Professor of Real Life
Exploring the realities of life & business in the 21st century
Mark Zarr is a Professor of Business & Marketing, a Graphic and Website Designer, a Serial Entrepreneur, and a Writer with an odd automatic reflex to question everything he has even been taught, just in case it might be wrong, overcomplicated, or just plain stupid.
His Mission: obliterate any status quo that crosses his path.
His Objective: change the way we think about everything.
His Goal: prove that successful navigation through life and business is a whole lot simpler than we make it out to be.
As a small business owner, I get it. Every dollar we spend has to be calculated. We don’t have a lot of cash to spend so we learn to be as frugal and self-reliant as possible. With that said, I have learned that there is a big difference between being cheap and frugal, a difference that leads to success or failure in any size business.
ou would think that that the signs of a failing business would be obvious: lack of customers, dropping sales, cash flow issues…but these are all symptoms caused by a business that has already been failing for a very long time. What if there was a way to know if your business is failing long before the symptoms start showing up?
The idea behind a mission statement is a noble one. It is supposed to set the guidelines for product quality, customer service, and help cast a vision to build a corporate culture. But let’s be honest: who cares!
Most businesses start out because someone decided that they could make money doing what they love. The first few months, maybe even the first few years, are focused on doing what they do best. They are passionate, excited to go to work, 100% dedicated to their trade.
Are you proud of the work that you do? This is not a hypothetical question; it is not meant to be pondered for hours or meditated upon. It is a simple question that deserves a simple “yes” or “no” answer, whatever popped into your head the second you read the question.
Advertising on a small business budget can almost seem like an oxymoron. How do you apply this to a small business advertising budget? I am glad you asked! The main key is to not follow big business tactics for your small business.
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