StartupNation Blogs

Here’s more from Suzy Batiz, our latest source of inspiration in the StartupNation community. She’s made over $1 million in first year revenue for her Poo-Pourri product line. Want your own success story featured here someday? Then read what Suzy shares below in Part 3 of her advice to fellow entrepreneurs.
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In Suzy’s words:
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How do you [...]

Don't think because you are "just an eBay business" that you don't need to develop your company into a recognizable brand…
One of the most challenging things about operating a business on eBay is that there is such a low barrier to entry. Easy to get started, hard to keep others from doing the same.
Building a [...]

Tomorrow’s the day!! The annual Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival is here!! What began as a joke for Suzanne and I 15 years ago (she told me that she could never marry a man who ate Log Cabin “syrup” on his pancakes) has turned into an annual obsession.
To get to Vermontville, Michigan from Detroit, you [...]

All businesses need an identity. I’m talking logos, web sites, packaging, catalogs etc…These things are very important because they often make the first impression about your business. This is especially true in today’s business environment, where it is not unusual to sign up a new account without ever speaking to them - much less meeting [...]

From Joan Isabella, StartupNation Radio consultant
This weekend, I came across two marketing concepts that made me ask the question WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING?!?!?!. The first was in an article in the Detroit Free Press and it talked about a new energy drink called "Cocaine". The spokesperson for the company said, "It’s a fun [...]

When you write an advertisement, whether it’s for the newspaper, radio, or internet, you may want to tell people that your product is of high quality; that it’s a great value. You want them to know you have integrity. You are devoted to customer service, and you care about them deeply. Right?
Wrong! [...]

At this time of year, you might bake cookies, or make Aunty Betty’s Crab Dip to take to a gathering. I’ve been considering the significance of the dish we choose to pass.
When you taste something really good, you remember who brought it. You might even ask for the recipe.
Back to business: What [...]

Walking the Via del Corso here in Rome, an American is exposed to all sorts of designers and boutiques that are uniquely Italian. You can find the same spirit in the Soho area of New York and on Haight Street in San Francisco, but secretly and quietly, this spirit is going global.
The micro-brand is [...]