Michelle Lochan

You’ve worked so hard to build the business of your dreams thinking about even minute details, but all of it is in vain if you cannot sell. Here is a list of strategies that new Entrepreneurs can explore and apply to make their business a success. 1. Solve Problems This is often overstated but success begins with an answer to what can you do for me? Even a magic cleaning cloth can be sold to a macho man if you know what problem you can solve. 2. Manage Chaos and Manage in Chaos Know the customer’s buying habits and purchasing cycle and help create order with reminders for key dates and time to re-purchase notifications especially if they buy for special occasions, need a refresh or if your product or service has an expiration date. You can do this by developing a communications channel that allows you to stay connected such as telephone, email, social media or mailers.   3. Build Relationships             ...

I'm working on a process to make starting a business simple to understand. I have worked with over 100 entrepreneurs now and in reality the process is the same and can be summed up in 5 steps: 1. Self Assessment: an examination of one's readiness to commit time, money and resources to the success of a new endeavour 2. Market Assessment: the willingness of a market to buy a product or service based on their actual or perceived need 3. Writing a business plan: creating a strategy to guide efforts, control spending and manage time towards the success of the business 4. Get Money: using the business plan as proof to investors to confirm the commitment especially over a specified period of time to demonstrate the high probability of reaching set targets 5. Launch: start business activities with targets and goals in mind. I understand that there may need to be further clarification or direction needed for each of the steps but overall these are what must be done in order ...

I assume way too much. I believe everything I think is obvious and that others already know that and it is not anything new. I take my knowledge and opinion for granted. This belief has kept me quiet and struggling to find something brilliant to say or put out there. It is tough and has left me quiet for a long time! It's not until someone looks at me with a gaze of wonder and says "I never thought of that!" that I may get hip to the fact that 'hmmm maybe I do have a sound opinion that others find intriguing.' I also think a lack of follow up on an opinion I've given contributes to me taking myself for granted. I have a habit of striking up conversations with random strangers (though I have found this to be a growing phenomenon called 'networking'), listening to their current issue, formulating an opinion from my standpoint and then saying it. I think I am comfortable doing this because there is a lack of permanence in the relationship, no c...

I've recently read an article called "Freebirth: is giving birth without medical support safe? by Joanna Moorhead (The Guardian, 14/09/13). The article discusses the increasing amount of women in the UK that are exploring a Freebirth as an alternate to hospital deliveries and limited publicly-funded midwives since (private) Independent Midwives are being outlawed in October 2013. Independent Midwives supported nearly 3000 home births last year but insurance providers will no longer cover their services. These midwives will not be able to practice since health care providers must be insured. Midwives of the National Health Services -NHS (the publicly-funded health care system of England and Wales) are available to attend a home birth however are limited in number and are heavily regulated, limiting the options of a woman's birth plan. For example, if a labouring woman calls for her NHS midwife who is attending another birth she must go by ambulance to the hosp...

The constant nausea sitting deep within the stomach, the inability to see anything else in your mind's eye and your eyes are puffed and dry unable to drop any more water. Not wanting to get up out of bed, constantly sleeping hoping to wake up in paradise or death. These are the symptoms of the end of a meaningful relationship. The toll is physical as well as emotional and the grief consumes the whole being. And now you have a potential client meeting at 11 am. Immediately you are ready to cancel but this meeting will close the deal you have been working on for 2 months. What should you do? Get your butt up! You have spent the last year working on an awesome business model that is gaining momentum and notoriety. To do what? Let it go over a relationship that needs to change? This is why contingency planning is essential. I mean while conducting a SWOT analysis (determining the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats to the achievement of business goals) you ...

My 5 year old son has recently started playing soccer. While I spent the first few weeks completely focused on him and his adaptation to the new environment, I was finally able to lift my head and look around. What I saw was families, coaches and parents who are business owners, executives, stay at home moms and dads but ultimately people with their own incredible networks. I saw the potential for me to share my business and vision with new connections but I missed the marked. I felt like it would be intrusive of me to start new relationships to serve my purpose and build my business. I thought I should be there to focus on my son and support his achievements. So I shied away and stayed in my comfort zone, having conversations about our children. In hindsight now I realized I did myself and others a disservice. Had I opened myself up to discuss my business it would have allowed others to get to know me and understand that I am completely committed to a stronger community and e...