Ivy Hartman: Well sbtv.com is on the road in Phoenix Arizona covering the 2008 NAWBO women’s business conference. I'm Ivy Hartman and with me is Suzanne Holman of Suzanne Holman International. Susanne is visiting the conference right here in our home city. Your part of the host NAWBO chapter, how exciting is it to you to have the national conference come to the city where you are.
Suzanne Holman: It’s amazing to have these people from all over the world coming here and it’s just in my backyard and just really wonderful to connect with so many diverse women.
Ivy Hartman: You talk about people from all over the world and the title of your company being Suzanne Holman International let’s talk a little bit about that business.
Suzanne Holman: My passion is really connecting with people all over the world and their businesses and what I really found where my heart is the business owner who is fairly new on their own. Excited to be doing what they love and they are finding they're working way to hard what they thought was going to be wonderful and starting to become a nightmare because their life is really maxed out and their family is unhappy. And they are at the point they need new strategies and they are ready to say “help, let’s look at it.”
Ivy Hartman: How hard is it for those small business owners, I think they almost have to hit a wall as Noah Glen said earlier before they bring in a third a party like yourself to look at their business and say “strategically here is what we need to do”. Talk about some of the strategies.
Suzanne Holman: You know what it is they are so busy day to day they feel they don’t even feel have time to talk to someone about it much less give up control that’s a big issues for a lot of people.
Ivy Hartman: What size of business do you work with?
Suzanne Holman: Mostly ones that are starting up. Lots of time the financial service people who are then part of a group and then they're becoming more on their own and they're putting together their own practice in developing into their business that they can really extend and grow with adding employees. It gets to the point where it feels like they can't quite afford to hire but they know they need to expand.
Ivy Hartman: A lot of small business owners I think have the stigma that they know they might need someone’s services, the consulting like you or another third party but they may not see the benefit of it. Now I think in your services you bring not only you show them the benefit of your services but you're showing them “hey we can really make your life a lot easier and we don’t have to hire full time employee just outsource” is that right?
Suzanne Holman: Even virtual assistance you don’t even have to have them in your office and the things that are very administrative that someone can do easily for you and that you don’t like you postpone because it’s not your thing give them to someone else. Spend your time on doing what you're unique abilities are and you'll see that you can really move forward to get creative again.
Ivy Hartman: Already you're thinking outside the box and I'm like boy opening my eyes on all these kinds of things.
Suzanne Holman: And then you can use the internet. I love it; I have very strong background in technology. There's so many ways to market. There's still less time consuming than face to face and just opening their eyes to ways that they can do that more effectively.
Ivy Hartman: Now you tiled your business Suzanne Holman International, we talk about being accessible on the web. Are you trying to reach out to international clients? Are you outsourcing?
Suzanne Holman: I have Portugal, Canada, South America and UK. I love it. It’s such really fun for me to do that.
Ivy Hartman: How did you develop that network to get those clients?
Suzanne Holman: they found me on the web, they are enjoying working with American coach, and I love the international part of it.
Ivy Hartman: Now do you have to be sensitive to different cultures be real knowledgeable obviously about how it’s different than the American capital.
Suzanne Holman: There's a difference in attitude and yet they know what's available in their culture so a lot of times, the stuff of having them put their focus onto it and they know. They just need a little accountability and encouragement to move forward on what's available.
Ivy Hartman: What advice do you have for small business owners, our viewers right now when they're looking to go international?
Suzanne Holman: Just get yourself out there on the internet where the international people could find you; be there for them that they know that they can really talk with you. And things like this let them see you on video on the web so they know you as a person not just a voice on the phone and it’s great.
Ivy Hartman: And any typical thing that you see small business owner is doing over and over and over again that you’d like to give them advice about.
Suzanne Holman: They don’t want to give up control, they feel like they have to micromanage, give up their baby, although they hate the little things that they are doing let it go and let yourself grow.
Ivy Hartman: Hey off for you. Suzanne Holman of Suzanne Holman International, tell us about your website.
Suzanne Holman: I'm called milliondollarproductivity.com, you’ll find me there, and it links to audios and videos.
Ivy Hartman: Million Dollar Productivity. Thanks again for visiting us at NAWBO 2008 and you can check out our continuous coverage of the conference right here on sbtv.com.
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