Category: Entrepreneurship

When I celebrated my first year in business, a client congratulated me and then said, “The next ten years will be the most difficult.”  At first, I thought he was just pessimistic and maybe even a little sarcastic. Admittedly, though, the comment always lingered in the back of my head - particularly when times were […]

Two months ago, our biggest client submitted notice due to internal budget cuts.  Unfortunately, this is not a new scenario for us. When small businesses face financial struggles, the marketing budget is frequently on the chopping block, with social media ranking at the top. Social media is relationship marketing – a longer-term effort. Companies with […]

Over the past year, we’ve watched the business of social media evolve. Channels continue to change and each one requiring more specialized and detailed work – more so than ever before. As you can probably guess, it’s made my job as a social media manager challenging. But, not impossible. In fact, it’s helped to solidify our value as […]

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been a part of the #Strella team for 16 months before writing my first post.  Needless to say, it’s time. In case you don’t know me yet, I’m Nathan. Rachel contracts my business to provide services for some of her clients, but I’m also her spouse – a.k.a. her […]

I work from home. And I work with my husband. All day… Every day… Depending on your preferences, this could be a dream job or your worst nightmare. For me, though, I only wish it were that easy to categorize.  Before you think I’m just trying to be funny, allow me to explain. I am […]

I’ve never been a visionary.  I know, I know. I’m a business owner – how could I not be a visionary? But, I admit it. As a social media manager, I have a myriad of endless details to manage so at least my skills are in line with my trade! But, as we experience growth […]

We live in an era of “time poverty” with no end in sight. A recent article in The Economist explained that, for hundreds of years, time has been understood in relation to money.  According to the article, “once hours are financially quantified, people worry more about wasting, saving or using them profitably.” Being connected 24/7 has […]

I've worked with small business owners since I launched my own small business in 2010. From start-ups to fourth generation family-owned companies, I've witnessed first-hand the challenges that small businesses face on a regular basis. It's probably no surprise that lack of time and resources are among them. Remaining competitive is a challenge, especially for […]

I welcome milestones simply because they offer perspective.  In preparation for this blog for my five-year business anniversary, I re-read some of my past posts as I achieved hallmarks in my business. It's funny the lessons I continue to learn - and how much of this is really just a maze. Each year, it's the […]