groovy” to host our vlog, www.watchuslaunch.com. Install some google analytics and you’re good to go!
Tip: To shoot easy video for your vlog, check out a Flip Cam- available at Best Buy, etc for around $100! This cool, palm-sized camera has a built in USB port that snaps right into your computer. Just shoot, flip and upload it right to your YouTube account. And it even comes in cool colors like pink, orange and green, so you can fully personalize your vlogging experience!
Getting your message out there: Whether you want to share your birthday party video with your sister, show a new product about to be released to your end users, or just give some insight into starting a business (www.watchuslaunch.com) you have to promote and market your vlog. Social media tools are an excellent grass roots campaign starter. Depending on the scope of your reach you may just want to keep the videos public on YouTube and promote them within your industry circle. Either way, using RSS allows others to subscribe to your site or have your content feed into their reader. This is simple if you have an existing blog that you can add your video to. Record yourself, post it, and share it! We hope to hear about more of your joining the video blogging world!
