Turning Passion Into Profits: Creating Buzz With Beeswax

It all began with a favor. Back in 2004, a colleague of David Rzepka, whose family owns a commercial real estate business near Cleveland, Ohio, asked if he could keep a couple of beehives on David and his wife Amy's farm. They said sure.

A month later, the co-worker explained that his wife was having a difficult pregnancy and he was unable to tend the hives. The Rzepkas were on their own.

"We didn't know a thing about bees," says Amy, 47, who met husband David, 48, when they were students at Ohio State University. "All I knew was that they sting."

The couple began reading books, talking to local beekeepers and taking classes at the nearby university. They quickly got hooked on beekeeping. Especially David.

In 2005, after collecting the debut season's honey and beeswax, David began tinkering in the basement to create a lip balm. It took many attempts to get it right. "We didn't have any intention of selling it," says David. "We were just making the product for friends and family."

But when requests for the balm kept coming, they decided to start producing products for sale, launching the Beecology e-commerce site in 2007.

Beyond mom and pop
Today, Beecology has gained traction, reeling in nearly $200,000 in sales in 2011 -- double 2010's revenue. "We hope to increase by 50 percent to 70 percent this year," says David.

The line now offers 15 products, including soaps, body washes and creams, shampoo and, of course, lip balm -- all made from honey, beeswax and antioxidant-rich propolis, which bees produce from tree resin and use to seal hive openings.

The Rzepka hives have multiplied to 20. When the couple can't meet demand or they hit a crisis -- "last year, a bear got into the hives and destroyed half of them" -- David buys from local beekeepers. To stay up to speed on his chemistry and technical knowledge, David also taps the advice of a friend who manufactures car wash soap.

For all Beecology's success, every new product still begins with David tinkering in the basement. "It took 110 tries to get my lotion and cream right," he says. Currently, he's working on a foaming hand soap, which takes money as well as patience. "By the time you order bottles, labels, new equipment and raw ingredients, it takes $15,000 to $20,000 to develop a new product," he says. "I try to use best-quality ingredients and stay bee-centric, using the hive in the best possible way."

Those values also motivate the Rzepkas to give back. Beecology contributes 20 percent of net profits to several health care and environmental nonprofits. On a separate website, SweetYear.org, customers can actually choose which cause to support with their purchases.

Learning how to grow
Increasingly, Beecology is expanding from sideline to full-scale business, especially now that two of the couple's three kids are in college.

While David still manages some real estate business, Amy works full time on Beecology, spending some days fulfilling orders alongside two full-time employees in a facility behind the house. Mostly, however, she concentrates on sales and marketing. Like the products, sales required a huge learning curve.

"We didn't realize all the things you need to put out products," she says. "There's a ton of paperwork to fill out and you have to check on product categories and get UPC codes." She also had to learn how to pitch her product at meetings with national retailers. It seems to have worked. Beecology products now are sold in more than 20 states and Canada.

The fact that Beecology is a homegrown, sustainable company helped to open doors, according to David. "Some of the big retailers are really cool about buying local and helping small businesses in the area," he says, noting that the local Whole Foods and Earth Fare, which both sell Beecology products, have been particularly encouraging.

More recently, the couple tapped a national marketing representative firm to build awareness and boost sales. The rep sells Beecology products at trade shows, taking a percentage of sales, and promotes their products at events -- for example, creating gift baskets for celebrities.

Building a business road map
The Rzepkas are well aware, though, that they haven't been strategic planners. "It's led to mistakes," says David. "We tend to jump the gun. For instance, trying to get into retail places that won't work."

They repeat, like a mantra, the need to focus on one customer at a time. "We do what we have to do," explains David.

But that's not a business road map, argues Roger Jenkins, dean of the Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Ohio. "Every entrepreneur needs to build a business model that can both sustain a lifestyle and scale up," he says.

"You need to analyze customer wants and needs, figure out how to meet those needs and wants, what financial assets are required, and sometimes make tough choices to achieve that," says Jenkins, whose private-sector experience includes being chief executive officer of a management firm and chief operating officer of a $600 million retail clothing operation. In short, says Jenkins, you need a business plan. Otherwise, "you don't know what you don't know and you'll end up squandering resources."

Would a plan fuel bigger business for Beecology? Probably. But you sense the Rzepkas think a plan would kill the fun: "I'm a tinkerer, not an industry researcher," says David. "We jumped in because we love it." And from Amy's point of view: "We keep doing it because people enjoy the products. It makes me proud."

This story originally appeared on Business on Main

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

Joanna L. Krotz writes about small-business marketing and management issues. She is the co-author of the"Microsoft Small Business Kit" and runs Muse2Muse Productions, a New York City-based custom publisher.

View the original article here

5 Ways to Master Social Media Multitasking

Managing social media accounts across Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and other sites can be overwelming for some business owners. Posting to each can simply require too much attention for time-crunched entrepreneurs.

But you don't need to be all things to all people on the social Web. And you don't need to hire a social media manager to handle it all. There are a number of cost-effective ways for you to have an active pressence on more than one social media site without devoting all your time to it.

Here are five tips and tools for how you can get your message across on multiple social platforms without wasting a ton of time -- or breaking the bank.

1. Have a strategy.
Try spending your limited time and resources investing in only the social media sites you know that your customers use. It can be better to build one or two strong profiles than to dilute your influence with a scattershot effort across four or five.

Once you determine which sites to be on, creating a social media content strategy can help you stay organized. Maybe you tweet only five times a day, post to Facebook once a day and update your business blog once a week. Laying out a strategy and sticking it to it can help take some of the haphazardness out of managing multiple social accounts.

Related: How to Create a Social Media Content Strategy (Video)

And the good news is there are plenty of free and inexpensive Web apps that can help. Bliss Control is a free tool that offers shortcuts for you to manage account settings such as privacy, profile pictures and passwords from one place. Social media dashboards such as HootSuite and Buffer are free options for managing and scheduling posts across multiple accounts.

2. Don't blindly recycle content.
Managing different accounts from the same location can create the temptation for you to use the same updates over different platforms. The problem in doing so is that customers often follow you on multiple sites and don't want to find the same content from site-to-site.

In general, form follows function. Twitter can be effective for sharing links, thoughts and quick updates about your company. Facebook can be better for creating and sharing photo albums, longer summaries of your links and customer comments. Don’t automatically Facebook everything you tweet or syndicate your blog on LinkedIn.

Related: Finding the Best Time to Post to Social Networks

3. Don't be shy about cross-promoting posts across sites.
While social-media multitasking usually means creating content that’s unique to each platform, that should not stop you from cross-promoting content without annoying your followers. The trick is to direct users to unique or helpful content. For example, ask your Twitter followers to check out new pictures on your Facebook wall.

One free option for building automation into your social networks is a tool called ifttt, which stands for “If This, Then That.” Users can build automated tasks for more than 40 social networks and Web apps using simple conditional statements.

Sendible which starts at about $10 per month also pushes content to various platforms. It also includes metrics to track who is talking about your business and on which sites.

4. Use analytics tools to know what's working and what isn't.
Don't waste time socializing content that isn't resonating with your followers. Analytics apps can be key to figuring out which of your posts are successful and why.

Consider starting with SocialBro which is available as a free desktop app or a browser extension. It includes information on which cities your followers live in and when they’re likely to be online. Free apps such as Tweriod and TweetWhen can also help you determine optimal posting times for different networks.

Related: 10 Little Known Social Media Tools You Should Be Using -- Now

Link-shortening tools such as bitly can offer statistics on who is clicking through on the links you post. Another option is to monitor your website analytics through tools such as Google Analytics or Yahoo! Web Analytics to see how many referrals you are getting from social media sites. Web hosting services often offer this capability as well.

5. Treat followers like customers.
Try using Twitter, Facebook and, for instance, Instagram's mobile posting features, to put faces to your employees and give a behind-the-scenes look at your company. Your followers are real people and they most likely will apprecaite seeing the people behind your business and your social media pressence.

There are free Facebook apps for interacting with customers via polls and surveys. Poll for Facebook comes with the ability to add custom code, multiple-choice or written questions and extra privacy settings. Promotion Builder, by Redwood City, Calif.-based Wildfire, starts at $5 per promotion plus 99 cents per day and lets users run contests and promotions such as coupons, group deals and sweepstakes across multiple sites.

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone. Jonathan Blum is a freelance writer and the principal of Blumsday LLC, a Web-based content company specializing in technology news.

View the original article here

What's Eating Entrepreneurs Today

Profitability, passion for the job, balancing work and home life -- all are issues taking up the most space in business owners' minds these days.

The recently released 2012 UPS Store Small Business Survey offers a window into what entrepreneurs are thinking about lately.

Here's a list of their biggest concerns, according to the survey:

Making a profit (50 percent of respondents -- no big surprise here) Growing the business (36 percent)Time management (about 30 percent)Meeting customers' needs (about 30 percent)

(Responses add up to more than 100% because respondents could choose more than one answer.)

In a surprising finding, only one in three respondents said they have successfully turned their personal passion, talent or skill into a business. When you consider the importance many place on doing what we love, this is a sad showing.

Relatedly, about a third of respondents cited a desire to work for themselves as the main motivation for being in business. But another chunk (15 percent) said their incentive for being in business was needing a job.

Is this is the case for you, I encourage you to use your current entrepreneurial endeavor to learn as much as possible about business ownership and then transfer that knowledge to something you enjoy and have a passion for.

What's been top of mind for you lately? Share your thoughts and respond to others in the comments section below.

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

Mikal E. Belicove is a market positioning, social media, and management consultant specializing in website usability and business blogging. His latest book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Facebook, is now available at bookstores. For more information, visit MikalBelicove.com.

View the original article here

How Coachable Are You?

"Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you believe the Emerson quote above, then every one of us could use a coach. In spite of the difficulty in finding hard data supporting the efficacy of executive coaching, most everyone who has ever had a coach swears by the experience.

"I combine my emotional intelligence, experience and understanding of business with [good] coaching, and the result is magic," says Tom Walter, a serial entrepreneur and founding partner of Tasty Catering, an award-winning Chicago-area corporate catering and events planning company.

The way Walter sees it, the more he taps external and internal coaching resources, the better. To that end, Walter engages in several different networks for ideas, feedback and advice -- from his millennial staffers who help him tap into current market shifts, to his independent group of nine advisors, to his membership in several associations, as well as a peer mentor group, among others. "I rarely override them, because their ideas are about what's good for business -- a solid financial basis, strong market share, et cetera," says Walter. 

Not surprisingly, entrepreneurs aren't always the easiest coaching candidates. And yet, "Ask pretty much any executive, and they'll likely be able to tell you things they would like to improve about themselves and/or their company in a heartbeat," says Michele Michaelis, chief executive officer of IvySage Education LLC, an online interactive tutoring service. "Most of us also realize that we probably have blind spots -- areas for improvement that we are not even aware of," says Michaelis.

Indeed, the requirement of a leader to become more self-aware happens as a company grows and the entrepreneur needs to delegate and depend on other people. At that point, "It becomes critical to understand who I am, what I do best, what I don't do well," says Robert Holland, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Vistage Michigan, an executive coaching and peer-to-peer advisory group organization.

"When I share [that information] with a coach, two of us are working on the problem rather than one," he says. A coach also helps give leaders a balanced view of their performance, and helps them develop clear professional development goals. But just what does it take to be coachable? How do you get started?

Take a risk. This kind of a risk is different than the type of risk it takes to start a company. Many coaching newbies are concerned about losing themselves or their company direction as a result of too much external advice. But keep an open mind and realize this is a new experience that may be out of your comfort zone. Give yourself six months as a tryout period.
Identify areas of growth. If you're comfortable, ask those closest to you (not necessarily work cohorts) for feedback on areas that you would like to develop -- it could be driving an effective meeting, making public presentations, or managing and motivating employees.
Choose wisely. "Relationships work best when the coach's style and experience matches the needs and preferences of the leader," says Rick Miller, executive coach and author/founder of All-In Leadership. Ask for recommendations from executives and business owners who've been coached. Find someone who's an expert in the areas where your company is struggling. Regularity of interaction can range from weekly to monthly to periodically, based on need.
Remember the 'iceberg' rule of feedback. "If you show that you're willing, able and eager to accept criticism and advice, the coach will be more comfortable giving you the whole story (the full iceberg), versus just a bit of feedback (the tip of the iceberg)," says Michaelis. Listen carefully and ask clarifying questions. Make sure you're being very open to new ideas and fully understanding and considering the feedback and suggestions.

"Once you've worked with a coach and trust her, ask her to address any other issues that she sees -- what are your blind spots and how might they be holding you back?" says Michaelis.

Keep in mind that while you should listen carefully and consider ideas with an open mind, if the rationale for an idea doesn't make sense, always trust your instincts.

This story originally appeared on Business on Main

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

Toddi is an award-winning journalist, writer and editor and currently is a contributing writer covering career management issues for The Wall Street Journal.

View the original article here

5 Ways to Make Sweet Music for Your Business

Corrections & Amplifications

If you’ve ever walked into a retail store and wondered why certain music is playing, there may, in fact, be some rhyme and reason to the selection.

Research has shown that consumers shop longer and make more purchases when they’re exposed to music. You can use music to make your store so appealing people may want to return -- even if they don’t have any buying plans. “We're often told that because of our atmosphere, customers come into our shop on days when they need a pick-me-up or to simply relax and recharge,” says Ann O'Shields, owner of The Nest Egg, a home-furnishings shop in Fairfax, Va. “We play upbeat music and enjoy seeing our customers singing along as they shop.”

Of course, it’s important to make the right musical match with your target customers. For instance, if you’re selling upscale products, the best choice is probably classical or jazz.

In addition, music can help engage employees. “Ongoing research shows that music can boost performance in the workplace by reducing employee stress and depression, improving employee retention and saving companies significant amount of money,” says Joe Lamond, president and CEO of the National Association of Music Merchants, a music industry nonprofit in Carlsbad, Calif.

Related: 5 Ways to Organize Your Office -- Stylishly

Here are five tips to help you choose the right kind of music for your customers and employees:

1. Keep the melody in the background. Consider music an ambience enhancer, not the focal point of the mood you’re trying to create. “Customers shouldn’t really be aware of the music you’re playing,” says Kurt Mortensen, an expert on motivational psychology and author of Persuasion IQ. (AMACOM, 2008) “The music shouldn’t be overpowering. Rather it should be merely an atmospheric presence.”

2. Strike a balance between soft and loud. You want to keep your store’s music at the right volume so you don’t risk driving them away. Some youth-oriented stores like Abercrombie & Fitch turn the volume quite high, but most stores should aim for moderation. “Loud music can be a major deterrent specifically if the retailer is targeting a demographic older than 25,” says Patricia Norins, a specialty retail expert and publisher of Gift Shop magazine. “A softly played, lively and upbeat tune can put shoppers at ease and create an environment that’s warm and fun.” On the other hand, don’t keep the music too low. “Our shoppers are mostly women and they’ll come in with a friend,” O’Shields says. “We know they don’t want people to hear their conversations so music is a great buffer.”

3. Don’t get too lively. Beat matters as much as volume. The faster the store music is, for example, the more people may feel stressed about how long they’ve been waiting on line. “To some extent, slower-paced music may make people feel calmer, and they may spend more time in your store,” says Lars Perner, assistant professor of clinical marketing at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

Related: Apple Retail Stores and the 'Buying Brain'

4. Rethink your hold music. When you put customers on hold, the last thing you want to do is make them wait silently or force them to listen to cloying music. When Ian Aronovich, cofounder of GovernmentAuctions.org, a website about government auctions of merchandise, realized he was losing people after just two minutes spent on silent hold, he knew he had to find a way to keep them on the line longer. “We spent $230 on a hold-music machine and noticed an immediate change,” he says. “We discovered that people actually waited for us to get on the phone. Turns out, they really like the music we play.”

5. Make music a motivator. If your goal is to motivate and energize employees, you may get the best results by personalizing the music and using it to recognize their achievements. At Cardinal Web Solutions, an Internet marketing agency in Atlanta, each of the 10 employees has a designated favorite song. When one of them closes a sale or comes up with an innovative idea, that person’s song is played for all the staff to hear. “This idea came about organically,” says cofounder Alex Membrillo. “We’re all under 30, we all listen to a lot of music and we use music to break up the day. When someone comes up with something great, we play their song. It gets people up on their feet and, instead of reenergizing on Facebook, they dance around and, inevitably, more ideas come to the table.”

Related: Six Design Mistakes to Avoid in Your Store

 Corrections & Amplifications: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of the Fairfax, Va.-based home furnishings store. The correct business name is The Nest Egg. 

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

Lambeth Hochwald is a freelance journalist, whose stories have appeared in magazines such as Coastal Living, O The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple and Redbook. She is also an adjunct professor at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute.

View the original article here

3 Online Tools To Find Funding

Whether you're trying to grow a business or start one, securing the money to do it can be overwhelming. From traditional bank loans to crowdfunding, there are now many options to consider. To determine which ones are best for you, here are three online tools to consider:

1. Intuit’s Loan Finder. Intuit, the financial software-maker headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., offers a free tool to discover funding options and loan experts to help you through the process.

When to use it: If you're not sure what your funding options are or how to prepare an application, consider this tool. Intuit will shop around your online loan application to 450 lenders, from banks to credit unions and micro-lenders to more alternative lending options. 

How it works: You submit a loan application and receive an instant “pre-approval” from interested lenders with rates and financing details. Loan amounts range from a few thousand dollars to several million. Once you decide on a lender, you have to submit additional information (think tax returns or financial statements) to officially apply for the loan. Final approval comes within 12 and 45 days. 

Be aware: You have to at least submit basic financial information before you will get any response as to what kind of loan you are eligible for.

Related: Small Businesses Suffer in States Hardest Hit By Housing Meltdown

2. Multifunding’s Banking Grades. The Broad Axe, Pa.-based business loan advisory firm, Multifunding, offers a free online tool that grades banks based on their small business lending. It calculates the percentage of a bank’s deposits that are going to small businesses. As guidance, Multifunding labels any loan less than $1 million as one that is likely going to a small business. To get an “A,” a bank has to use 25 percent or more of its domestic deposits to make loans to small businesses: there are 2,693 banks that have an “A” grade. 

When to use it: If you're set on applying for a traditional bank loan, this tool can help you identify a bank that has a track record of lending to small businesses. 

How it works: You can search for banks by zip code. Other than Texas and California, banks in the midwest reign supreme in small business lending: Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kansas and Oklahoma were eight of the top ten states, ranked for having the most “A” banks.

Be aware: Multifunding's grading system is determined by the percentage of a banks' total deposits that go to small businesses. Because of the volume of deposits that they hold, the nation's largest banks are not predisposed to rank well on this list.

Related: Getting the Big Banks Back into Small-Business Lending (Video)

3. SoMoLend. This Web-based service matches entrepreneurs with investors in the same geographic area. SoMoLend, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, targets small, upstart companies with up to 15 employees that are seeking loans between $100 to $1 million. Investors on SoMoLend run the gamut from banks to individuals. What's different about these investors is they are focused on businesses in their own communities.

When to use it: If your existing business has a dedicated fanbase in your community, or you primarily serve customers in your neighborhood, this option may suit you.

How It Works:  You have to complete an application, including financial information (both personal and business). SoMoLend then ranks your company based on risk – a rating of one to five stars – so investors can weigh their options. Risk is based on your personal credit score, your time in business and with managerial experience, and the amount of debt your company has as a percentage of income. Investors use a GPS location tracking system to identify businesses that are seeking funding nearby with SoMoLend. 

Be aware: You'll have to submit a lot of financials upfront, including personal tax information, credit score, business taxes, a profit and loss statement, and a valid Employer Identification Number. After that, you'll find out if you've been pre-approved for a loan. If you decide to accept a loan, SoMoLend charges a 2-percent fee. 

Related: 3 Rules for Successful Crowdfunding

Readers, what is the best resource you have used to find funding? 

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

Catherine Clifford is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. 

View the original article here

Free Tools for Improving Online Security

Many small-business owners fall below what some people call the “security poverty line." Bootstrapping entrepreneurs can be especially vulnerable to hackers because they don’t have the money or personnel to buy, install and maintain the fancy security products large companies take for granted.

On the hunt for easy pickings, hackers are attacking these security-poor businesses, typically with indiscriminate, automated assaults that could be stopped by basic security tools and computer hygiene. Seven in 10 of the cyber break-ins analyzed in Verizon’s 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report occurred at organizations with 100 employees or less.

The good news is that it can be surprisingly easy and inexpensive to mount a quality defense on a budget. We spoke with Grady Summers, a vice president at Mandiant Corp., an Alexandria, Va.-based information-security firm, and former chief information security officer at General Electric Co., to assemble a list of easy-to-use, free tools that any company -- including those without a technology staff -- can use to create a comprehensive security program to protect its network, computers and data.

While no security program is perfect, applying these free tools can defend against the most common attacks. “A small business with a part-time IT person could probably do this in a day," Summers says.

Defend your network.
Most of the threats to company networks come over the Web, Summers says. He recommends using filtering software to block dangerous websites, including “phishing” sites designed to trick unwitting employees into falling for a scam or infect their computers with malware.

San Francisco-based OpenDNS offers a free, cloud-based Web filtering product that can protect a single PC or mobile device, or an entire network, from known phishing sites. OpenDNS’s paid services offer more security features and the ability to block porn and other sites companies may not want people to access while in the office.

Related: How to Avoid One of the Biggest Email Hacking Threats

To find any weak spots on your network, run a scan. Lumension Security of Scottsdale, Ariz., offers a free vulnerability scanner for checking networks of 25 or fewer computers. It can identify software vulnerabilities and misconfigurations that could put you at risk.

Also, scan your website for security vulnerabilities. Hackers often break into customer databases by striking company websites or hack sites to plant malware that will infect visitors. Qualys, a Redwood Shores, Calif., security company, offers FreeScan, a free tool for detecting security vulnerabilities in Web applications and finding malware infections and threats in websites. Users are limited to five free scans.

If you have a capable in-house technology staff, you also may want to consider using Security Onion, a compilation of free tools for intrusion detection and network monitoring.

Related: 7 Tips for Upgrading IT Security

Secure your computers.
Protecting computers on your network starts with firewalls and antivirus software. Free basic firewalls now come with Windows and Mac computers, so make sure they’re turned on. Antivirus protection will require a download.

Among the most popular free antivirus programs is one from AVG. Another is Microsoft's free basic security product Microsoft Security Essentials. It's made for consumers and businesses with 10 PCs or fewer. And firewall giant Check Point Software of Redwood City, Calif., has a free security suite that includes antivirus and a ZoneAlarm firewall that monitors traffic leaving your computer, as well as standard inbound traffic. In addition, U.K.-based Sophos offers free antivirus software for Macs.

Eliminate security vulnerabilities by applying the free fixes software makers regularly issue. To make that easy, use automatic update features for Microsoft, Apple, Adobe and other products you use. Windows users can make sure all their programs are current by using the free tool FileHippo.

Related: Three Low-Cost Ways to Keep Data Safe When Traveling for Business

Protect your data.
Full disk encryption software can make company and customer data on your devices unreadable to unauthorized people. Free open-source software TrueCrypt is available for Windows, Mac and Linux machines and can be used to secure data on thumb drives and other storage devices. For Mac, Apple offers free full disk encryption dubbed FileVault2 to users with the Lion operating system.

If you have particularly sensitive information, Summers recommends creating a special encrypted area for that data with its own password. You can create this sort of encrypted “volume” with TrueCrypt and a similar Apple feature.

Also back up the data on your computers in case of loss, theft or damage. With Mozy, you can backup two gigs of data for free offsite and encrypted in Mozy’s data centers.

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

Riva Richmond is a freelance journalist who has covered technology for more than 10 years. She writes regularly on electronic security and privacy for The New York Times and its Gadgetwise and Bits blogs. She has also written extensively about small business for The Wall Street Journal and was previously a technology reporter at Dow Jones Newswires.

View the original article here

Driving Awareness with Vehicle Advertising

You can easily get free advertising exposure with your vehicles, but being clever with it will get you even more attention.

Driving around town can be one of your best forms of advertising. Consider the experience of Jeff Whiting of Help! Wizards, a Columbus, Ohio, computer consulting firm that makes house calls. In 1999, the company bought its first vehicle. Instead of going with a white van as originally planned, it bought something that would attract more attention. A bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle. The "Help! Wizards" logo is boldly blazoned on both sides of the Bug and their trademark "!" is on the hood. They've since added three more Bugs to the fleet and have two more scheduled to hit the streets soon. The results? According to Whiting, he gets at least one call a week directly from the exposure to the "Wizard Bug."

Speaking of bugs, an independent extermination company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, used an old hearse with a big bug on top as its vehicle. It got a lot of attention, but many customers felt uncomfortable with it in their driveways.

Related: Social Advertising: Like, Share, Retweet. . .Buy?

To make a point more subtly, consider vanity tags for your car. The right message can generate some interest. The plates that seem to make the most impact are those that take a few moments to figure out. They engage you, and then once you finally "decode" the plate's meaning, you remember it forever. Here are some tags we've come across:

 "MR 2TH" we assume is a dentist. "I SUE 4 U" from a lawyer in California."1099" or "W 2" is what we suggested to our CPA brother, Howard Slutsky."401K" for an investment advisor specializing in retirement accounts."BUYLOW" for a stockbroker."P8NTR" we guess is a painter."MNIPUL8" and "SPINE" are from chiropractors."EIEIO" suggested a farm co-op manager."U P 4 ME" is from an urologist in New Orleans.

One of the members of the audience of a keynote speech we gave told us about the man who had one delivery vehicle. A friend who had a large fleet made fun of his single truck. So he had some magnetic signs made with his company logo on it. He also put at the bottom under the logo "Delivery Vehicle #1," which went on the left side. "Delivery Vehicle #2" was placed on the right side of the truck. On the back was "Delivery Vehicle #3." His friend was amazed at how fast his fleet grew. This is a humorous, but important lesson: When considering signage for your vehicles, don't forget to include all sides -- left, right and back.

Related: Is the End Near for Traditional Advertising?

For temporary vehicle signs, consider the use of vehicle magnets. They can be big impact in full color if you want. This is a great way to promote something you do not want to be on your vehicles permanently. You can even run monthly or seasonal promotions. For example, a heating-and-cooling company could produce magnetic signs that promote preseason maintenance of your furnace or air conditioner. The signs are used during the slower time leading up to the busy season when the weather changes.

If your company is sponsoring a local sports team or league, in addition to the normal exposure you get on the jerseys and signage at the playing field, make it part of the deal that team bumper sticks say: "Sponsored by (your company)." Dozens, or hundreds, of cars would provide you additional exposure at no additional cost. This extends your exposure beyond the group itself and may be the tipping point for justifying your sponsorship in respect to return on investment.

Graphics for vehicles can be dramatic, thanks to digital printing capabilities. Your vehicles can become moving billboards, and except for the cost of creation and application, your message is distributed for free. Of course, if you're going to use your vehicles in this way, make sure they are always clean. And when not in use, park them, if possible, in a high-traffic area so they still provide you additional free exposure. And, it must be clear to your drivers that they have to be courteous, no matter what. Even shaking a fist at a lane hog on a cell phone can create ill-will and bad word-of-mouth.

Related: How Location-Based Marketing Can Help You Connect with Customers

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

View the original article here

How to Know Which State to Incorporate Your Business (Video)

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Skinner Vineyards and Winery Reclaims Family History

The story of Skinner Vineyards and Winery begins 160 years ago, when James Skinner, a pioneering Scottish immigrant, came to the Sierra Foothills to find his fortune during the California Gold Rush. He planted a vineyard in 1860 and started one of the first commercial wineries in the area. It remained in operation into the early 1900s. After that, the Skinner family moved on, leaving only their name behind.

Five generations and a century later, Northern California native Kevin Skinner and his wife Kathy were driving through the area when they discovered the name “Skinner[s]” on their road atlas. After some investigation, the couple located the remnants of J. Skinner Winery. When they returned home they told Kevin’s father, Mike, who didn’t know whether there was a family connection, but learned through a little more research that he was indeed the great-great-great-grandson of James Skinner.

Mike’s wife, Carey, a successful real estate executive, was inspired by the beauty of the area and thought that it was time for the family to reclaim its wine-growing roots. In 2006, they purchased a 25-acre ranch a mile or so from the old winery, where they planted their first wine grapes. Soon after, they bought some land with existing vineyards on a ridgetop with stunning views all the way to the Coastal Range to the west and the Sierra to the east.

Today, Skinner Vineyards and Winery has two estate vineyards located within a short drive from the original winery. Stoney Creek Vineyard in Fair Play is the larger, and also the higher of the two, with elevations of up to 2,470 feet. White Oaks Flat Vineyard sits much lower, at 1,400 feet, in a valley in the El Dorado AVA. The vineyards are farmed sustainably and the Skinners are committed to continually expanding and improving their growing practices.

The family’s commitment to ecology is evident at the sleek new 12,000-square-foot winery as well, which was positioned to utilize natural energy sources. Eighty percent of the building is made of recycled steel, and it is equipped with an efficient solar-power energy system, temperature-controlled sensors and roll-up doors in the barrel room on the north side of the building.

Winemaker Chris Pittenger has worked with respected wineries in New Zealand, Australia, Sonoma County and the Napa Valley. Chris is excited about the new winery facility and the vineyards. “Every year we’re learning more and more about the region and the fruit’s potential, ” Chris says. Skinner Vineyards and Winery is committed to producing wines that reflect the spirit of the Sierra Foothills and uses many of the same Rhône varieties that James Skinner used 160 years ago. The portfolio includes Syrah, Grenache, Rosé, Mourvèdre, Viognier and two proprietary blends. Seven Generations is a blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier; and Eighteen Sixty-One is a Southern Rhône-style blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah.

The winery’s stunning new tasting room is located at the very top of the Skinner property, offering panoramic views in all directions. Visitors choose a spot on the 3,000-square-foot patio to sit back and savor the 360-degree vista stretching from the Sierra Mountains to Pyramid Peak in Tahoe. On chilly days, the inside fireplaces warm guests who are delighted with the scenery and the exceptional wines of Skinner Vineyards and Winery.

What to Buy:
’07 Syrah, Stoney Creek Vineyard -- Blackberry, hints of pepper, chocolate caramel, roasted coffee $34
’08 Eighteen Sixty-One -- Black cherry, ripe strawberry, Asian spice, forest floor $30
’10 Grenache Blanc -- Nashi pear, Honeycrisp apple, hints of citrus, melon rind, $20
’10 Grenache -- Dried cranberry, fresh fig, sage, clove, anise, nutmeg $26

Contact:
530.620.2220
info@skinnervineyards.com
skinnervineyards.com

Tasting:
Tasting Room Open Fri–Sun 11–5
8054 Fairplay Rd
Fair Play, CA 95684

Special Notes:
Private tastings and tours by appointment, spacious picnic patio for patrons, spectacular scenic view, wine club events, winemaker dinners 

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

View the original article here

Cupcake Wars, Cupcake Champions and the Magic of Brand Extensions

I wanted to check out an episode of the Food Network's reality show Cupcake Wars this week, both because I really like cupcakes, and also because I'm fascinated with how the show unites the polar-opposite concepts of cupcakes and war. But when I tune in -- hey! -- it's morphed into a best-of contest this season called Cupcake Champions.

Yes, as we've seen before with Project Runway All-Stars and many other shows, a successful show -- a successful brand -- has created a spinoff. Cupcake Champions is essentially more of the same, only amped-up a little, as it's all the winning bakers from previous episodes competing with each other in ever-crazier cupcake contests. This concept is as old as Jeopardy! Challenge of Champions at least.

So why do we tune in, if we've basically seen this before? It's the magic of brand extension. Take something we already know and love, give it a twist, and you get something new customers want immediately. It's got that tantalizing combination of familiar and new.

It all may make you moan, "Doesn't anyone have any new ideas?" But there's a reason they don't. It's because people love brand extensions, and they're easier to market than new products. They have a built in audience from the first product you put out.

If you'd like a primer on how to extend your brand, just take a look at the twists these reality shows have put on their successful spinoffs:

Broaden your market. Bravo's Tabatha's Salon Takeover recently morphed into a new show, Tabatha Takes Over. She came up in the salon world, but clearly Tabatha's sharp eye for how to run a business was applicable to other types of business, too. Now that she's sharpening the knives for incompetent business owners of all stripes, the potential audience is much larger.Let us inside. The Animal Planet show Tanked, which features the owners of a custom fish-tank business, recently added Tanked: Unfiltered. They've taken old episodes and added behind-the-scenes commentary to them to create a new dimension to the show. Remember that people love to know what goes into the work you do -- and you can add that story to your packaging or your website to build interest.Do a "best of" version. If you have a product you've been doing for years, think about how you could wrap all that expertise into a deluxe version of that same thing. That's exactly what all of the champions/all-star iterations of successful reality shows do. Maybe you have a product that was once a best-seller and now has waned? Bring it back with a few new twists and packaging, and it could be an easy new hit.Ratchet up the drama. The best-of versions of these shows aren't just more interesting because all the contestants are cream of the crop. It's fun because the show producers throw in more difficult tasks for the all-stars to take on. On Cupcake Champions, for instance, they gave the bakers an assignment to bake three different types of cupcakes, but then halfway through their allotted time threw a fourth cupcake at them. On Project Runway All-Stars, they give the clothing designers insanely short deadlines to watch them scramble to try to make a well-tailored dress. Do customers know the whole story of the obstacles you face in your business? If not, do a series of blog posts and tell them about it. Do a retrospective. Tanked also recently had a "Most Challenging Tanks" episode, in which they looked back on the show and discussed the tanks they found toughest to create. People love to hear the story of how a business's products evolved, so consider showing past projects or products on our site to help customers learn what made you the company you are today.How will you extend your brand this year? Leave a comment and tell us your plan.

Did you find this story helpful? YesNo Thanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone.

View the original article here

Richard Branson on Office Ties and the Company Dress Code

Richard Branson on Office Ties and the Company Dress Code | Entrepreneur.com Business & Small Business Follow Entrepreneur on FacebookFollow Entrepreneur on TwitterFollow Entrepreneur on LinkedInSubscribe| Mobile|BookstoreEntrepreneur HomepageStartupsStarting a Business HomeHow-To GuidesStartup BasicsBusiness IdeasBusiness PlanningStartup FinancingSuccess StoriesHome-Based BusinessRun & GrowRun and Grow Your Business HomeHuman ResourcesLeadershipInnovationGrowth StrategiesBusiness ManagementTravelAutomotiveMoneyMoney HomeFinancingTaxesAccounting BasicsPersonal FinanceMoney ManagementPayments & CollectionsMarketingSales & Marketing HomeMarketing BasicsSalesOnline MarketingFinding CustomersSocial MediaBrandingTechnologyTechnology HomeYour WebsiteApps & SoftwareSecurityMobileOffice TechSEOFranchisesFranchises HomeFranchise 500HomebasedLow Cost Top NewFast GrowingTop GlobalBiz OpportunitiesFranchises for SaleFranchises for Sale: Food | Health Care | Retail | Sports | Travel | Part Time | More »The 'TrepsThe 'Treps HomeThe Innovators’Trep TalkProfilesLifestyleProductivityYoung EntrepreneursAnswersAsk Entrepreneur HomeStarting a BusinessFranchisesSales & MarketingTechnologyMoneyHome Based BusinessOnline BusinessLegal IssuesHuman ResourcesGrow Your BusinessHave a Burning Buesiness Question? Ask Your Question Now MagazineCurrent IssueSubscribeTablet EditionPast IssuesStartups MagazineVideoThe Innovators’Trep TalkProfilesLifestyleProductivityYoung Entrepreneurs Richard Branson on Office Ties and the Company Dress Code BY Richard Branson |May 29, 2012|Comment Tweet

While out walking in London recently, I passed a group of uniformed schoolchildren moving in an orderly, single-file line, with teachers in front and rear.

Nothing unusual, except for one thing that made me laugh out loud: their identical school ties. Or more accurately, what was left of them. More than half the kids had cut their ties so that only three or four inches remained below the knot.

Intrigued, I asked the teacher who was bringing up the rear, “So what happened to the ties?”

He chuckled and said, “Well, the kids hate wearing them, but school rules say they have to. What the rules fail to specify, however, is how long they have to be -- so, snip-snip!”
Why didn’t I come up with such a naughtily innovative solution when I went to school?

This caught my eye because Virgin just got into the banking business with the acquisition of Northern Rock, a British bank that we are gradually rebranding Virgin Money. In British banking, few things strike terror in the heart of a customer quite as much as the prospect of facing a tie-wearing, three-piece-suited bank manager across a huge mahogany desk. So we redesigned the banks.

Related: Richard Branson on Decision-Making For Entrepreneurs

One of our first changes has been to start to remove the traditional counters and replace them with informal seating areas. We also thought that the staff’s formal business attire was almost as solid a barrier to customer-friendly experiences as those counters were. Our newest group of Virgin employees were told they could dispose of the ties.

This would suit me -- I have always hated ties, maybe because I’ve never seen the point. They are uncomfortable and serve no useful purpose. I am lucky to have always worked for myself, and therefore have never been a victim of corporate dress codes. For years, a sweater and corduroy trousers were my standard business attire. Someone once joked, “The day Richard shows up at the bank wearing a suit and tie, you’ll know that we are in serious trouble.”

Lately I have taken to wearing a jacket, which is handy since I encounter many different climates and situations through my business travel, but I will only wear a tie under extreme duress, which usually means some ultraformal official occasion, such as the state dinner at the White House that I was fortunate to attend.

Suits and ties in an office are just another type of uniform, but in an arena where uniforms no longer serve any useful purpose. At one time they probably showed that the wearer was, at the very least, able to purchase and maintain a fairly expensive piece of fabric. Now, however, in an individualized, interconnected culture, your achievements speak for themselves. The suit and tie is an anachronism.

It used to be that the one male in the room with an open neck (which was usually me) would be self-conscious about it (which wasn’t me). Nowadays, however, I am delighted to note that it’s the man wearing the tie who is most likely to be the odd person out.

Related: Richard Branson on Strategies for Success

Probably one of the biggest breakthroughs in the gradual demise of the suit-and-tie dress code came, rather surprisingly, in some lofty political circles. Tony Blair was one of the first British prime ministers -- Maggie Thatcher excepted -- to frequently appear in public without “proper” neckwear. Now President Obama has carried it to a level where he seems to be tieless almost 50 percent of the time.

I have always prided myself on throwing out the rulebook when something proves a barrier to business -- or is just plain silly. And there is no viable argument why “gentlemen” should wear ties. The best anyone can muster is: “It’s expected,” or “Everyone else will be wearing one.” One of the signs that business culture has changed is that when people arrive for a business meeting with me, often the first thing they ask is, “Do you mind if we remove our ties?” They surely never thought, “If we don’t wear our ties we’ll stand a lesser chance of getting the deal done.” So why did they wear them in the first place?

So on behalf of the oppressed tie-wearers of the world, here is my appeal to those corporate despots who still force their male employees to put nooses around their necks every day: Please think again.

Related: Richard Branson on When Inexperience Is an Advantage

Jump to CommentsDid you find this story helpful?YesNoThanks for making Entrepreneur better for everyone. Please tell us why? Too general
Not interesting
I didn't learn anything new
Information is out of date
Not well presented
Not what I was looking for Richard BransonFollow @richardbransonQuestions from readers will be answered in future columns. Please include your name and country when you send your question to BransonQuestions@Entrepreneur.com. Do You Have Life Insurance? MetLife® as Low as $14/mo for $250k of Coverage. Request a Free Quote Now. Tweet Related StoriesA Chat With Sir Richard Branson Richard Branson on Decision-Making For Entrepreneurs How a Used-Clothing Site Raised $8.4 Million in Venture Capital Upcycling Becomes a Treasure Trove for Green Business Ideas 5 Business Conversations to Have Today Related Topics Richard Branson Clothes Company culture Fashion Style Ads by Google .adsenseframe {background:#edf0f3; border-radius:5px; margin-bottom:20px; padding-bottom:20px;}.adsby{background:#d6dbe1; color:#505050; padding:5px 5px 3px 15px; font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; border-radius:5px 5px 0 0;}.adsenseholder{z-index:1000; position:relative; top:3px; left:10px;}0 Comments. Post Yours. Comments:

Rob from Sydney.You guys missed the whole point f what he was saying !!Sad really.

I Strongly agree with Mr.Richard Branson

Ties are symbol to make the person realize (1) to be displined (2) not to be casual in approach.Tommorow Sir Richard Branson may say "Why to wear trousers while in office or why to attend meetings in board rooms why not in the warmth of hot swimming pool"He is Boss and may say anything on anything... 

I wear a tie as it distracts people from looking at my belly...

Ties are symbol to make the person realize (1) to be displined (2) not to be casual in approach.Tommorow Sir Richard Branson may say "Why to wear trousers while in office or why to attend meetings in board rooms why not in the warmth of hot swimming pool"He is Boss and may say anything on anything... 

Rules are for the poor. 

I agree with Richard - they serve no useful purpose except to get caught in a fan belt and yank your head into a moving fan!You can dress well without choking yourself.

I've welcomed the transition to a more casual workplace (jeans [and obviously no ties] are the standard in the software industry where I work) - but I did want to mention that ties do serve at least one purpose: to cover all of the buttons for a cleaner look.

We at LG Electronics are very fortunate ...that we have a tie less culture.... Traveling in the hot African sun you don't wish to have a strangling neck tie.... My previous company in India ...reliance communication too was a tie less culture... An appropriate attire, which a person can carry with comfort n confident is more important than having layers of armor. Also dressing differently makes coworkers reluctant to mix up with that person.... One good example is Cumins Where all employee right from the VP to the workers wears a same uniform. A bond is build which helps the attrition level of the company.

I love Sir Richard, and he is a model of the highest business success imagined. But, the tie is very symbolic of pecking order.  The throat is a life or death body part - the dominant animal "goes for the throat".  With humans in business, the higest ranking person can wear whatever they wish, those (males) that defer cover their throats, as if were, showing a symbolic gesture they could be killed (in the deal)  A lesser comment on beautiful silk ties is just that - they are beautiful and set males apart from one another - it is really the main expressions of individualism they have - and colors chosen are very symbolic, as known by the red power tie, the true-as-blue dark or navy stripped tie, etc.  I love ties - require men to wear them for  interviews and think they are very enticing!ImageEssentials for ColorClinic 

Claire:Don't even go there. With your "invented by men" and "my aching feet".You're the one choosing to wear them.Don't insult me for it.

Dhill:Super job!Well done!

Here! Here!

Hmm...And how do you explain the widespread wearing of skirts by women, Helen?Is it to prove you have a vagina?

In total agreement....if a tie is absolutely needed, go the bow tie route!

No piercing or tattoo serves any practical purpose.

Why then do Virgin Airline flight attendants have to wear neck scarves? Covering the neck with necktie, bowtie, cravat or top button is simply a matter of class. The super rich may not always have the class, judging by their attitudes towards fashion, while the traditional butler is every bit more classy than today's techy CEOs who led the revolution in casual office attire which is becoming cliche and pretentious. 

Don't blame the garment for your poor fitting choices.

Then you would be at home in the new hipster hotels where, because of lack of uniform, you can't tell the difference between the patrons and the staff. I tried to order a drink from someone once who didn't work there.

Denim wearers simply follow like sheep, you don't have the balls to stand up for yourself and actually admit its bloody uncomfortable, unecessary, and you can be twice as comfortable in wool trousers.

For a bench chemist interview, the question might be: Do you like to cook? I was a banker in the 80s - for an Australian bank - I wore mini skirts, wild hoseiry and lots of jewelry...to a person all of my customers said, You don't look like a banker. I grew business like crazy because I was relatable...but I also remembered THEM -- and everything about their transaction with me. I freaked out the other bankers however. By the end of my tenure they all had to admit that I made banking fun for them...I don't agree necessarily with how bankers are being 'judged' now versus then...will only offer than if they are 'judged' for how they dress - whether with the crowd or against it - in the context of the credit debacle - well, they should do a gut check. Most of the negativity about bankers is a direct result of propagandizing..from um various quarters...nuf sed...

Don't blame the clothing for improper fit. That's your fault. Find a tailor and someone to teach you how to tie a knot.

Arabs wear dark colors to stay cool, not as a fashion statement. Extreme athletes also know this.The problem is wearing the wrong weight clothing for the clime.

You're doing it wrong. Ties shouldn't choke you.

How do ties matter in heat? I live in a desert so I would know something about heat. A tie doesn't make you any hotter than a bracelet.What's idiotic is wearing jeans in hot weather.

I completely disagree. As for the comfort level, I do not own any clothing more comfortable than my suiting. The soft wool outer layer and silky smooth lining with the custom tailoring to my size make it much more comfortable than the stifling-hot denim which was originally intended for use as tent material.And furthermore, loose dress standards leads to a "race to the bottom." Human beings are lazy, and they will do the bare minimum. If you don't set standards for your employees or for yourself, you will end up looking like you just got out of bed.As for the tie being form without function, that's just a silly concept. Should we do away with all adornment that doesn't serve a function? Sir Branson here describes the thoughtful means the new banking venture has gone through to make the aesthetic of the bank inviting and comfortable. As firms such as Virgin and Apple can attest, form is function. Clearly the bank should use cheap seating, florescent lighting, and white paint. After all, wallpaper doesn't serve any function, and one chair is just as functional as another.As for the uniform, employees of a firm represent that company's aesthetic, character, and trustworthiness. While everyone has their own individual talents and tastes, you're not in business to stroke your employees' egos but to present yourself as a functioning whole not dependent on any one person.It also allows the employees to engage one another on a professional level without the cultural walls dress can build. Those in the military service talk about the uniform as a way for men from all backgrounds can come together and be soldiers, not cowboys, urbanites, et al.As for individuality, unless the tie is dictated by the company as a regimental or company tie, it is where men show their individuality while still maintaining the professional look of the suit.Or maybe I'm wrong, and everyone should just wear Underarmor shirts and pants. You know, because those are nothing but function.

 And now repeat that to the uniformed schoolchildren and make them clear the "original intent of use" of a tie as none else is known as those mentioned by Richard Branson.

I enjoy wearing ties. When the correct knot , from the many available, is used it can transform your look. When it gets hot I do dispense my tie. I don't think there is anything wrong with not wearing a tie for business either. If you are comfortable with either option then you will (or should) perform better. Life has too many "discomforts" that it throws at us. The tie does need to be one of them.

The necktie is the only male article of clothing which serves no functional purpose. Here's hoping it goes the way of the cod piece.

Why, then, do you have a collar on your shirt?

I think his comment on whether the length of a tie makes it justifiable for its use is hiding a bit of a flaw in logic. A tie after being cut is just that, a cut tie, by the nature of such transformation it cannot preserve its original intent of use. Therefore portraying the issue as one where the length of the tie is what it matters to consider it suitable for use is inappropriate. He could have simply said "I don't like ties" (like I don't like his hairstyle) and the issue would be settled.

The clothes you wear sends a message about how you want to be perceived.  Sloppy (casual) attire makes you look that way.  I certainly wouldn't want to meet with my bank manager while he/she wasn't dressed properly.  And dressed properly means if its a guy, he ought to wear business attire!, suit and tie.  What's the big deal?

When I got my first office job - more than 35 years ago - I at least was comfortable wearing a shirt, tie, jacket, proper shoes, etc. It was ages before I realised that dressing like this actually affects peoples patterns of behaviour, and the behaviour of the people they interact with. Dress code is just a business tool, and you had best use it to best serve your business and get you the best outputs. There is no one size fits all or off the peg solution (sorry!), but there is no doubt that people are affected by the way that they and their colleagues dress and this can be used to make them more effective.

i feel sorry for my 6 year old who has just started grade 1 and has to wear a tied shirt through the winter season- annkay south africa.

Seriously Sir Branson  you forgot to comment on hair style....

Here, here!

I moved to Australia in 2000 and was struck by how many companies were quite strict about wearing ties - I even got told off on a couple of occasions by senior managers and HR about not wearing a tie - on a 40C day!! When I told them I was hot and the air-conditioning wasn't doing its job, I was simply told to put the tie... or else. Luckily, things are slowly changing - open shirt, no tie, is becoming more acceptable - thank goodness, considering how Australia is getting hotter!

Great story Neil - symptomatic of the limited thinking in some teachers who are responsible for educating our future innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists and basically saviours for our decaying form of civilisation. Ties are not necessary - consistency in uniform is - it is no mistake I believe that in most science fiction stories virtually everyone wears the same uniform, even if the colours vary by position and so on. And no ties! I've got a great quote about ties on my website - http://devilsinquisitor.com/2012/02/q019/ - that sums it up nicely.

Because one isn't needed perhaps?

I think this is an eye opener...imagine that ...a cut off tie, now we know it is not the lenght of the tie but how you wear it, there is a lesson to be learned here, it is not how long your tie is!  

I agree totally with the undoing of strict dress code. However, it must be maintained that decent and adequate dress code is necessary to ensure that employees are appropriately dressed to project good image without undue discomforts.

In the unimaginative world of golf shirts and jeans there is nothing more attractive than a man in a suit that he has invested in. And the tie is where colour and personality is shown. I would love a return to the stylish men of the past with polished shoes, hats and manners.

True leadership steps outside the norms and meets their clients and customers where they are. Thus, a great "rue" for success. Bp3

My father worked for IBM for 30 years, and as I am sure you are aware, IBM has very strict dress codes for their employees which include the wearing of jackets and ties. At one point, when Dad was in a sales position, he was almost fired for the ties that he chose to wear, because they were not the boring, corporate-esq type that you would see on every other IBM employee. Instead, he chose ties that depicted pink elephants, zebras, airplanes, and just anything else that looked 'neat'. When asked why he decided to wear these ties, he said that they were an icebreaker for his meetings, because instead of having to get through 10 to 15 minutes of stilted smalltalk before discussing the deal at hand, the client usually couldn't resist asking him where he got his tie, which opened the door to a more comfortable situation, and in most cases to a better sale.

 Horrible baby-boomer 'casual' look. Spot on.

 Zuckerberg looks like a slob, his casual clothes aren't even cool. Jobs's outfit was even worse, if that's possible.

At Tower Records head quarters, Russ did not allow ties, so when any one came in wearing a tie he cut it off and added it to his collection.  There is a giant display of the "short, snip snip" ties as part of the Tower memorabilia collection.    I love how Richard and Russ are alike in a lot of ways, or maybe its more like Richard looks up to Russ and borrows some of Russ's charming ways.       

I used to work with schools in Leicestershire in a very deprived area and asked one day why they dint wear uniform. Ah thats because we want to encourage individuality said the teacher. Ok I said so tell me who is individual enough not to wear trainers , jeans and a t shirt I asked., No one was the answer. And how many kids form low income single parent families get bllied because they are not wearing the in brand of trainers, jeans and t shorts I asked. A lot the teacher replied. And then when they come to work in my business ( hotels at the time) and have to wear a uniform- how will they feel- bad they said. So isnt a lack of uniform a bad thin? No, it creates individuality she replied- and I gave up!

Yeah, if you have 400 candidates, I guess you are hiring people with commodity skills. I completely see how this is the case for replaceable widget-people (we used to call them "warm verticals", as in... "I just need a warm vertical", LOL). Completely different world than what I live in from a cultural perspective. This is generational too - younglings expect and demand work/life blending.On the other hand the downside of this - in my profession I basically never stop working. Two-three hour lunch, no problem, but I'm also checking email from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week.

I work at home in my pj's or underwear half the time. So getting dressed up for the office with a tie is kinda fun. It's the only time I ever dress up. Apart from the office, I'm the worst dressed dude around and don't care what others think. Wearing a tie and fancy socks is one of the few ways us guys get to exhibit our metrosexual side in the office. Standards have slipped so far in the office environment and people spend most of their days reading blogs like this. Especially the british slobs. Lets bring back some optional standards and not harass anyone who chooses to dress the way they do.

Well Sir branson, We are both on the same page when it comes to hating ties and office dress codes, I feel it is a mild form of slavery taking away my freedom to dress in as comfortable a way I deem fit. But like you also cleared the air, it's a necessary evil especially if you must attend an 'ultraformal' event. I really hate ties and office dress codes but what can I do?

A nice piece! They say we should appear corporate even when our environment is very hostile. Is that not behaving without knowing the reason for the behavior? Richard, please tell me.

What a piece. I have beginning to think why we wear them in our own clime. They say we want to look corporate. Is it not colonial? Branson, please tell me.

Could not agree more. As the HR Director of my organisation, I supported a casual chic dress code policy. What we encourage and promote is professional conduct and living the corporate values (Passion, Performance & Integrity) over strict adherence to uniforms or dress code. If the values are well-grounded, the rest will follow both in the behaviour and the performance. 

On a number of occassions over the past 10 years or so, when in the presence of people from the fashion industry, I have challenged some of them to come up with a suit-friendly fashion statement for a male that isn't a tie. It's amazing that no-one has taken me up on this as yet.

I once worked at an institution where ties are required for males. Then, the business casual dress code was implemented. It was like, a release from uptight environment, to a casual-but-businesslike atmosphere. 

In South Africa Nelson Mandella killed the tie for business when he appeared at a function in his Mandella shirt. I still rate this as being one of the best things he did for SA.

Yep, never wear ties but I do like them and have a great collection. I never wear them on demand, it really just depends on my mood. In the years I worked in property, even for old bosses and then clients who virtually begged and sometimes insisted I wear a tie, I was always in control when I walked into a client meeting and I always took it off before I went in. Every other suit wore a tie and to my mind, not wearing one seemed to differentiate me as being more senior whilst also remaining human.

Brilliant! This simply points out the need to change, question the "status quo" and dare to be different!

So true. Most of us hate ties but have worn one at some time in a job which demanded one. It is so clostrophibic.I love being without a tie.

I've found that the only place in Australia where I feel like I have to wear a tie when I am there is Parliament House, Canberra. I live in Western Australia and it is perfectly OK to meet with the WA politicians tie-less.

Well, depending on the business, an entrepreneur will most of the time be in a situation like Richard was when he attended White House dinner. However, breaching rules and conventions is always a nice sports game - even as an underprivileged (entrepreneur). I recommend to choose nice (undadjusted) colors in White House dinner situations.

I agree with Sir Richard. A few years ago I was working for a local company who shall remain namless. i did not wear a tie and wore a jumper because of the lack of heating.I was instructed by the MD to wear a tie and not to come to work in a jumper again, well this was too much for me so I told the MD that he could find another contractor and I left the building. Now I too please myself as I am my own boss.

Similar for me when I walk in to a shop looking for "something for work", if it's a shop I know they bring out fabulous clothes, if they don't know me they assume it's a girls suit. Yuk I don't do jackets.

I actually like to express myself through the way I dress. For this instance, wearing a tie would depend on the occasion - there's a time and place for everything. Dress to impress.

I do hope that Virgin Money extends this sensible approach to doing away with the plush executive offices and operating the bank out of a warehouse - after all it is a factory. Customer info centres (branches) excluded. By the way we work with our SA banks and never wear ties

Whilst I agree that ties serve no useful purpose, I cannot agree that slovenly dress is appreciated by anyone other than similar minded and dressed individuals. On dress down days at Barclays, I was horrified to see those who looked unshapely to say the least when dressed in suits, looked awful in their Hawaiiin shirts. There is no shame in looking smart!

Nelson Mandela was the most radical Leader in government when it comes to dress code. I agree with Michael, like all things if there are no guidlines people take it out of context. My dress code in a development bank is simple no tie, shirt and jacket and a jeans.

 This is a good reflection of changed perspectives. Probably 50 years ago, customers expected their bankers to be a better class of people (intellectual, better equipped, etc., which reflected through better dressing, supposedly connected to suit and tie) who deal with “their” money.However, with banks failing creating chaos, asking for government support (injecting cash into the banks), etc., the “suit” and “tie” add to the “suspicions” of their customers – “are they really good? Or, something is hidden behind their suit and tie?” creating a discomfort and hence the distance between a banker and his customers.When I went for my first interview for Scientific Assistant in a Laboratory, one of the professors asked me “Do you have cycle? Do you repair it yourself?”. When I asked for an explanation of the relevance of the questions, he explained “I prefer a hands-on person for my lab”. It is true with the customers also now – they want a “hands-on” banker who can sit with them (approachable) and find a solution (by getting the right kind of assistance within the bank if necessary), without the user running around to different corners of the bank to find a simple solution to his problem. Definitely, eliminating suit and tie would reduce the gap between the two.

I wore formal wear including tie for 4 years of my college life (engineering) as it was thought thought to help us with corporate culture and ettiquettes(as told by the teachers) and now I work in IT industry (Glam Media) wearing casuals.It's more convenient as you feel more comfortable wearing what you want.P.S-No study has proved wearing ties makes us intelligent..lol

Brilliant! I happen to think ties can really polish of a look if chosen and worn properly, but he's correct in that they serve no useful purpose. If someone chooses not to wear a tie, their decision should be perfectly accepted and not considered a sign of anything lacking or otherwise negative.

wind of change are always welcome .....but they should come from bigger/great people so everyone follows them ....it is good thing

the tie is a "noose" indeed Richard! Especially in my part of the world where the average day temperature is 27 degrees Celsius. i wear my tie in the office where there the place is air-conditioned but quickly remove it when out in the blazing sun. 

Ties and suits are an anachronism. We must wear what gives us comfort and not by sake of wearing.

This article demonstrates (not that it is needed) how Sir Richard can turn a popular idea into a business advantage. First he dismisses ties as irrelevant in the workplace, which I do agree but not in full agreement with his reasoning as ties are used like flags in certain cases and identify belonging, such as regimental ties, the abused school ties at which he poked fun and of course, the erstwhile school tie. So what is the advantage of getting rid of ties in a bank. That's easy, a company that insists in a uniform with a tie has to pay for them. Designing a simple uniform without a tie and jacket (!) might save a fortune for a company and help increase bottom lines whillst still having a helpful identity. You laugh at the irrelevance of this cost per person, and if you do then you don't understand that in business, every penny of cost counts - a habit of a successful entrepreneur.

Totally agree here... Ties for me have no functionality or holds much of its 'value' compared to before, but style and image still does.  Even casual/dress-down fridays still should have its limits, because nowadays some employees dress inappropriately for work and look like they dressed up to go clubbing instead of work--and this gets worse the younger the employee is.There should be a well-defined approach for companies who will be instituting similar dress codes (or the 'dressed-down' version of it).  I'm all for smart-casual, with emphasis on the Smart more than the Casual--there's a reason why they put the smart at the beginning.

"Now President Obama has carried it to a level where he seems to be tieless almost 50 percent of the time."I guess--my opinion based on my 7-year executive search career handling wholesale banking and private wealth management--the reason for Obama ditching the tie is due to the fact that ties have a subliminal connection to 'suits' and bankers, who of course has been portrayed as the antagonists behind the global financial crisis.  That, or he just wants to connect to the blue collar workers or the mid-level professionals.Kinda reminds me of Matt Damon's speech in "The Adjustment Bureau" where his character David Norris addresses his supporters about how much they pay consultants just to select the tie he wears in public up to the amount of scuffing on his shoes.  Funny, yes, but contains a lot of truth regarding how distorted politicians' portrayal of "truth" is.  It's all a marketing circus nowadays.

Really admire the way he thinks. I have always hated the idea of wearing ties and go to extraordinary levels to make sure that I do not have to wear one. Same goes with a suit as well. Being comfortable and doing your job is more important than being uncomfortable and getting no work done at all.

Just a thought: the kandora. Not ties, big pockets... you don't even need to wear pants :)

I do agree that ties may be uncomfortable and intrinsically without purpose, but they do send a signal of reassurance - especially in a setting like a bank. Banks are by nature not cofortable places .

I do agree with what Richard has said. Especially in hot countries like India, it has not only become problematic dress code but also medium of joke among others with casual dress. This typical attitude needs to be changed in corporate dress code. On the contrary, i personally feel that if best of the productivity from employee is to be fetched, than let them be in most informal dress at work place. The more informality leads to more relaxed and optimum output in terms of productivity. 

When you're a start-up and working the production floor a tie is nothing more than a safety hazard waiting to put you in the ER. Me, I'm in Duckie's and flannel with a shop jacket on.

Well, try living in Japan and you'll see the the corporate tie is still very much alive.  I wish had clients like Sir Branston.  On the other hand the Japanese are making cars all around the world so they must be doing something right.

Love this angle and the adaptation of what is really happening in the business climate. 

I completely agree that ties should be avoided if the person is uncomfortable wearing them.

The last time the CEO came to the Hotel I was working for, he insisted that the Manager and the Head of Departments wear ties for work. The problem is that the Hotel lies on the Beach in Mauritius where temperatures reach 40 degrees in summer and never go lower than 22 degrees in winter during the day. While he was around everyone had to abide and even the customers were laughing at most of us while we did our rounds on the beach. Ridiculous!

Nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance. Whether it means wearing a tie or not is a personal preference, and sometimes a fashion statement. What does he think about pocket squares?

I fully agree.  In an increasingly informal world, ties seem very out of place.  There's simply no rationale for them.  They don't help a man perform better or hold to a higher standard of ethics.  They should be optional even at White House dinners.

I agree absolutely and have a nice little quote on my website that demonstrates the point. Neck ties are a useless product - they serve no purpose on a planet that is at capacity, so let's save the wasted energy of producing these things and get rid of them forever. They are an outdated symbol of power and status, and to relegate them to a fashion statement in order to keep a few businesses alive is stupidity. http://devilsinquisitor.com/2012/02/q019/

Richards dress sense had hardly been rebellious and has hardly changed over the time he's been in the public eye. Ties have been optional for at least a decade and are making a comeback as a statement fashion acessory. This article is only relevant to certain industries. As for those who say a tie is choking, well get a shirt that fits properly! If your tie is tighter than your collar, get your mum back on board to dress you every morning!

Glad that works for you. In my rule book appearance and performance are related. My employees are part of the team. We either accomplish our objectives - together - or we don't. I expect all my crew to have a professional demeanor and appearance. I expect them to show up to work on time. I expect them to be at meetings when they are supposed to. I expect them to keep their personal lives....personal, to the extent possible. I expect them to play nice with each other. I expect them to accomplish the goals set. If they can't do that....they don't have a job very long.  I have tried to interview people who, after receiving four or five options for interview times told me that they just were not convenient. By the time they had made up their mind when they could possibly interview...I had already hired someone.  I have interviewed people who had a list of demands that I had to accept before they would consider the job. They just made the decision that much easier. The prima donna approach may work in marketing, advertising, web development or other IT.......but not in my neighborhood. You think my approach is crazy? Well I get 300 to 400 resumes each time I post a job.....and I don't have too hard a time finding candidates that are interested.

I actually disagree with this comment. I now think that the tie is the part of the dress for men in an office that is non-conforming and allows expression of your personality and individualism. If I wanted to blend in and conform then I would not be the only one with a tie in my office.

Maybe you should ask yourself why you're so uptight. Does it affect your service? Or do you just like the monkeys to dance for you?

So true, I always went for the casual dress at work (T-Shirt and pants), my manager always commented that I should wear a proper shirt to be taken seriously. During a recent layoff I got promoted, he was asked to take my job or leave. It's what you know not how you dress.

I think that for me and my employees a tie is part of a defacto uniform. Taking pride in one's appearance is akin to preparing oneself for the job at hand. I feel like putting on my suit and tie, shining my shoes and ensuring that I am well presented gives me an overall sense of readiness for the working day.

In today's world wearing the tie is probably the most innovative and out of the box thing to do.  I like ties, perhaps I like uniforms but when I played football I did not go on the field without a uniform...I see the same thing with the suit and tie...it is my business uniform...it puts me in to a business thought process.... just like puting on the shoulder pads and  knee pads, etc...it builds you for the challenges and the game for the day....  my thoughts....

Mr/Sir Branson - I like your perspective, but it does seem a little contradictory given that I am to address you as "Sir" Richard.  Are you truly okay with any Virgin employee addressing you as Richard?  Or will you feel offended they didn't address you as Sir Richard or Mr. Branson given your achievements?  A vendor or employee may be equally concerned that if they didn't wear a tie you might feel equally disrespected.

Whats so innovative about that; in the states many banks have been doing this for years! 

This wasn't an article written for the intent of discussing business etiquette, it was written to promote his new bank.  He's a billionaire, of course he doens't need to wear a tie.For that matter, nobody needs to wear a tie.  If your job makes you wear a tie and you want to wear a tie, just find a new job.  Otherwise stop whining about how you hate ties.

Totally agree with this, I just don't get ties and have always hated wearing them.  They can literally choke you and make it difficult to breath, how is this a good thing??  They are a throw back to the days of cravats and would have originally been worn to keep your neck warm in harsh winters in times gone by i.e. they are scarves that no longer serve their original purpose!

blog comments powered by Disqus Editor's Picks 3 Postures to Boost Productivity Now How to Legally and Ethically Monitor Employees Online 5 Ways to Master Social Media Multitasking Tips on Where to Incorporate Your Business (Video) Subscribe More in Lifestyle Bargain Hunting: 7 to Follow Subscribe to Entrepreneur » Connect with EntrepreneurFollow Entrepreneur on FacebookFollow Entrepreneur on FacebookEntrepreneur MagazineFollow Entrepreneur (@entmagazine) on Twitter Follow Entrepreneur (@entmagazine) on TwitterEntrepreneur MagazineFollow Entrepreneur on TwitterFollow Entrepreneur on LinkedIn Follow Entrepreneur on LinkedIn Entrepreneur Magazine Follow Entrepreneur on LinkedIn YouTubeiPhoneAndroidSubscribe to Entrepreneur RSSOrder a year of
Entrepreneur
Magazine for just $1 per issue!Order Now Recommend on GoogleEntrepreneur Newsletters Entrepreneur Update (sample) More Newsletters Starting a Business (sample) Growth & Leadership (sample) Sales & Marketing (sample) Tech Tactics (sample) Franchise News (sample)This Week in Social Media (sample) Young Entrepreneur (sample) Second Act (sample) Shipping & Logistics Center Five Ways Small Businesses Can Beat Rising Mail Costs Three Ways to Export into New Markets A Quick Resource Guide for Exporting Presented by More Tips » Most Popular on Entrepreneur.com TodayThis Week This Month Richard Branson on Office Ties and the Company Dress Code Comment 3 Postures to Boost Productivity Now Comment 5 Ways to Master Social Media Multitasking Comment 3 Tips for Legally and Ethically Monitoring Employees Online Comment How to Know Which State to Incorporate Your Business (Video) Comment Video Play VideoHow to Know Which State to Incorporate Your Business Play VideoHow to Negotiate. . . as a Business Owner Play VideoGtrot and a Vision for Local Discovery More Video » Ads by Google .rightside .adsenseframe {background:#fff; border:1px solid #D6DBE1; border-radius:5px; margin-bottom:20px; padding-bottom:20px;}.rightside .adsby{background:#d6dbe1; color:#505050; padding:5px 5px 3px 15px; font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; border-radius:5px 5px 0 0;}.rightside .adsenseholder{z-index:1000; position:relative; top:3px; left:10px;}Also Available on iPadLess than $1 an issue Select StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming International | Dads and Grads Gift Subscriptions Entrepreneur.com ChannelsStartupsRun & GrowMoneyMarketingTechnologyFranchisesThe 'TrepsAnswersMagazineVideoCompanyAdvertiseContact UsStaff and ContributorsReprints & PermissionsPrivacySite MapSpecial ReportsYoung VisionariesWomen EntrepreneursTravel Savings CenterProject Grow60 Second Solutions'Trep TalkThe Suitcase EntrepreneurStorefrontMoreBookstoreClassifiedsBlogSecondAct.comYoung EntrepreneursEn EspanolCommunityBusiness FormsTools & ServicesSubscribeSubscribe to EntrepreneurFind Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterGet NewslettersRSS FeedsDownload the AppDownload the app for your iPhone or iPadDownload the app for your AndroidDownload the app for your BlackberryVideo Production BySocial Tools ByPartnersCopyright © 2012 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Post Your QuestionTry to be succinct and descriptive
Add Additional DetailsInclude as much detail as necessary for our experts to give a complete answer. (Optional)
Your E-Mail AddressWe will send you an e-mail when your question is answered.
I have read and understand the Ask Entrepreneur Terms of Use.Please note: Entrepreneur Media Inc. does not guarantee the veracity, reliability or completeness of any answers provided by staff members or contributors and cannot be held responsible for any results obtained from the use of such information. Consult with an attorney or other expert knowledgeable in the laws or regulations applicable to the question posted to the Ask Entrepreneur database. * Due to the volume of questions we receive, we cannot guarantee an answer to every question. Questions may be edited for grammar and clarity. Thank you. Your Question has been submitted.

View the original article here