Entrepreneurial Wisdom Course

Wisdom from 6-Figure Industry Experts & Pros

It was no accident that we named this program Entrepreneurial Wisdom. The idea behind this major initiative was to create a system that anyone in the careers industry could use. In short, we know that everyone is different and there is no one-size-fits-all marketing and sales solution, so we brought together different six-figure experts to provide their unique perspectives and approaches in business building.

In this program you will feel as if you are being taken by the hand and  guided by the wisdom of experts who have been there, done that, made it work for them, and built a thriving practice as a result. You'll also be advised by the specialists you tend to avoid in the business end such as CPAs, Business Attorneys and Intellectual Property Attorneys.

Regardless of where you are at today (or tomorrow) in your new or existing business, there are tools and wisdom you can put to work immediately to make your business into an engine running 24/7 for your success.

The program includes 15 modules that build one upon the next for those starting out. Or, for established businesses you can jump directly to the topics most relevant to you!

Wisdom Modules

Launching Your Successful Business: Feasibility, Nest Eggs, and Budgets

- Featured Presenter: Laura DeCarlo

You're ready, willing, and able, but you still need a foundation on what it will take to get your business off the ground and how long it will take you to turn a profit. In this class, entrepreneur, Laura DeCarlo, who has launched three successful six-figure businesses, will speak to you about the realities of starting resume, career services, and career coaching practices. You will learn about three different models to follow which will determine how quickly you can become profitable while reviewing the realities of start up money, start up costs, and when it's safe to leave the corporate world behind.

About the instructor:

Laura DeCarlo is an entrepreneur who has coached hundreds of career professionals to successfully build and expand their practices. She is focused on finding ways to accelerate to success by building market presence on a shoestring and capitalizing on world class client services. She offers 21 years of expertise in resume writing, career coaching, and career management as Executive Director of A Competitive Edge Career Service, LLC and President of Career Directors International, an innovative membership-based company that helps resume writers and career coaches claim 6-figure-plus success.

Business Structures and Legal Issues

- Featured Presenter: David A. Perlick, Attorney

LLC, S-Corp, Partnership, Sole Proprietorship.... Sometimes the options for business structure can be overwhelming. In this class, you will learn about the benefits and drawbacks of each business model from Business Attorney David Perlick. You will leave with a clear understanding of the available options which will enable you to pick the best one for you. You will also learn important tips about copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, confidentiality and non-compete agreements, and the difference between employees and independent contractors.

About the instructor:

As a lawyer and certified mediator, David specializes in Estate Planning, Business Law, and Intellectual Property. His main objective is to protect the financial, business and property interests of his clients, while raising client-awareness of the legal issues that affect them. David is a Partner with the law firm of Sparkman, Shaffer, and Perlick.

Creating a Name that Sells: Names, Domains and Trademarks

- Featured Presenters: Susan P. Joyce and Mary Casey, IP Attorney

Much rides on what you choose to call your company – will it have a URL web address that is easy to spell? Will the name give you flexibility to expand your services in the future? Is the name distinct and representative of the brand you want to portray? Will you wind up in a lawsuit for infringing on a trademark and lose your name? Will it have presence in alphabetical databases or be hidden near the name? Something so simple can be very complicated and critical to your business' future!

In this call you will join IP Attorney Mary Casey to learn about the legalities of trademarks and Susan P. Joyce of Job-Hunt.org to learn about those make-or-break elements of selecting a successful name.

About the instructors:

Susan P. Joyce, President of NETability, Inc. and editor/publisher of award-winning Job-Hunt.org, has been a Web developer since 1995. In 1998, NETability purchased Job-Hunt.org, and Susan learned how to generate revenue from advertisers on Job-Hunt, doing well enough to shut down her Web development business in 2006 to focus completely on Job-Hunt.

Mary C. Casey, Esq., is the founder of the Harbor Law Group, a law firm specializing in corporate and intellectual property law and providing counsel to start-ups and emerging companies in the life sciences, biotech and high technology fields. The practice has expanded to include copyright and trademark litigation, and Ms. Casey has successfully represented clients in both Federal and State courts.

Possible Services, Pricing, and Packaging

- Featured Presenters: Laura Drew and Laura DeCarlo

Where do you start? Chances are you are thinking resume writing or 1-1 coaching, but there are so many fabulous models that will allow you to accelerate your profitability while maximizing your time. In this session you will join a team of very diverse career service marketers (and providers) who will share strategies on: packaging and bundling services for profitability, leap-frogging the glass ceiling of 1-1 client services to profit from group presentations and training, and out-of-the-box add-on service ideas.

About the instructors:

Laura Drew, founder of CarolinaCareerCoach.com, is a Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC) and Certified Internet Job Search Expert (CIJSE). Her diverse background includes advertising, marketing, and fundraising for non-profit organizations. Taking a “thrifty” approach to advertising, Laura utilizes live workshops, teleclasses and “Lunches with Laura”, in-person group coaching sessions. Laura’s advertising budget is less than $20 per month.

See above for Laura DeCarlo's mini bio.

To Niche or Not to Niche: Is Specialization for You?

- Featured Presenter: Tony Deblauwe and Susan Guarneri

Not sure how to differentiate yourself from the thousands of career professionals in the market? Want to use your passions in a niche business to get more enjoyment out of your work?

In this session you will learn:

• An easy formula to help you determine your niche based on your passions, talents, personal style, values, and personal brand.
• How to turn your existing careers-industry knowledge and expertise into new business services and products.

Niching offers value-added benefits to you and your clients. By tapping into your passions, and unique strengths you can enhance your current service delivery model, generate more revenues, and have fun while doing it!

About the instructors:

A certified life and executive coach, Tony received his Masters degree in Human Resources and Organization Development from the University of San Francisco. Tony has used his expertise in career coaching, executive development and organization strategy to help companies and individuals achieve a more satisfying and efficient workplace. As an author, Tony developed the Tangling with Tyrants® book series (2008 release) as a way to educate hard-working people on how to overcome the challenges of dealing with a difficult boss.

Susan Guarneri, the "Career Assessment Goddess" and "Resume-Magic Expert", has a Master's Degree in Counseling from The Johns Hopkins University, plus 22 years of experience in career counseling and coaching thousands of individuals. She has also assisted Fortune 500 companies, colleges, non-profits and government agencies with career consulting, training and workforce development.

 Brand Building: 3 Steps to Brand Success!

- Featured Presenter: Susan Guarneri

Your brand allows you to get the word out about what you do, how you do it, and who you do it with - succinctly! Join Susan Guarneri, Master Personal Branding Strategist, to learn the 3 steps to develop and communicate your brand so you can draw more of your ideal clients to you.

About the instructor:

See above for Susan Guarneri's mini bio.

Bare Office Necessities: The Tools and Resources You “Really” Need

- Featured Presenter: Laura Drew

You need an office, preferably one that allows you to be more productive. Learn about the wonderful world of computers, day planners, ergonomics, and more!

Join Laura to discuss everything you need to have a productive small business or home office. Let them help you make your office work for you.

About the instructor:

See above for Laura Drew's mini bio.

What You Need to Know About Accounting and Tax Compliance for Your Business

- Featured Presenter: Tammy D. Hines, CPA

According to the Small Business Administration, although two-thirds of new businesses survive for at least two years, only 44% percent survive four or more years. Understanding accounting and taxes are key factors in keeping your business thriving for success. The purpose of this seminar is twofold:

• To give business owners the tools needed to help understand their business from a tax perspective and provide strategies to minimize their tax burden.
• To introduce attendees to basic accounting financial statements and terminology used industry-wide.

About the instructor:

With more than 15 years of professional tax and accounting experience, Tammy Hines, CPA established C&H Tax and Accounting LLC services with the goal of providing efficient, personal, and reliable services. She has extensive experience in preparing income tax returns, including self-employment deductions, capital gains/losses, investment/rental properties, home office, and IRS tax issues. Tammy takes pride in her reputation for solving challenging financial problems with professionalism and more importantly, results.

Marketing and PR on a Shoe-String

- Featured Presenter: Joan Friedlander; Co-Presenters: Laura DeCarlo and Laura Drew

Joan Friedlander will share expertise on why the most effective marketing strategies for a professional service business are also the most cost-effective. You don't need hundreds or thousands of advertising dollars to attract the best prospects to your service business. As a matter of fact, you can effectively market your services for $100-$150/month with these effective strategies:

• Use the high-touch, low cost meet and greet approach.
• Make networking work for you.
• Know why workshops and speaking events are so effective.
• Learn the real role of business cards, flyers, brochures and websites.

Laura DeCarlo and Laura Drew will further personalize the session with strategies they have personally used in their career service businesses.

About the instructor and co-presenters:

Joan started her coaching company, Lifework Business Partners, in 2001 and has been the Director of Training and Licensing for the Get Clients Now!™ simple marketing program since 2005. She works almost exclusively with independent entrepreneurs to build and run successful service businesses working only 35-hours a week, or less if they prefer.

See above for Laura DeCarlo's and Laura Drew's mini bios.

Understanding Basic Search Engine Optimization Techniques (or "Webs and Spiders and Robots, Oh My!")

- Featured Presenter: Susan P. Joyce

A website is a very important part of our visibility and marketing in the 21st century, presenting our "brand" to the world. So, having a website which can be found using a search engine is very important to your business, and understanding the basics of what makes a site "find-able" is critical. The goal is a website that will be visible to the appropriate audience without a continuous investment in advertising. In this session, you will learn:

• How search engines work (this is the part about spiders and robots).
• The basic elements of making a site find-able.
• The technologies and techniques that may make a site invisible.
• FREE tools from Google that can help you be more successful.
• Other resources to help you keep up to date with what is going on with your Website.

About the instructor:

See above for Susan P. Joyce's mini bio.

Maximizing Your Cash Flow: Subcontracting and Referral Relationships

- Featured Presenter: Bridget Weide Brooks

You're in the envious position of having more business than you can handle yourself. Instead of turning away the business or hiring an employee, you have alternatives! One is to work with subcontract writers. The other is to develop referral relationships with other writers, who will compensate you for delivering new clients to them.

This workshop will focus on the nuts and bolts of these two options, including establishing a workstyle conducive to working with subcontractors, how to find subcontracting writers, pricing/reimbursement issues, and practical guidance on best managing these subcontractor relationships. From the referral relationship side of things, you'll learn how to identify potential referral partners, how to track referrals, and how to structure compensation for both new and existing client referrals.

About the instructor:

Bridget Weide Brooks, CPRW has been a resume writer since she was 12, when she wrote her father's resume after he was laid off from his job. She co-founded Image Building Communications in 1996, and is the editor of Resume Writers' Digest, a trade newsletter for professional resume writers. She has also subcontracted as a resume writer and edited a special report on subcontracting, "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor."

Leveraging Your Social Network to Build Your Business

- Featured Presenters: Laura Labovich & Laura DeCarlo

Are you confused about the social media explosion? How can you possibly keep up with all the social media sites? Is it necessary? What is social networking? In this teleclass you will receive information on strategy for incorporating LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter into a social media strategy for your business.

Understanding social networking will greatly benefit you and your clients. You can utilize social networking site to increase traffic to your Website, or use it to establish a presence online if you do not want to invest in a Website.

The purpose of this session is to educate and demonstrate the potential of social networking as a modern tool to market your business. This will be a thought-provoking session that will encourage you to utilize online social media. You will learn:

• How to navigate Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn’s basic elements.
• The differences, pros, and cons of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• How to expand on and optimize your LinkedIn profile.
• How to help your clients search for jobs using LinkedIn.
• How to advertise your business on Facebook.
• About the new applications being added to LinkedIn.
• How to replace costly PR initiatives with Twittering.
• Tips on what information you should add to each site.

A question and answer session will follow. This is a participatory class where you are encouraged to attend.

About the instructors:

Laura M. Labovich, is a Career Coach, Professional Resume Writer, and Job Search Trainer with more than 15 years of experience in HR, training, and consulting roles at Fortune 100 companies, including such Flagship companies as Walt Disney World and AOL Time Warner. As President of A & E Consulting, LLC, Laura specializes in helping her clients create effective job search marketing plans that increase momentum and achieve breakthrough results. Laura received her Masters degree in Labor Relations and Human Resources Management from Michigan State University. She is a licensed Facilitator for the Get Hired Now!™ 28-Day Program, a Career Expert for CareerBuilder.com, a Credentialed Career Master (CCM) and a Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW), and a three-time TORI nominee.

See above for Laura DeCarlo's mini bio.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Time Management and Delegation; Virtual Assistants & Interns

- Featured Presenter: Joan Friedlander

Do you remember the 40-hour workweek? Do you remember thinking how you wanted to go into business for yourself so you could work even fewer hours, and make more money while you're at it?

Joan Friedlander has made it her mission to grow her own business working 40 hours a week - or less whenever possible - and to coach other solo entrepreneurs to do the same. She takes 4 weeks off a year, having installed a quarterly vacation policy several years ago. Her sales have gone up consistently (except for one year), and her hours have remained consistent. Joan will share what she has learned so you can start doing the same. During this class you'll:

• Examine what, exactly, is preventing you from working fewer hours now.
• Discover why workshops and speaking events are so effective.
• Find out why even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.
• Learn 3 strategies you can implement right away to make this possible.

About the instructor:

See above for Joan Friedlander's mini bio.

Work Less and Earn More: Make Money While You Sleep

- Featured Presenters: Mary Elizabeth Bradford and Susan P. Joyce; Co-Presenter: Laura DeCarlo

As a business owner, one of your goals is to generate income. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make extra money without having to put in extra hours? Well, you can! By establishing passive revenue streams, you can let your website do the work for you, generating income 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Businesses that have successfully utilized passive revenue streams have generated hundreds, sometimes, thousands of dollars a month. During this session, you will learn how to generate revenue from:

• Informational product offerings;
• e-Books;
• Affiliate programs; and
• Selling advertising space on your website.

About the instructors and co-presenter:

Career marketing expert and nationally certified resume writer, Mary Elizabeth Bradford is The Career Artisan. She has 13 years experience providing expert career coaching, marketing, and branding for the executive-level job seeker. She has successfully helped mid-level to C-level executives in multiple industries improve their careers and reach their goals. Mary Elizabeth is a Certified International Master Career Director and a Certified Advanced Resume Writer.

See above for Susan P. Joyce's mini bio.

See above for Laura DeCarlo's mini bio.

Putting it All Together: Creating an Effective Action Plan for Your Business

- Featured Presenter: Grant Cooper

If you are just starting up or want to increase your current level of success, then you must have an Action Plan for your business. Whether driving your strategic direction, turning around underperforming operations, or charting your path to future success, this tool is the backbone of attaining your long- and short-term business goals.

In this workshop, you will learn the following skills:

• Business Action Plans – Why You Need One for Your Business.
• Business Action Plan Components…What Every Good Business Action Plan Should Have.
• Graphics, Charts, & Tables…The Easiest Tools to Use.
• Your Financial Breakeven Analysis – How to Create It.
• Annual Updates to Your Plan.

About the instructor:

Grant Cooper, president of CareerPro of New Orleans and Strategic Resumes since 1994, has authored articles for professional journals and other media, and is a consultant to recruiters, reporters, and corporations. He directs a nationwide resume and business writing service, with a 15,000+ client database representing all career fields. Grant designed and developed the acclaimed Resume Critique Writer software that automates the resume assessment process. Unveiled at the 2003 CDI (PRWRA) convention, his program has been utilized by the U.S. Air Force, state government, universities, as well as U.S. and international resume writing firms. Grant’s firm was recently ranked as the #3 online resume provider in the U.S. by an independent consumer panel.

Program Structure

Once you sign up, you will receive everything in one convenient email so that you can begin immediately. This includes:

• 194-page workbook (PDF file) for all modules.
• MP3 Download links for all sessions to listen on your MP3 device.
• Online play links to listen to the sessions on your computer.
• Study at your own pace and on the topics you desire.