Summer Beach Reading?

Well, maybe not.

But here is a list of 20 entrepreneurial biographies you should read - for fun or inspiration.

They're going on my (packed) reading list! Have you got any to recommend?

Eschew Your Comfort Zone

I'm a person fairly addicted to comfort. Not luxury, not wealth; but I do very much enjoy my comfortable routines and my comfortable life.

When a friend told me once how much she loved putting herself in risky, scary situations to see how she'd respond, I just shook my head: Does Not Compute. I don't like roller coasters, either.

As an introvert, getting out of my cave and shaking up my routine takes work and doesn't really feel ... comfortable. But I know that I have to fight this tendency to burrow in. I have to pry myself out of my comfort zone every once in a while. And when I do, it is usually with good results. (Not always, but usually.)

Last week, I got out of my routine for a couple of days and attended the Invent Your Future conference for women in Santa Clara.

It brought together entrepreneurs and professional women in a dynamic confluence of networking, learning and encouragement. I got to meet some terrific women, racked up a bunch of column ideas and ledes and heard Guy Kawasaki's presentation on "enchantment."

It is rather sad that Guy - the only guy on the speaker's roster at a women's conference - was the big hit of the event. But he's at a really high level when it comes to presentations, and he even gives some advice on presenting that I found very helpful.

Listen to his lecture or just review his slides. I hope they push you out of your comfort zone (once in a while), too.

Your $5, Please

There are so many free resources cropping up for entrepreneurs I can hardly keep track of them all.

Here's one that lists a whole bunch of services you can get for $5.

Really? I haven't purchased anything for $5 in - I can't remember how long. I thought the $5 purchase had gone the way of the .05-cent ice cream cone, which was the going price at my local Sav-On Drugstore (Sav-On!) when I was a tiny child. (It was quite a shock when the single cone went up to a dime. What was the world coming to!?)

Anyway, it's obvious that most folks offering something for $5 are hoping to up-sell you into a contract that's just a tad more lucrative. So take these for what they're worth (which would be $5, actually).

But maybe it's not such a bad idea. Experts are always advising small business startups to heavily discount - or even give away - their services to strategic early clients. FiveRR may just be the logical extension of that principle.

Getting Up to Date

In the midst of getting a total computer overhaul, downloading new versions of my software, installing them and "integrating" my saved data this week. Whew!

The good news is that I basically have a new computer (double memory, fresh hard drive, Windows 7 and new versions of all my software) for about half the price of buying and configuring new hardware.

The bad news is that blog entries are falling behind.

Here are a couple of recent columns I have written for Smart Answers at Bloomberg Businessweek. I think they are both really interesting - but of course I'm biased!

Coming up next week: The straight dirt on Groupon, LivingSocial and the myriad (and I'm talking myriad) similar online couponing sites that target small retail operations.

New VC Resource

I have written a series of resource articles for a unique venture capital site called FindVenture.com.

The site "connects investors with individuals and organizations based on a sophisticated matching algorithm" and provides detailed profiles of both funds and prospective investment companies, in addition to a platform and subscription model similar to Monster.com. Like employers there, investors at FindVenture have access to view prospective investment opportunities before deciding whether or not to fund them.

Here's what managing partner David Bayer has to say about the new model:

“Entrepreneurs and CFOs are turning to the web to find investment and lending resources. What they are finding is that most investors are still operating offline and seeking deal flow by utilizing traditional methods. FindVenture.com brings both the investor, or fund, and the business owner or entrepreneur into a more efficient marketplace exchange.”

It's a cool idea whose time has obviously arrived. I'm happy I was able to provide some background articles on VC and how it gets done from the entrepreneur's perspective. Check it out: It's worth a look-see whether you are looking for outside funding now, or may do so sometime in the future.

Minority Business Opportunity Day

Southern California's largest, nonprofit advocacy organization for minority-owned businesses, the Minority Business Development Council, is holding an important event on Feb. 24 in Industry Hills.

The 35th annual Minority Business Opportunity Day offers small and minority businesses "access to corporate representatives, seminars and workshops featuring procurement professionals from major corporations and organizations, networking opportunities at the business opportunity exhibit fair, and more."

The event, held at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort, will include a panel discussion on how to do business with major automakers featuring procurement executives from Nissan North America, Hyundai Motor America, American Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Sales, USA.

Information and registration is available online.

Hard to Believe

If you aren’t on the Internet these days as a business, it's almost like you don’t exist.

So how is it possible that so many small businesses are still missing the technology boat?

According to the Network Solutions Small Business Success Index, only 50% of small businesses have a website, their online advertising activity has declined by 5% from a year ago and their search engine optimization strategies have declined by 6%.

Why do small businesses have an online presence at all? The survey says that the main reason for one-third of the respondents is to provide customer service. Two in 10 use online technology to get customer leads and 30% say they are trying to build their business’ reputation.

Small business owners who are scratching their heads about why their cash flow is poor or it costs them so much to find new leads should take a look at this data and see if they have some major catching up to do.

Updating Your Website?

Check out this great post, with terrific visuals, from the small business folks at American Express OPEN.

I agree with the commenters: Not only is it a big expense and aesthetic hurdle for many small companies to host a fantastic website, but the bigger problem comes in updating it and keeping it fresh.

If you don't have someone in-house, it usually has to be done under contract and becomes a low priority for the busy entrepreneur.

h/t to my web guru, Paula Johnson, for the link.

Follow Your Bliss

When my kids were going through the college application/acceptance process, I rejected the idea that they had to get into certain premier institutions or their futures were doomed.

Now that they are both in excellent schools, I stick by my guns on that one.

But how much does your college major truly matter?

Not much, according to an article from the Online Education Database. Check out their “9 Brilliant Business Minds and Their Totally Irrelevant College Majors.”

My brother is a mover and shaker in the apparel industry in New York City these days. But he went through school as an English major and only got into business through a summer job at Macy's when he was in high school.

So, while I tend to think it helps to study something related to what you want to do, it's probably true that dedicated, innovated people will rise to the top of whatever industry they wind up working in.

Your Mug Shot

Have you posted a picture of yourself on LinkedIn and Facebook?

If not, you should. So says a savvy woman and long-time source of mine, PR consultant Linda Hamburger.

Linda wrote me this:

No one cares if you’re a pretty face or not. But I’m starting to hear that people feel non-picture-posters aren’t as “trustworthy” as picture posters. Or, they wonder whether someone who puts up a cute surrogate is immature or has a reason to hide behind a façade.

You may feel a cute surrogate says something about who you are, but these on-line presences create our professional persona to the world. ... In truth, I like to know who is on the other end of the line. We don’t get a voice anymore, some people have terrible typos, why not at least give some sort of hint at what you look like?

Linda's advice echoes some I heard a couple of weeks ago from a Facebook expert. So get that picture uploaded! And make sure it's a professional portrait that puts you in your best light. (I've gotten some absolutely hideous head shots that I can't believe people actually want me to publish!)

Strap On Those Boots

Are you bootstrapping a start up company - or thinking about it?

If so, you may want to check out this experiment in transparent bootstrapping by a couple entrepreneurs named Jared and Adam.

They read a column I wrote about bootstrapping and contacted me:

We're in the process of bootstrapping a company and we decided that we want to make our experiences as visible and tangible as possible so as to potentially help future bootstrappers.

They promise to be honest and upfront about their business efforts, including "exposing our internal workings more than most companies would be comfortable doing." Sounds interesting.

My initial feedback, which I'll send them directly, is that the blog is tough to read on my monitor. The type is small and the white/red on black makes it worse.

Do you have any advice for them, or thoughts about their experiment?

What's The Word?

When I ask business owners to tell me what their company does, in a nutshell, they often stumble, hem, haw or guffaw.

Eventually, most read off or stumble through a recitation of a formal "mission statement" that they've cooked up with their marketing team. Since it's typically a string of oddly related, formal words incomprehensible to the average reader, I usually have to boil down what they do by myself.

It's amazing to me how few CEOs can succinctly and spontaneously say what it is their business actually does.

That's why I like this one-word mission statement, proposed by a long-time Internet marketing source, Todd Miechiels.

It got me thinking about what one word would best encapsulate what I do writing about and for entrepreneurs. Explain? Encourage? Nurture? Advocate? I'll have to think about it.

What one word best describes your company or personal mission in life?

Fleecing The Sheep

Aside from a televangelist addict with a pension, there's no one more vulnerable than a budding entrepreneur with a nest egg.

Worried about someone stealing your idea? You should be much more worried that someone will steal your money while you're pursuing your idea.

There are an abundance of crooks preying on folks who come up with new ideas. Patent scams, marketing scams, start-your-own-business scams - everywhere new entrepreneurs turn, they run into them.

And if they're not careful, rather than competitors, they'll bump into someone who'd love to take their funds before they have a chance to even invest in their businesses.

How to avoid being robbed - and profoundly embarrassed? Get educated. Be cautious. Do your research. Do not send anyone money in advance. For anything.

It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many bright people fall for dumb schemes. They're anxious to cash in on their great ideas, but they're more likely to stumble on the way to the bank.

A New Gig

Happy - nay, very happy - to announce that I'm going to be writing entrepreneur-focused features for a brand-new venue, Bloomberg's Entrepreneurs page.

Here's my first contribution, on the solar panel king of California, Danny Kennedy.

Yes, I'll still be doing my columns at Bloomberg BusinessWeek and the L.A. Times.

Back from a spontaneous summer break, but I'll be updating my goings-on at those places shortly.

Entrepreneur Love

Today's Smart Answers column is all about the latest American hero: The small business owner.

But does that admiration translate to the bottom line, or is it just theoretical?

Click the link to get the answers, and to read about a local SGV business owner's brush with stardom.

Ethical Innovation

I mentioned here the ground-breaking Innovation and Humanity summit that I attended last month in Orange County.

Today's Smart Answers column is an outgrowth of that summit.

I interview Glenn Llopis, the entrepreneur who founded the Center for Innovation & Humanity less than a year ago. He's pushing a paradigm shift for business leaders, in which contributing to social good becomes as important as making piles of money. It might even become more important.

There is a real cut-throat attitude that pervades the American business model. Incorporating humanistic goals into business definitely goes counter to that sentiment.

I'll be watching closely to see whether it catches on.

Incubating Your Idea

Starting a successful food business is extraordinarily difficult, time-consuming and costly.

But at a local small business kitchen incubator, food business entrepreneurs are getting a helping hand and use of a licensed, commercial kitchen to work on their recipes and prepare product for sale.

I got to visit a Pasadena kitchen incubator and interview several of the resident entrepreneurs there in my Smart Answers column this week. Check it out!

Wonderful Weekend

I am still basking in my whirlwind weekend. First was an Algonquin Round Table-style dinner, hosted on Friday by my friend Sam Horn, who was in town for the Pop! personal branding seminar and the Innovation & Humanity Summit at Chapman College.

Friday's sparkling evening of smart information and fun, funny people - most of them are members of the National Speakers Association, so you can imagine the level of discourse! - was followed on Saturday by a truly amazing day focused on the intersection of entrepreneurship, ethics and social change.

Just to be in a room with hundreds of attendees who put a priority on the "double bottom line" (where companies are concerned with both profits and making the world a better place) was invigorating. I met tons of terrific people and resolved anew to pursue a book idea I have been researching on this very topic.

Finally, last but definitely not least, was Sunday's seminar. A group of writers, entrepreneurs and job-seekers got to watch Sam in action and participate in a series of interactive exercises:



Joining Sam in leadership was Lilli Cloud, a SoCal branding and marketing expert who has been helping people find their "blue feet" (what makes them stand out) for the past several years:



One of the attendees mentioned how seamlessly Sam and Lilli integrated their material. You'd never know that these two women first met just a few minutes before the workshop started!

There was vital energy in the room yesterday and we've gotten loads of great feedback from those who were there. I think everyone was inspired - I know I was!



Thanks to everyone who attended and all who helped make the day a success. My friends Susan and Paula worked hard to get the word out and they were terrific. It sure is nice to know a Connector and a Maven! (h/t Gladwell)

Last Call

Ever since I met author and speaker Sam Horn at a conference last year, I've been singing her praises. This Sunday you have a chance to meet her too!

Tickets are still available for this Sunday's seminar in Pasadena.

I'm invited to a dinner round table that Sam is hosting in Orange County this evening. She brings together eclectic groups of friends and colleagues to share ideas and insights over a meal. I'm really excited to be attending and hope I can contribute something of interest to the group.

Don't Forget to Pop!

Personal branding is all the rage these days. But, to tell the truth, lots of people aren't really sure what it means - or why they need to do it.

The reality is that in tough times and in a crowded marketplace, no one can afford to blend in.

You’ve got to break out to land that book deal, contract or new job that you want. You’ve got to figure out how you are one-of-a-kind (vs. one of many), so you get noticed by decision-makers – for all the right reasons.

Start the new year right with a half-day seminar on Sunday, Jan. 24 in Pasadena, co-sponsored by the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) and Financially inKleined.

Take advantage of this opportunity to develop purposeful, original, pithy positioning of your priority project – be it a new job, consulting contract, book or business.

Our presenters, Sam Horn and Lilli Cloud, have priced this half-day program so it’s affordable for freelancers, self-employed individuals and startup entrepreneurs. Just $49 to jump-start your career success.

Buy your ticket now This event is open to the public; I am organizing this event as a way to help my readers, colleagues and friends. I am not profiting from the seminar, except in the most important way: Paying good will forward to the entrepreneurial community.