Evolution Magazine December 2013 8 | Page 18

Make Your Own Fireworks To make things even more interesting, in 2011 we launched a networking website to help entrepreneurs find the best business networking events to attend, from New York City to Miami Beach: www. InkandescentNetworking.com. Then, in 2012, we added new media to the mix when we launched The Inkandescent Radio Network: The Voice of Entrepreneurs: www.InkandescentRadio. com. Each day, we feature a new podcast interview with entrepreneurs, authors, artists, financial planners, truly amazing women, and more. In 2013 we decided to take our show on the road when we launched our speakers bureau, www.InkandescentSpeakers. com, the topic of the speech I’ve been giving all over the country. It’s also the heart of our new book, “PR Rules: The Playbook — The Entrepreneur’s Guide for Super-Sizing Your Small Business.” So take a page from our Playbook: 1. Create a stunning website 2. Develop an explosive PR campaign 3. Make a splash in the news 4. Write a column in a magazine and launch your own radio show 5. Network wisely 6. Join a speakers bureau 7. Write a book 8. Pay it forward Avoid the Trifecta of Small Business Failure Following the 8 Steps alone, though, won’t ensure your firm’s success if Embrace the 8 Steps to PR Success you’re suffering from a malady that afflicts many solopreneurs and leads “Making your own fireworks” to the failure of their businesses. is the foundation of our 8 Steps to PR Success, 18 Evolution Magazine/ December 2013 The good news is that there are approximately 11.5 million entrepreneurs in the Untied States, according to Babson College’s most recent Global Entrepreneur Study. That’s a 13% increase over last year. What’s more, the study indicates that 534,000 people start businesses each month — with an average investment of $15,000. The bad news, according to the Kaufman Index, is that almost half of all entrepreneurs go out of business within three years. • 25% fail in year 1 • 36% fail in year 2 • 44% go out of business in year 3 As a PR and publishing company, we see many entrepreneurs undermine their success by embracing a mindset that’s part of what we call, “The Trifecta of Small Business Failure.” These are the three mistakes we see almost every entrepreneur make. Do any of these sound like you?