Entrepreneur People Real Stories

#153 Suzanne Hull of Contemporary Business Solutions

Based in Pleasant Hill, Iowa Suzanne Hull offers support to businesses everywhere through Contemporary Business Solutions. In this interview we talk about her journey to entrepreneurism and the realizations she understands about business needs due to that history.   

(01:37) Provide a brief overview of your services.

(02:41) Mostly you do your work virtually so where are you prone to working?

(03:33) You note that you offer translations. What languages do you translate?

(04:05) How did you come to decide to start your own business?

(11:00) For people who want to find out more about your business and services where should they go on the web?

(11:45) How do you demonstrate your brand?

(13:43) Who is your customer and what type of problem do they usually want to resolve?

(16:36) I’m having a struggle getting my contact database in order and following up. Do you have some ideas to share on how people can manage their contacts?

(19:17) What was the impetus to name your business Contemporary Business Solutions?

(22:42) How do you feel your own experiences have led you to better understand the employee/employer relationship? Is marketing for a job about the same as marketing for your business?

(24:28) What types of marketing do you find work best for you at this point in your business?

(26:07) I personally look for responses when I post thing on social media platforms. Is that the proper measure of whether your SM is “working?”

(29:20) Do you have a favorite epiphany that you’ve reached since starting your business?

(31:07) What have you learned about yourself and what have you learned about others in the process of owning your own business?

(32:32) What keeps you going even during anxious times?

#152 Randall Sorensen of Tax Return Score part two

In this segment of the interview, Randall completes telling of his experience raising the awareness of the lending community of the value of the Tax Return Score. He also offers his thoughts on what it takes to launch and grow a technology based business, and other resources to consider for support. A particularly fascinating interview given our current economy and the issues that led to the meltdown.  

(02:36) Do you get push back from entities that are used to doing things the old way on re-thinking their system to utilize your score?

(09:15) What keeps you going in time of challenge?

#151 Randall Sorensen Tax Return Score pt. 1

In his work as a forensic accountant Randall Sorensen learned that a person's fiscal truths are revealed within a 1040 form. This spawned the idea for a tool to help the lending institutions do a better job of determining lending risk. Learn about Sorensen's Tax Return Score and the process of developing and marketing a product that was probably a bit ahead of its time . . . until the recent economic problems and housing bubble burst. A fascinating and enlightening interview you'll appreciate. (look for part 2 in the next post)

(1:48) A score derived from a tax return must be getting more interest these days given our economic climate and the way we got to this point through the housing bubble burst?

(2:10) What is the Tax Return Score?

(3:05) Why would the average person be interested in a score generated from their tax return?

(4:30) I could see how this type of score would be helpful for people who don’t use credit and therefore don’t have a credit file or credit score.

(5:56) What is your background and how did you come to be an entrepreneur?

(13:44) Forensic accounting should be able to catch fraud of both large and small amounts?

(14:48) How was the tax return score created? What does it look at and measure?

(17:55) Do you have to get permission from the individual to get their tax return to generate the tax return score? How long does it take to return a score?

(19:29) How can this tax return score help the lender?

#150 Mignon Fogarty is the Grammar Girl of Quick and Dirty Tips

I was so excited but a little nervous to have the opportunity to interview Mignon Fogarty who is THE Grammar Girl. Can I put two sentences together and punctuate them approproiately? Maybe . . . or not, but Mignon is working to help all of us be better writers through her award-winning podcast featured on Quick and Dirty Tips and her NY Times best selling book "Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips to Better Writing." Her entrepreneurial story is WONDERFUL. You'll love it. Even if I've got   grammar inadequacy issues I found Mignon to be gracious and generous. Enjoy.

(1:58) You already have quite a following of fans via your New York Time’s bestselling book and your podcasts.

(3:20) So you say this all started as a hobby. What is your background story?

(6:01) There are a lot of comments out there on your podcasts. Clearly people are passionate and in angst about the rules of grammar.

(6:51) First there was your podcast which took off, and then you book “Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing” followed.  How did the book project come about?

(9:12) I’m piecing together the progression of events here. Where did your website Quick and Dirty Tips come into the picture?

(12:19) Where did you come up with the name “Quick and Dirty Tips” for your book and site?

(12:51) Do you have a particular favorite podcast or two you’ve done over the past three years?

(15:19) Our language is every evolving so are the rules changing along with our use of language?

(17:59) Who was your intended audience for your first book “Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing” and how is the book designed to be used? How about your newest book “The Grammar Devotional,” how is that one to be used by the reader?

(22:03) Is the subject of grammar still something seen as important in our culture?

(24:06) What is your opinion on the impact of texting to our language?

(25:57) How do you deal with all the grammar rules you see being abused every day? Are you able to turn off your observations?

(27:38) you’ve had such phenomenal success and have such a following of people who appreciate your work. Is everyday a rollercoaster ride of joy?

(28:25) What do you like about having your own business?

(29:15) What is your marketing style and how much time do you spend marketing?

(30:15) Given your experience and success, what types of marketing do you find work best for you?

(32:47) What keeps you going and passionate about what you do?

The Magnitude of March Entrepreneurs 2010

This is the lineup of shows for the month of March 2010. As of this date, I post these on dsmbuzz as well.

March 2, 2010

Mignon Fogarty is THE Grammar Girl and creator of the popular Quick and Dirty Tipswebsite where experts offer up concise and useful information on a myriad of topics. In this program we learn about Mignon’s incredible journey from top 100 iTunes podcaster to author of the New York Times best seller, “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing.” Mignon relates her phenomenal entrepreneurial journey and her thoughts on marketing -- with a few grammar tips as an extra bonus.

 

March 9, 2010

Randall Sorensen explains his background as a forensic accountant and how that experience led him on the entrepreneurial journey to create the Tax Return Score. This tool can help lenders more accurately determine loan risk over the use of credit data and credit score. This is a particularly relevant topic in these post meltdown days of our economy. We’ll start to understand the foundation for the Tax Return Score and how it can help. Randall also shares some interesting stories of forensic accounting in part one of this interview.

 

March 16, 2010

In part two we pick up our conversation with Randall Sorenson about the potential uses of the Tax Return Score and how it may help lenders make better lending decisions in the future. Randall talks about the interesting process of pitching this tool to lenders, credit bureaus and politicians. Could Tax Return Score be the paramount tool used by lenders in the future? We’ll explore that in this segment of the interview.

 

March 23, 2010

Alexander Grgurich of Foundry Coworking has been a passionate entrepreneur for about a decade . . . and he is only in his early 20s. In this interview we'll learn about his amazing experiences and insights about entrepreneurship, social media, and Des moines, Iowa. We'll also  talk about how entrepreneurs are rethinking the workspace, moving from home offices or coffee shop tables to spaces that allow them flexibility, office amenities and the potential to collaborate.

 

March 30, 2010

Suzanne Hall of Contemporary Business Solutions offers virtual services to business owners that yield tangible results. We’ll meet Suzanne and learn how she has moved from employee to business owner and the impetus behind the transition. Suzanne steps in to assist businesses on an as-needed basis saving them the costs associated with full-time employees.