We are in the final week of February and like each month that has gone by this quickly we just can't believe it. As a parent they say the days are long and the years are short and we feel this applies to being an entrepreneur too! There is so much to manage and juggle as an entrepreneur. Because of this here at Women's Council of Entrepreneurs we try to take some of that burden off of you and each month we give you a free monthly social media post idea guide. 

For those that don't know ~ WCE's Social Media Post Guides can be followed day by day, you can pick or choose which posts work best for you and your business, or you can use these tips simply as a guide and come up with your own posts! Anyway you use it we hope that this streamlines your workflow, as well as, helps you get more interaction on your social media platforms.

To download the FREE March Social Media Post Guide you can click the image or click HERE.

You can find more helpful tips and downloads in our other Articles and WCE also offers online workshops that provide invaluable knowledge all things you need to know about owning your own business. To register for the virtual workshops, such as, How to Build a Profitable Email List please go to our Upcoming Events. You can also visit our Past Events to view recorded workshop topics! 

We’ve said it before and we will say it again ~ owning a business can be overwhelming! There is so much to keep track of that is usually outside your own wheelhouse as a business owner. One of issues that we see entrepreneurs struggle with (and we also are speaking from personal experience) is social media. And not necessarily posting or content creating, but making sure that ALL social media platforms that your business is listed on is clean, updated with most current contact information, and clearly expresses what the business currently offers.

Cleaning up all your social media platforms can be time consuming and a big undertaking. WCE created a Social Media Clean-up Checklist to simplify and streamline this task! The checklist is simple to use ~ most (but not all) social media platforms have there own box on the worksheet filled with items pertaining specifically to that platform, facebook being the most in-depth. All you will need to do is sign into your account on each platform and use WCE’s checklist as a guide to make sure all of the items listed are up-to-date! If you have a platform that isn’t listed just use one of the platforms that are listed as a guide when editing that specific platform.

Before you start editing we do suggest you write out a couple quick descriptions of your business similar to (or can be) your mission statement. One needs to be a little longer that can explain more in-depth about your business (used on facebook). Another one needs to be a shorter summary that will be used for the bio on platforms like Instagram or Twitter. Both need be cohesive and explain what your business does and what problem it solves.

We also want you to really think of what your handle/user names are for each of these platforms. Do they match? Or is one Missy_Loves_Clothes and the other platform is MissysCloset? They need to be cohesive as possible and we suggest that you keep it simple and just us the name of your business. This leads us to the next questions to ask yourself. Can your handle/user name easily be found by the client or customer or more importantly is it easily tag-able? For instance if your business is Easy Auto Repair, but your handle is WeLoveToFixCars or TheEasyPlaceAutoRepair since the handle/user name doesn’t match your business name it’s going to make it harder for your clients or fellow small business owners to find you and tag you on their posts. You want people talking about your amazing business and making a buzz about you ~ make it easy for them, keep your handle/user name simple and as close to your business name as possible. 

That is it! That’s all we needed to explain about our simple Clean-up Checklist. 

You’re ready to start cleaning up your social media platforms with WCE's Social Media Clean-Up Checklist Worksheet! Click HERE or click the picture for the FREE download!

We hope this helped! Our goal here at WCE is helping you find ways to make your business life easier! If you have any questions please contact us at wearewce@gmail.com. And if you did find this helpful….please don’t miss any of our upcoming virtual workshops! You can find them in the menu bar under Upcoming Events or you can click HERE!

Designing social media content can be hard, even for people that are trained to it. And it can be nearly impossible for people that have never designed something before. We have found Canva.com is the absolute best for business owners that do not have a design background. It has amazing templates and easy to use tools. But, even with it’s simple platform Canva can still be very overwhelming. Last year Women’s Council of Entrepreneurs and Jasmin Augustin from Media Jasmin teamed up created a workshop called “Design Like a Pro ~ A Canva Workshop” (which you can find in our Past Events). In this workshop Jasmin went over lots of Canva’s features & tools and how to use them. Today we are going to take snippets of that Workshop and focus how to remove the background of photo! Continue below for these simple steps!

First you need a photo that you want to remove the background from. In Canva you can find stock photos by clicking on the photos icon in the menu on the right side. Or you can upload your own photo by using the uploads icon in the menu on the right. With either option please remember to be mindful of the copyright of the photo you use. 

Once you find a photo you like to use make sure to click on the photo and not drag it into the design you are working on. Dragging it in could cause the photo to placed into the background. 

Now to use the background remover tool! Make sure the photo you want to use is selected. Now find the Effects option in the menu at the top of your workspace. 

Once Effects is clicked you will see options pop up on your right ~ at the top of those options you should see “Background Remover”. Simply click "Background Remover". 

It should show that it is working….and the boom...the background should be removed! 

Now you can use background-less image! You can more it around the design, overlay it on top of fonts or other images, you can put in front of some wording and behind others to give your design more dimension. 

You can also use the filters that are available on Canva directly below the Background Remover option to play with different tones and colors in the photo. 

Our goal here at WCE is help you find ways to make your business life easier! And we hope this helped you! If you have any questions please contact us at wearewce@gmail.com or you can contact Jasmin at www.mediajasmin.com

If you would like to learn even more tips and tricks with Canva join WCE and Jasmin Augustin at our virtual Design Like a Pro: A Canva Workshop 2 THIS Thursday! Jasmin will be going over even more tools and options Canva has to offer. You can register HERE for this event.  We hope to see you there!

Here at Women’s Council of Entrepreneurs we try to bring you tips, tricks, and support to help you grow as a business owner. We enjoy finding new ways to help you streamline your workflow. We find the latest apps and software that simplifies certain aspects of running a business. 

This week we are focusing on design. You might be thinking ~ Design? That has nothing to do with my business. Well, you might not THINK it has anything to do with the service or product you provide, but it does. Design is very important for businesses, it is the first impression of your business to your potential clients. Your logo is gateway into your business, it gives your potential client the sense of who you are and the “feel” of your business. This also goes for labeling if you have products!  The images you put on your website and social media is very important. As we have stated in a previous article photos are important part of your brand, well this goes for ALL the visual content you put out there - which is design! Good design work will also set you apart from the crowd.

Here is a great article by Canva on 20 reasons why design is important to your business https://www.canva.com/learn/design-at-work/ !

Design is clearly important to your business and shouldn’t be something that is brushed over, but at the same time we know that it is not easy for everyone to do! We suggest you contact a graphic designer to help with your logo and other design needs if it is your budget. Another great option is getting on Canva and working with the hundreds of templates they offer. They have template for social media posts all the way to wine labels! 

Even though Canva has amazing templates don’t get discouraged if you  become overwhelmed. Since it has so many features you can feel a little lost when you first get on the website. WCE held a workshop last year and Jasmin Augustin of Media Jasmin navigated us through many of the important features of Canva! You can find that workshop HERE! We also will be having Canva Workshop #2 next week where Jasmin will be back to dive deeper into Canva! You can register for that HERE or if you missed it you can find it in our Shop.

We are also here to help and we hope this did! Any questions or concerns please contact us wearewce@gmail.com

P.S. You can find some AWESOME graphic designers on www.shopasmallbusiness.com!! Always shop small when you can!

Women's Council of Entrepreneurs had the privilege to interview Tifani Henderson the woman behind TNH Financial Services, LLC. Continue reading to find out how Tifani was able to get through the setbacks of starting her business, what differentiates her from her competition, and how she pivoted to create a WIN out of 2020.

Tell us a little bit about your business and what you do? 

TNH Financial Services, LLC is a financial based firm that has a passion working with individuals and small businesses to achieve their business and financial goals. We also consult and work with newly startups. 

How or why did you decide to start your own business?

I started TNH Financial Services, LLC from humble beginnings.  The income coming in changed and I needed to figure something out.  I was currently working a full-time job but needed some additional income. One day while at work, I realized the money I was helping the company I worked for make, I could do the same for myself.  Surely my skills and experience at the time could allow me to do that. After much thought and prayer, TNH Financial Services, LLC was birthed.

Why did you choose this business or industry?

I was currently working in the world of Accounting.  It’s always been something I have enjoyed. It was something I felt compelled to share with others. I felt there were other individuals, small businesses, and dreamers that needed guidance, knowledge, business tips, strategies, and help such as I did when I started my business.

Did you have any major setbacks or obstacles getting started?

Yes, in the beginning, I didn’t have any money to start a business. I didn’t know how to start a business. But, I knew I had to start where I could. The start was slow and often times discouraging. Also, I quickly learned what it took to run a business. It wasn’t just the accounting work I was used to doing on my full-time job.  There was so much more to learn and several hats to wear.  

What differentiates your business from your competition?

Three words: Professional, Experience, and Integrity.  This is what TNH Financial Services, LLC is built on.  Our clients are like family to me. Some I have been knowing a long time and have watched them grow personally and professionally.  I love it! 

What are you most proud of about your business?

I am most proud of this journey God has allowed for me.  I have been able to work with some amazing people and retain clients not just customers.  Also being able to see the growth from 2006 to today has been a true blessing. I started in  Missouri.  But since, have worked with clients in California, Memphis, Texas, Indiana, Illinois.  I’m inspired to keep going!  

How has your industry changed in the last few months how do you see it changing in the future (or will it)? 

To me, the industry itself hasn’t changed much.  This industry knows how to prepare and stay ready.  For example, tax laws are subject to change year to year. So, we must stay credentialed and up to date to inform our clients.  However, what has changed for TNH Financial Services, LLC is the way we do business.  TNH Financial Services, LLC is now predominantly virtual.  We are completely setup to serve our clients remotely and because of that, this has allowed us to expand our service based where we can serve clients no matter where they are.  We find a WIN in that! 

What is your favorite small business?

My favorite small business is any business that is thriving and successful.

TNH Financial Services, LLC is not only Professional, Experienced, and works with integrity, but they are also affordable! The introductory session is only $25 and consulting is $75 per hour. Training services start at $125 per hour and Tax Preparations begins at $175. For bookkeeping and accounting Packages please go to www.tnhfinancialservices.com.

You can also connect with Tifani and TNH Financial Services on their social media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tnhfinancial/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tnhfinancialsrvs

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/tnhfinanicalservices

January went by in a flash as each month seems to do!  We hope that you are still going strong with your New Year's business goals as we head into February.  Like always, we at WCE want to make sure we help you stick to your goals. So, we have come up with yet another social media post idea guide! This can help relieve some of the stress that goes into planning your social media content.

If you are new to WCE's Social Media Post Guides we want you to know that it can be followed day by day, you can pick or choose which posts work best for you and your business, or you can use these tips as a starting off point and come up with your own posts! Anyway you use this guide we hope that this streamlines your workflow, as well as, helps you get more interaction on your social media platforms.

To download our Social Media Post Guide for free simply click HERE!  

You can find more helpful tips and downloads in our other Articles and WCE also offers online workshops! We have our rescheduled workshop coming up this Thursday on  How to Improve Your SEO Rank on Google. To register for this and our other events please go to our Upcoming Events.

Let us know if this was helpful ~ we love feedback! 

P.S. Please remember to always Shop Small with www.ShopaSmallBusiness.com! If you would like your business listed in ShopaSmallBusiness.com please go here: https://www.wearewce.com/Join-us

Last week we talked about several different ways you can gain more PR for your business. Carrie Ward of Connexions Public Relations left you with some takeaways and steps to start working towards increasing your businesses visibility. If you missed that you can view again HERE.

After we wrote that article we thought…..what happens after you get the big media interview? Whether it’s a recorded podcast or a live show ~ how do you go into it confidently and not be a nervous wreck?! We as small business owners do everything for companies and now we are adding T.V. personality to the list!! Haha! Well, we found a great article from zapier about this exact topic and wanted to share it with you: 

Media training 101 for small businesses

Like we said in article last week if you’re feeling lost or need guidance please contact Carrie and Connexions not only can they help with finding you PR they can help you prepare for it!

For more helpful tips and free downloads check out our other articles. And don’t miss our upcoming workshops ~ WCE wants to help you become the best business owner you can be!

Women's Council of Entrepreneurs had the privilege of interviewing Olivia Olaguer the woman behind Psalm 47 Marketing & Design. Learn all about Olivia, the team of women behind her, and how her strong faith helped her fulfill her passion for helping fellow entrepreneurs pursue their dreams. 

Tell us a little bit about your business and what you do. 

Psalm 47 Marketing & Design provides business owners with the essentials when it comes to planning and launching their businesses, big or small. From logo and branding to website design, we make sure each of our clients are well prepared and taken care of. Our company is built on the knowledge that we are here for our clients - it is our top priority to make sure they have peace of mind and confidence in their businesses. We also offer social media management, digital and print marketing, email marketing, graphic design, copywriting, and copyediting.

How or why did you decide to start your own business? 

Psalm 47 Marketing & Design officially became an LLC in May of this year. At the beginning of the pandemic, there were so many amazing people that had always dreamed of opening their own businesses and the quarantine gave them the availability to do so. God definitely brought positivity out of a difficult time. I also noticed that many business owners felt discouraged and frustrated by the lack of affordable and quality design and marketing. I had been doing freelancing while I was also home, but God put it on my heart and mind to start my own company and help other people, especially those that weren't in the best place financially but wanted to pursue their passions. So, I took the leap of faith and am so thankful I did! 

Why did you choose this business or industry?

Throughout my career history, I have gained a lot of experience in marketing and design, as well as sales and customer service. Being a business owner in this industry, it's super helpful to be well-rounded in these areas. I also loved the flexibility to be able to work from home while being there for my three children. 

Did you have any major setbacks or obstacles getting started?

Being a mother to three children and a small business owner, I often wish for more hours in the day. But as the business continues to grow, I have also been able to scale. I am so proud to have a team of two spectacular ladies, Madison and Miranda, that get me through the hardest days.

What differentiates your business from your competition? 

I believe me putting my beliefs and faith out there first and foremost has set me apart from the competition. I have met so many wonderful women of faith throughout this journey and have built a lot of lasting relationships. I also know my business and customer service model is what drives the growth the company has seen. It is so important for me to have a one-on-one connection with each and every one of our clients. I love to think that I am their business bestie! Some days can be crazy busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way! 

What are you most proud of about your business?

Honestly just thinking of the answer to this question makes me so happy and brings tears of joy. I am so proud to be able to help my clients and hear their excitement as their businesses grow. It's the best feeling in the world to be there for them. 

How has your industry changed in the last few months and how do you see it changing in the future (or will it)? 

Unfortunately, a lot of industries and businesses have taken a hit during this year due to the pandemic, some not able to recover. As I mentioned before, many people have shifted into being business owners, so that has meant more of a need for the services we provide. What I see changing, or continuing to change, is marketing in general. Social media is a major part of marketing strategy nowadays, so it's vital to make sure you have an online presence and stay relevant. 

What is your favorite small business? 

Oh man this is a hard question, I try to support other small businesses when I can, so it's hard to just think of one! I mean I have a place I get my cookies, cakes, candles, jewelry, clothes, and others!  

Olivia and her team at Psalm 47 always aim to always be transparent with their pricing since their mission is to provide affordable marketing and design solutions. You can connect with them on social media or visit their website to find pricing and book a consultation!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/psalm47marketingdesign

Instagram: www.instagram.com/olivia_olaguer/

Website: www.psalm47marketingdesign.com

If you would like to share about your business with WCE please contact us at wearewce@gmail.com

There is always a lingering question with business owners and entrepreneurs….How do I get my business to the next level? The answer is Marketing and PR! Well, we all probably knew the answer, but the biggest problem is we don’t know really know how to do it. Marketing your business is a never-ending job and you should always give yourself a proper budget for it. We have tackled different ways to market your business in other WCE articles, today we are focusing on PR.

What is PR? Carrie Ward of Connexions Public Relations shares with us that “PR is your business story shared through a third-party such as: news media, investors, partners, influencers and/or customers.”

Carrie also shared with WCE ways to legitimize your business with these outlets:

1. Press Release. A press release is “an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, an official statement, or making an announcement.” This how you can present your company’s story to the news media, investors and even customers.
2.  Awards. Research different awards in your field and submit your application for them. If you are successful and achieve these awards ~ tout your successes! Post about it and spread the word that you are “award-winning” in your field!
3.  Media & Analyst Relations/Contributed Articles. Establish relationships with publications, journalist, blogs, and industry analysts. Write and submit articles to these media outlets. Be seen and be heard as an expert. 
4.  Reviews. Always, always post and talk about customer testimonials, product reviews, and online reviews. People take their peer's suggestions seriously.

This can be overwhelming, but Carrie says to break it into bite size pieces. The first step before you send off your press release or contact blogs is to develop your company’s story. Think about how and why you started your business and what sets you apart for all the others. Then review existing marketing content for PR opportunities, identify one to three journalists or influencers that fit your field to contact. Next, step is simple, research one award and a apply for it. Then finally, ask a customer for a quote or have them write an online review for you. 

Even the bite size pieces can be a lot when you're trying to run your business too, so if you’re feeling lost or need guidance with developing your story, writing a press release, or contacting media outlets Carrie and Connexions can help with all of those things! You can get more info by visiting their website: www.connexionspr.com

And for more helpful tips and free downloads check out our other articles. And don’t miss our upcoming workshops ~ WCE wants to help you become the best business owner you can be! 

December has come and almost gone quicker than we could ever have believed! And since the New Year is right at our fingertips we know most of us are focused on our long term goals rather than what we are going to post about next week on social media! So, WCE has put together another social media post guide to help relieve some of that stress! 

This January Social Media Post Guide can be followed day by day, you can pick or choose which posts work best for you and your business, or you can use these tips as a starting off point and come up with your own posts! Anyway you use this guide we hope that this streamlines your workflow, as well as, helps you get more interaction on your social media platforms.

To download our Social Media Post Guide for free simply click HERE! 

You can find more helpful tips and downloads in our other Articles and WCE also offers online workshops! We have a workshop coming up on January 14th on How to Improve Your SEO Rank on Google. To register for this and our other events please go to our Upcoming Events.

Let us know if this was helpful ~ we love feedback! 

P.S. Please remember to always Shop Small with www.ShopaSmallBusiness.com! If you would like your business listed in ShopaSmallBusiness.com please go here: https://www.wearewce.com/Join-us