I recently had an experience that profoundly shifted the direction of my life — both personally and professionally. And while I want to share that journey, this post isn’t really about me. It’s about you—and what you might discover through a LifePlan™.

Ask yourself:

• “I want to contribute differently—maybe even more meaningfully—but I’m not sure where to begin.”

• “Change makes me uneasy, but I know I could be happier.”

• “Someday, I’m going to make a change and finally do that thing I’ve been thinking about.”

Are you overwhelmed by the endless decisions and challenges of launching a startup? You’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs dive in without a clear roadmap, only to find themselves stuck, stressed, and struggling to stay afloat. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

That’s why I wrote Your Small Business Blueprint — a step-by-step guide designed to help you build, launch, and grow your dream startup with confidence. Whether you’re just starting or turning a side hustle into a full-fledged business, this book breaks down the process into clear, actionable steps — minimizing risk and maximizing results.

Growing a business is exciting, but let’s be real — it’s not always easy! As your business expands, new challenges pop up, and what once worked smoothly may start feeling like running in quicksand. If you’re hitting some roadblocks, you’re not alone! Here are five common growth challenges small businesses face and how you can tackle them head-on.

Providing a world-class customer experience doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require consistency, attentiveness, and a customer-first mindset. Here are three key strategies to elevate your customer experience:

Feb 26

Background

In 2018, I co-founded an e-commerce distribution business specializing in a unique, design-driven interior wall covering product. I describe it as "modified" e-commerce because, unlike traditional self-serve platforms, successful transactions require direct interaction between the seller and the customer.

The market was on a strong upward growth trend, and we believed we had a product that stood out in a competitive landscape. The market was saturated with local, regional, and national distributors in the building materials industry, offering a wide range of wall-covering solutions — from paint to wallpaper, wood to stone, and everything in between. While our product had several distinct advantages — such as low installation cost, minimal scrap waste, ultimate design flexibility, and superior quality — we faced an important question:

The Challenge

Is having the best product at the best price enough to win customers?

The answer: NO WAY!

Despite having an outstanding product at one of the lowest price points in the category, we quickly realized that quality, price and basic order to delivery service alone would not be enough to drive sales and customer loyalty.