Thursday, April 24, 2008
Fox 4 TV and the Inventors Club, Kansas City
Just got back from a whirlwind few days. I agreed to come out to Kansas City, MO, to speak to the Inventors Club about raising capital. It was a great night and I got to talk about making yourself attractive to investors, how to prepare yourself, language, where to go, etc. The event overflowed into a luncheon the next day as well. Before the meeting, I was interviewed on Fox 4 TV by Laura Thornqist. Here is me and my friend Carrie Jeske before and during the interview.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Maria is featured in April issue of Inventors Digest
Good news! My article "Haves And Have-Nots: How To Get Investors TO Show You The Money" was just published in Inventors Digest. http:/www.inventorsdigest.com.
The entire article can be seen at this site http://www.edisonnation.com/.
More media and press to follow!
The entire article can be seen at this site http://www.edisonnation.com/.
More media and press to follow!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Press Release: Funding "Inventor Seed Capital"
Maria Simone; national speaker, mentor and author recently featured in April issue of Inventor’s Digest
April 22th, 2008 6:30-9:00pm
The Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Rd. K.C., MO 64110
Acquiring seed capital for your Invention: The "Haves" and the "Have-Nots"
What’s the difference between inventors/businesses that get start-up capital and those that do not? We’ve heard it thousands of times from inventors and start-up entrepreneurs, "I have the best idea on the planet, why can’t I get anyone to invest in me?
Every entrepreneur has the opportunity in this country to seek funding to help launch their idea yet very few do it successfully. Since the resources are out there and available, it has more to do with the opportunities you can actually CREATE for yourself. In this presentation, you will learn what steps to take to help you be more successful in this process, where to find potential investors, and how to communicate with them.
Maria Simone is a unique and conscious business development and marketing expert who has launched several companies and has raised millions of dollars in funding. In addition to starting and selling her own companies, Maria has also licensed her ideas and has seen her products sold on major department store shelves. She now helps entrepreneurial start-ups, inventors, and service providers attract experts, customers, resources and capital. www.MariaSimone.com
All meetings and this seven month series is free and open to all Entrepreneurs, Inventors and Product Developers. If you have an idea for a product which you think would be a great candidate for licensing or selling to the market place but you need funding to make it fly, don’t miss this opportunity!
About ICKC:
The INVENTORS CLUB of KANSAS CITY is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation with over 150 members. The club was founded in 2004 by C.J. Boylan and Steve Gillespie with the idea that every new business starts with someone's bright idea! They firmly believe that new inventions and technology and unique individuals that create them make up one of our country's most valuable resources! They provide a learning forum for inventor/entrepreneurs and those in allied fields, which supplies mutual benefits to all involved. Their purpose and mission is to provide Innovative Education that will stimulate their members to "Soar to Success" which also benefits both the community and the nation! Please visit www.inventorsclubofkc.org
The Kauffman Foundation:
The Kauffman Foundation works nationwide to catalyze an entrepreneurial society in which job creation, innovation, education, and the economy flourish. They work with leading educators, researchers, and other partners to further understanding of the powerful economic impact of entrepreneurship, to train the nation’s next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, to develop and disseminate proven programs that enhance entrepreneurial skills and abilities, and to improve the environment in which entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. The Kauffman Foundation is the only large American foundation to focus on entrepreneurship and has more than twelve years of in-depth experience in the field. While our work is concentrated in the United States, leaders around the world look to the Foundation for entrepreneurship expertise and guidance. Please visit
http://www.kauffman.org/foundation.cfm
April 22th, 2008 6:30-9:00pm
The Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Rd. K.C., MO 64110
Acquiring seed capital for your Invention: The "Haves" and the "Have-Nots"
What’s the difference between inventors/businesses that get start-up capital and those that do not? We’ve heard it thousands of times from inventors and start-up entrepreneurs, "I have the best idea on the planet, why can’t I get anyone to invest in me?
Every entrepreneur has the opportunity in this country to seek funding to help launch their idea yet very few do it successfully. Since the resources are out there and available, it has more to do with the opportunities you can actually CREATE for yourself. In this presentation, you will learn what steps to take to help you be more successful in this process, where to find potential investors, and how to communicate with them.
Maria Simone is a unique and conscious business development and marketing expert who has launched several companies and has raised millions of dollars in funding. In addition to starting and selling her own companies, Maria has also licensed her ideas and has seen her products sold on major department store shelves. She now helps entrepreneurial start-ups, inventors, and service providers attract experts, customers, resources and capital. www.MariaSimone.com
All meetings and this seven month series is free and open to all Entrepreneurs, Inventors and Product Developers. If you have an idea for a product which you think would be a great candidate for licensing or selling to the market place but you need funding to make it fly, don’t miss this opportunity!
About ICKC:
The INVENTORS CLUB of KANSAS CITY is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation with over 150 members. The club was founded in 2004 by C.J. Boylan and Steve Gillespie with the idea that every new business starts with someone's bright idea! They firmly believe that new inventions and technology and unique individuals that create them make up one of our country's most valuable resources! They provide a learning forum for inventor/entrepreneurs and those in allied fields, which supplies mutual benefits to all involved. Their purpose and mission is to provide Innovative Education that will stimulate their members to "Soar to Success" which also benefits both the community and the nation! Please visit www.inventorsclubofkc.org
The Kauffman Foundation:
The Kauffman Foundation works nationwide to catalyze an entrepreneurial society in which job creation, innovation, education, and the economy flourish. They work with leading educators, researchers, and other partners to further understanding of the powerful economic impact of entrepreneurship, to train the nation’s next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, to develop and disseminate proven programs that enhance entrepreneurial skills and abilities, and to improve the environment in which entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. The Kauffman Foundation is the only large American foundation to focus on entrepreneurship and has more than twelve years of in-depth experience in the field. While our work is concentrated in the United States, leaders around the world look to the Foundation for entrepreneurship expertise and guidance. Please visit
http://www.kauffman.org/foundation.cfm
Act Out Your Vision Whenever Possible
Visualizing what you want activates the Law of Attraction but I like to take it a step further. I look for opportunities to actually put myself IN my vision. I love being a guest on radio talk shows and have contemplated having my own show in the near future. So last week I connected with my old friend Michelle Corr who hosts the Perfect Game on KXAM and created a situation where I could sit in the hot seat with her for 2 hours on air. Since then, I'm quickly manifesting opportunities to have my own show. Try it for yourself. Here's Michelle and me in the studio (totally un-glamed behind the mike).
Friday, March 7, 2008
Passion To Prosperity For The Service Provider
All too often, practitioners and service professionals who maintain a high degree of integrity with the work they do find it challenging to grow their business--- or to even think of the service they provide as a “business”. What general happens is they find themselves continually trading time for dollars with no room left to pursue other important activities such as marketing, follow-up, networking, operational duties, or developing other revenue streams of their business, etc.
Here are some key elements of how to create a successful service business that not only maintains the integrity of the service people receive from you but is also scalable in nature which allows for unlimited growth. This is because your time is spent growing the business and not necessarily working IN the business.
1. Make sure you are clear about what you want YOUR life to look like so that the business can become a total reflection of what you enjoy doing.
All too often, people get caught up in creating a business that isn’t necessarily what they wanted such as wearing too many hats, providing services that don’t thrill them, working with customers they don’t particularly like, keeping hours that don’t suit them, etc. When you get clear with what you want first, it’s easier to develop a business you’ll be passionate about.
2. Make sure you have identified your specific target or niche market.
The more you can specialize, the more successful you will become. When you know who your market is, you can create products and services that totally support them. You will know their lifestyle preferences, how they like to be communicated too, what they hold most dear, etc. Your customers will feel totally supported and understood and will benefit greatly from what you have to offer.
3. Express gratitude and appreciation often with everyone that crosses your path.
Your team will be totally devoted to you and it will show in the level of care they provide to your customers. Your customers will feel compelled to refer often and will continue to request services from you. Your neighbors will support your efforts with advertising and media support. Prospective customers will want what everyone else is experiencing.
4. Learn to package yourself in ways that serve more people.
This is my specialty when working with service providers. You want to look at different aspects of what you do and see how you can best share it with many at one time as opposed to just one person at a time. This includes finally putting that book together, group coaching, teleclasses, workshops, developing a game to take people through your process, private labeling your products, etc. Taking the steps of really going to the next level is very freeing and will help create true abundance in your business.
To your success!
Maria Simone
www.mariasimone.com
Here are some key elements of how to create a successful service business that not only maintains the integrity of the service people receive from you but is also scalable in nature which allows for unlimited growth. This is because your time is spent growing the business and not necessarily working IN the business.
1. Make sure you are clear about what you want YOUR life to look like so that the business can become a total reflection of what you enjoy doing.
All too often, people get caught up in creating a business that isn’t necessarily what they wanted such as wearing too many hats, providing services that don’t thrill them, working with customers they don’t particularly like, keeping hours that don’t suit them, etc. When you get clear with what you want first, it’s easier to develop a business you’ll be passionate about.
2. Make sure you have identified your specific target or niche market.
The more you can specialize, the more successful you will become. When you know who your market is, you can create products and services that totally support them. You will know their lifestyle preferences, how they like to be communicated too, what they hold most dear, etc. Your customers will feel totally supported and understood and will benefit greatly from what you have to offer.
3. Express gratitude and appreciation often with everyone that crosses your path.
Your team will be totally devoted to you and it will show in the level of care they provide to your customers. Your customers will feel compelled to refer often and will continue to request services from you. Your neighbors will support your efforts with advertising and media support. Prospective customers will want what everyone else is experiencing.
4. Learn to package yourself in ways that serve more people.
This is my specialty when working with service providers. You want to look at different aspects of what you do and see how you can best share it with many at one time as opposed to just one person at a time. This includes finally putting that book together, group coaching, teleclasses, workshops, developing a game to take people through your process, private labeling your products, etc. Taking the steps of really going to the next level is very freeing and will help create true abundance in your business.
To your success!
Maria Simone
www.mariasimone.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
5 Things To Do To "Recession Proof" Your Business Plan And Business
Changes in the economy call for some adjustments in your marketing strategies if you're an existing business. If you're in planning mode, your business plan should reflect these changes as well. Here are some of my top 5 strategies that you can work on right now to help you attract customers and conserve resources.
1. Any hint of a recession and people start spending less on non-essentials. Make sure your plan reflects essential uses of your product. For existing businesses, reposition your unique selling point to reflect essential use or create additional products and services that are more essential in nature. How-to's, improving quality of life, promoting health, increase productivity and financial well-being, etc.
2. Niche it, niche it, niche it. Identify a specific target market that would derive the most benefit from what you have to offer and focus your attention there. You'll spend less in building awareness and have the opportunity to create a more successful viral marketing campaign.
3. Make sure your planning includes research of the fastest growing markets for
2008. Besides luxury, health, seniors, and pets, you'll find some surprises for the next few years. Capitalize on it!
4. Spend more time communicating with existing customers. Create a strong referral marketing program to help increase your customer base. Develop additional products, with varying price points, and continuity programs to offer existing customers.
5. Develop your markets before your products. Avoid manufacturing products prematurely. Build a subscriber base, pre-sell to buyers, joint venture early on. Talk to your market early on and often to make sure you're on track.
To your success!
Maria Simone
www.MariaSimone.com
1. Any hint of a recession and people start spending less on non-essentials. Make sure your plan reflects essential uses of your product. For existing businesses, reposition your unique selling point to reflect essential use or create additional products and services that are more essential in nature. How-to's, improving quality of life, promoting health, increase productivity and financial well-being, etc.
2. Niche it, niche it, niche it. Identify a specific target market that would derive the most benefit from what you have to offer and focus your attention there. You'll spend less in building awareness and have the opportunity to create a more successful viral marketing campaign.
3. Make sure your planning includes research of the fastest growing markets for
2008. Besides luxury, health, seniors, and pets, you'll find some surprises for the next few years. Capitalize on it!
4. Spend more time communicating with existing customers. Create a strong referral marketing program to help increase your customer base. Develop additional products, with varying price points, and continuity programs to offer existing customers.
5. Develop your markets before your products. Avoid manufacturing products prematurely. Build a subscriber base, pre-sell to buyers, joint venture early on. Talk to your market early on and often to make sure you're on track.
To your success!
Maria Simone
www.MariaSimone.com
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Small Business Funding: The "Haves" And The "Have-Nots"
What’s the difference between businesses that get start-up capital and those that don’t?
I’ve heard it literally thousands of times from inventors and start-up entrepreneurs “I have the best idea on the planet --- why can’t I get anyone to invest in me?” Every entrepreneur has the opportunity in this country to seek funding to help launch their idea yet very few do it successfully. It has everything to do with the opportunities you can actually create for yourself. Those who seem more successful at the process have the following steps in place. Don’t skip out on any of these steps if you expect to acquire funding for your own BIG IDEA:
1. An idea is only an idea unless you do something with it. Do as much as you can with your idea to give it more value --- develop a prototype, patent it, find out if there is a market for your idea, get endorsements from those who would buy it, test any aspect of it that you can. You can accomplish more than you think without money at this stage.
2. Write a business plan showing what you intend to do with the idea and what’s involved to develop it. These thoughts may be floating around in your head still but unless they’re committed to paper, no one can help you. Plus, writing out the plan will show you the work that needs to be done in order for it to be successful. Think of it as a roadmap.
3. Exhibit passion for the project, not desperation, so that people will know you’re committed to seeing it through. An upbeat and confident attitude speaks volumes. Not there yet? Then work on YOU.
4. Have people around you who know what they’re doing. If you haven’t developed an idea or raised capital before, it’s best to surround yourself with people who’ve been down that path. Experience on your team speaks volumes.
5. You need to have contacts to potential investors so you can have investing conversations with them. If you don’t travel in the circles of high net worth individuals, then figure out a way to start meeting them. Attend different networking events or social gatherings. Talk to your neighbors or colleagues at work. Attend events designed for investor connections. Meet people who can start making introductions for you to potential investors. Get mentoring from those who can open these doors for you. The money is all around you.
6. Learn the language of capital so you can relate to investors. There are certain legalities involved with raising capital that you’ll want to learn. Also understand that investors don’t want to know all the details of your invention. They’re more concerned about how you intend to launch your idea, if there really is a market for your idea and how they are going to get their money back.
7. Be humble, grateful and genuine. No one appreciates arrogance or an entrepreneur with overzealous expectations. Be real with potential investors so they can get to know and trust you before investing.
8. Take in and process all comments, critiques or criticism from potential investors. Always. Don’t take anything personally and don’t react negatively to what anyone is saying. You’re getting free advice and those that take it, grow from each experience and can re-visit any “no” later on in the hopes of getting a “yes”. That has happened to me several times. You couldn’t do that if you’ve closed the door and nailed it shut.
To your success!
Maria Simone
www.manifestsuccessguru.com
I’ve heard it literally thousands of times from inventors and start-up entrepreneurs “I have the best idea on the planet --- why can’t I get anyone to invest in me?” Every entrepreneur has the opportunity in this country to seek funding to help launch their idea yet very few do it successfully. It has everything to do with the opportunities you can actually create for yourself. Those who seem more successful at the process have the following steps in place. Don’t skip out on any of these steps if you expect to acquire funding for your own BIG IDEA:
1. An idea is only an idea unless you do something with it. Do as much as you can with your idea to give it more value --- develop a prototype, patent it, find out if there is a market for your idea, get endorsements from those who would buy it, test any aspect of it that you can. You can accomplish more than you think without money at this stage.
2. Write a business plan showing what you intend to do with the idea and what’s involved to develop it. These thoughts may be floating around in your head still but unless they’re committed to paper, no one can help you. Plus, writing out the plan will show you the work that needs to be done in order for it to be successful. Think of it as a roadmap.
3. Exhibit passion for the project, not desperation, so that people will know you’re committed to seeing it through. An upbeat and confident attitude speaks volumes. Not there yet? Then work on YOU.
4. Have people around you who know what they’re doing. If you haven’t developed an idea or raised capital before, it’s best to surround yourself with people who’ve been down that path. Experience on your team speaks volumes.
5. You need to have contacts to potential investors so you can have investing conversations with them. If you don’t travel in the circles of high net worth individuals, then figure out a way to start meeting them. Attend different networking events or social gatherings. Talk to your neighbors or colleagues at work. Attend events designed for investor connections. Meet people who can start making introductions for you to potential investors. Get mentoring from those who can open these doors for you. The money is all around you.
6. Learn the language of capital so you can relate to investors. There are certain legalities involved with raising capital that you’ll want to learn. Also understand that investors don’t want to know all the details of your invention. They’re more concerned about how you intend to launch your idea, if there really is a market for your idea and how they are going to get their money back.
7. Be humble, grateful and genuine. No one appreciates arrogance or an entrepreneur with overzealous expectations. Be real with potential investors so they can get to know and trust you before investing.
8. Take in and process all comments, critiques or criticism from potential investors. Always. Don’t take anything personally and don’t react negatively to what anyone is saying. You’re getting free advice and those that take it, grow from each experience and can re-visit any “no” later on in the hopes of getting a “yes”. That has happened to me several times. You couldn’t do that if you’ve closed the door and nailed it shut.
To your success!
Maria Simone
www.manifestsuccessguru.com
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