Sammy The Dog

A couple of weeks ago I had saved enough money to go to the hair salon (yes! I am an entrepreneur and money is tight). Next door to the hair salon is our local animal shelter. I used to pass it every day on my commute to NYC and sometimes I would notice animals abandoned on the doorstep. Like the homeless person you pass, you feel helpless - want to help - but don't know how and you keep moving. I know one of the employees at the animal shelter, and when he saw me on the way to the salon he ran in to tell me that a man was surrendering his dog and I should come take a look since he knows that I like small dogs. I should mention that, yes, I like small dogs - but my husband was the one who specifically mentioned his preference for terriers and similar dogs. I have NEVER owned a dog. Ever. Well, of course I go and meet a man who (because of personal reasons) was sadly giving up his dog. I called my husband who informed me that I could bring a dog home but that 1) he would not be taking care of the dog and 2) the dog was not allowed in the basement. So much for the man who wants a dog. The dogs' owner suggested that I take the dog home for the weekend, and if things didn't work out that he would retrieve the dog and take him to the shelter.

I am sure that you have figured out the rest. I brought the dog home, the kids like him, he seems to like us, AND he doesn't bark. So we have welcomed a new family member: Sammy, the long-haired Chihuahua.

The tie in to business: did I save Sammy or would someone have come along? At times when I am trying to find the right contact to help our business get to the next level, I do wonder if someone will "save" us because that is the feeling of hope you have. Yes, we work hard but we are realistic that hard work is only part of what is needed to succeed. We are so dependent upon our networks to move forward and people literally do save you. Without this support you flounder. As we search for funding, we ARE looking for that "savior" - someone who believes in our tools as much as we and has the ability to financially support the endeavor. I read my entrepreneurial magazines and the stories of the lucky few who have found their financial saviors do give me hope - and isn't this the season of hope and belief in angels?

From my house to yours - HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Let 2009 be prosperous for us all!!

Life's Milestones: Weddings and Births

This week started off with many "new beginnings". One of my best friends got married. She is one of my idols - the epitome of patience. She did things her way, never hurrying. She earned degrees from respected universities, holds a doctorate, bought her home, and lived life. She found the man with whom she wants to spend her life and married him. She always knew that life would give back what she put in. Even with others pushing and prodding her, she stood her ground and took her time. I think of her when I am impatient about growing this business. I am jumping from one thing to another trying to get a return on the investment of my time because I feel the urgency of "first to market" or "hitting while the iron is hot". I have to remind myself to be patient - put in the right work and the returns will come.

Right after the wedding I drove to DE to assist my cousin in delivering her first child. It is always a pleasure being able to help another woman give birth - and I so enjoy not being in the hot seat. My cousin is my hero. Her brow never broke a sweat and she delivered naturally - sans epidural. Welcome to the world Rebekah!

I have been thinking about these moments constantly. About how we all work hard for our achievements and how these two women have only hit a milestone, because in life there are no finite goals - just steps along the continuous paths.

We are working hard to make some major strides before 2008 finishes and it seems overwhelming at times. It would be great to hand off some of the worries and work, but I believe that we are poised to take our step soon. The key is to not scream (at least not too loudly - and not at the kids).

Test of Professional Friendships

OK. Here goes. I am just going to ask for help - let's see what happens.

We are trying to form partnerships with the big guys: Monster.com, The Ladders, Dice.com, etc. To do so, we have to show our value. Well, we know quite a few staffing professionals who post jobs on these sites. We are going to ask them to add this tag line to their job listings:

We appreciate candidates with Val-ID-ate profiles!

The goal is to prove the benefits to staffing professionals who have to sort through a million resumes and to obviously gain endorsement for our services.

Our Feedback Tour is proving to be quite effective in providing proof that YES recruiters would appreciate receiving proof of credentials at the start of the hiring process. ESPECIALLY with the increase in resume fraud (too many people on the market competing for the same jobs tend to make people embellish more - go figure).

My belief is that this should be straightforward (unless the staffing company has to pay per word for their job postings).

What could be the objections?...

Feedback Tour

Remember Field of Dreams? "If you build it, he will come"? Well, how about if no one wants what you build? Woot.com has a bunch of products that retailers apparently don't want. I am sure that many of you can name a recent technology that bit the dust right after release.

We want to make sure that people want what we are selling, so we are launching a Feedback Tour. We are going to our faithful clients and other HR professionals to confirm that our Val-ID-ate product fills a need.

Yes, I know, it would have made much more sense doing this at the start - but better late than never.

We are going to use as many outlets as possible to reach HR professionals to ask them about 10 quick questions. By the end of each discussion, we will have a better understanding of what credentials they seek, the sources used, and where they look. Most importantly - they will know our name!

So, if you know an HR professional willing to chat for about 10 minutes, send them our way.

Lessons From A (Sprint) Triathlete

I am embarrassed to say that...I really enjoyed my summer! So much so, that I have not blogged since July. As a business owner, I am supposed to be stressed out, never take vacations and leave all the enjoyment of life to others - says who! I enjoyed a week of camping with my family and really relaxed. Even though I tried to manage the email queue, I suffered for weeks when I returned trying to whittle down the count to less than 100 email messages - but it was worth it.

I would like to say that I returned from vacation energized with a new outlook - but I honestly did not. I was energized before my vacation and I still have the same focus - and the same woes.

That being said, since I have returned we have seen an increased user base for Val-ID-ate, added a few more Account Executives and increased our client list. The summer was good. On a personal note, I competed in my 3rd Danskin Triathlon and for the first time finished the entire swim course on my own.

So, that leads into my concluding story: 2 years ago I decided to participate in the Danskin sprint triathlon. I didn't compete for the physical challenge. The bike and run distances I can do without really training in preparation. I participated because I AM AFRAID OF SWIMMING. I refused to let this fear win, so I decided to face it head on. That competition in 2006 was a disaster in my book. There were "swim coaches" in the water and they basically pulled me through the course. I was literally hanging onto one of those foam noodles with which children play. For many, that would be demoralizing. But if you know anything about me, that just made me more determined to try again. In 2007 I participated again - this time in Orlando, FL. I didn't do much better. I swam without the assistance of a flotation device, but was informed by my loving spouse that I had been detoured because I was having such difficulty - so I did not complete the entire course.

This year I was determined not to hyperventilate. And guess what - I hyperventilated! I was the last one in and the last one out. It took me 33 minutes to complete the 1/2 mile course. Regardless, I am proud of my accomplishment of talking myself off the ledge and plowing through.

I look at running our business in the same way. The issue for me with swimming is that I fear drowning. My ability to reason goes out the door. I KNOW that I most likely will not drown, but that still does not stop me from being scared. I also know that the floor is not right below me, so I cannot stand up - which also fuels my anxiety. So, I have to keep moving forward. Now, if I really get into trouble someone is there to save me - but I would see that as the ultimate failure. As with this business, I have to keep moving forward. Often, I know that I cannot stand up and I get very anxious - but I just roll over, float, calm myself down, roll back and being stroking again.

Boy, that shore seems far.

Stone Soup

Do you know the tale "Stone Soup"? Basically, hungry travelers arrive in a village where people aren't willing to share food. The travelers have an pot in which they put water and a stone and proceed to "cook". Curious people start coming up to watch, and the travelers inform them that they are making a great soup - but it is just missing a little "something". The villagers become interested in the stone soup and start contributing a little bit of this and that - until the travelers truly have a nourishing soup.

Much of that story conveys how Verify-ED continues to grow. Although we have never been in a situation where people have been unwilling to help, we know that we would not have gotten this far without the invaluable input from so many wonderful people. We know firsthand that people are very willing to assist, and if they cannot help directly they will make sure to find someone who can. Our goal is to utilize the great information we receive to move forward - which is not always easy.

In recognition of this collaborative nature, we added a new feature to our newsletter where we ask our readers for their ideas and insights on various topics. I suggested the name "Stone Soup" because I felt that it best described what we are doing. Unfortunately, not everyone knows the story, so it was determined that the meaning of the name would have been lost. Personally, I think that it would have been a great opportunity to share a nice Grimm tale - but, oh well ;-)

We named the new section "My 2 Cents" in recognition that if everyone "adds their 2 cents" we can build an amazing, profitable company. The image of money when it comes to business is always good!

We also considered "unsolicitedadvice" and "peter" (the sage in the comic strip B.C.), but it seemed that if most people didn't' get the "joke" the point would be lost.

So, to everyone who gets my humor - THANKS!

Yes, That's Me On The Radio

Here is a GOOD example of communication skills and the ability to convey messages succinctly.

I was recently interviewed by the energetic and intelligent LaTanya Junior for her Change The Life of Your Business show. LaTanya is an amazing businesswoman who successfully runs complementary businesses. She has taken her station, TCB360 (http://www.thecorporateboutique.com/) to its current rank of 24 (out of 275) among talk stations on Live365.com. TCB360 airs programs that truly provide assistance to entrepreneurs worldwide. Apparently, her base is very international with many listeners in Asia. She is preparing for a multi-city tour, so look out for her in your town.

I posed a couple of business questions and received her very insightful feedback. Enjoy TCB360 and the interview: http://www.thecorporateboutique.com/radio/CTLOYB/080619JollieEntreprenInterview.html!

Master Communicator...NOT!

I pondered writing about my recent experience because I consider it a failure of sorts, but I hope that others gain insight through my experiences.

I had a great opportunity to present to an investor group and, to put it lightly, I BOMBED! The funny thing is why: I was unable to properly convey our company, what we do, and what we need. After my posts about being able to clearly communicate, you would think that I would have this covered. So, now I rehash my errors and perform penance:

"Hi, my name is Joelle Ware and our company is Verify-ED. We provide background screening and résumé verification services. We launched a new tool called Val-ID-ate that gives job seekers a way to show proof of their qualifications."

THAT is the opening with which I should have started, but I did not. Needless to say, I was unsuccessful in inspiring others to consider working with us to expand our launch.

So, I have spent the day in my personal pity party and now it is time to keep moving. We continue to build our alliances and grow. And the next time someone asks me about Verify-ED and Val-ID-ate, what will I say?...

Renaming A Pivotal Product

We have a new name for Verify-crED - wow! For a while there, I thought I was going to be vindicated. Verify-crED was leading in the polls for a while, and lost by the slightest of margins: 3 votes! Jennifer (the other half of Verify-ED) breathes a sigh of relief.

But, this brings about many changes. We decided to change the name early in our launch process, but we still have to update the website, marketing materials, and just our mindsets. Thank goodness we have a really good team to handle these tasks.

Companies have renamed products to infuse enthusiasm in lackluster products, and names have been changed in reaction to negative publicity (with the hope that new customers won't learn about a past misstep). With this wonderful ability to receive feedback quickly from your audience via the internet, more and more companies are allowing their customers to help steer the boat a little.

Our company is on a growth path that is so dependent upon the public - specifically employers and job seekers. It is imperative that we make sure that we listen to what they say because they determine our success.

So, I want to say a fond farewell to Verify-crED and a big welcome to Val-ID-ate, the product that will make a significant impact in the world of hiring! Come along for the ride...

Wait, Don't Leave! I'm Not Done Yet!

Today was chock full of events for the small business owner. In the morning I attended the Make Mine a Million $ Business in Newark, NJ and in the afternoon I went to the NY NJ Minority Supplier Development Council Expo (NY, NY) - and here are my takes on these events:

MMM $ Business was a very empowering event for women, but the thing that I saw with which the program could have really helped us budding entrepreneurs is in the deliveries of our messages. As you recall in an earlier post, I attended the VANJ Pitch Olympics where they had a format of allowing the speaker 2 minutes to present their business, and they stuck to that limit - often cutting the speaker off in mid-sentence. In the MMM $ Business event, the women had 2 minutes, with a 30-second warning. The moderator would hold up a STOP sign at the completion of 2 minutes - and the speakers just kept going! It is so important to get that pitch so that it is powerfully delivered in as little time as possible. What amazed me was that these women were briefly coached - yet they still disregarded the rule.

I see that as women we tend to want to give everyone a little story about ourselves to validate our requests. Most women don't come right out and say "I need $1 million to properly execute my well-developed marketing plan". We tend to say, "My name is Mary, and after my divorce I found that I had this dream in me......" I attended a Ladies Who Launch meeting on Sunday at which there were about 20 entrepreneurs. The moderator instructed us to tell a little about our companies and state what we NEED. I was the last presenter. It took about 1-1/2 hours to get to my turn! I gave my business and need pitches in 3-1/2 minutes (I timed myself) - and I believe that was too long! So, with all the programs that we have to support women entrepreneurs, the key skill that we just need to hone is that succinct PITCH!

The NYNJMSDC event was great for reinforcing our sales strategy of providing services to and forming partnerships with other suppliers in lieu of expending lots of energy going after the really large corporations. As we grow, more energies will be placed in going after the big guys, but I am proud of the business relationships that we have formed and I really enjoy helping promote my supplier alliances because if they get more work then we get more work! I also heard that they, too, held a pitch event but the time limit was longer. Since I didn't attend I cannot say much about it, but I hope that the time limit was no longer than 2 minutes for the same reasons I stated above.

I belong to a few entrepreneur-focused organizations, and I recognize that each take different approaches to providing services. All encourage development and growth, and the organizations have to work with members to make them realize that the pitch is the most important aspect of the company. Although people are nice, no one is going to wait in the elevator after the doors open if you don’t say something to catch their attention. So, to all the organizations out there for the entrepreneur, the main thing that we need with our memberships is the skill to tell our stories EFFECTIVELY in 2 minutes or less – so that we see those desired results!

I Went To The Olympics!

Yesterday I attended the annual Venture Association of NJ Pitch Olympics. What an eye opener! The format of the event involved entrepreneurs presenting their products / services in 2 minutes and a panel of judges (mostly from venture capital firms) rating them on their presentations and fundability. I had actually thought of participating, but the cost was prohibitive so I went for the learning experience - and boy did I learn a few things:

1. If you can't speak well - get a spokesperson. The entrepreneurs were limited to 2 minute presentations. No questions were asked. So, with that format, why wouldn't you get a great spokesperson to present your product? I was amazed at the entrepreneurs who could barely enunciate! One company actually had a product that I felt had promise - but you couldn't understand a thing that was said.
2. You need to talk about other things than the product. The judges kept stressing that product information was important, but where entrepreneurs fail is by not giving the investor a better idea of HOW the product will be used and WHO will use it. Entrepreneurs need to give as much information as possible of the market opportunities and the specific target markets.
3. Bring notes. So many of the entrepreneurs presented off the top of their heads. Why would you do that? You are standing in front of a podium - you have a place to put your paper. Many of the entrepreneurs just came across as unprepared.

My FAVORITE pitch was from Meryl Rosenthal of FlexPaths (http://www.flexpaths.com/). She was the first to present and she was AWESOME! She presented a clear presentation that hit on all the points in which an investor is interested. Better yet: they are an alliance for our services! She missed first place by 1 point to Mattingly Sports (http://www.mattinglybaseball.com/) - and they mastered the concept of product placement (the moderator prominently held one of the Mattingly bats throughout the event).

I am very glad that I went to the event. I sat at the table with venture capitalists and got to hear a little about their thoughts. Interestingly, I was surprised at the amounts the entrepreneurs were seeking. Most were asking for about $1 million - and according to Bill Payne (angel investor extraordinaire), this is an amount that hits the angel limit but is not near the venture capital amounts. I am curious to find out what each entrepreneur's goal was by participating in the event. Who exactly were they trying to reach?

You Have Successfully Submitted Your Application

It is almost 4 am and I have finally submitted my applications for angel investment. My stomach is in knots. I feel like our business plan is well thought out and that our supporting documentation will really help, but you can't help having that feeling that if you do more it would make a difference. Doesn't matter that you don't know exactly what "more" to do, you just have this feeling.

So, the ride has truly begun.

Introspection

Today is Mother's Day and of course I get a little introspective. I have been focusing quite a bit on growing Verify-ED, launching Verify-crED and applying for investor funds - which means that other things and people don't get the focus. I console myself with the fact that my children would not WANT my undivided attention, but recognize that I still need to make the conscious effort to be more attentive. This is why I coach my girls' Level 2 gymnastics team. I found a way to combine my need for activity with my need for involvement with my children. I am sure that there are more relaxing ways to spend time with your children, but that would not be me. I can't wait until my son is old enough to get out there!

It is all about finding that balance. Figuring out what works best for you. I know that I am better for my family when I am challenged intellectually and physically. This entrepreneurial venture has been the best challenge that I have undertaken. I am psyched by how far we have gotten and about how far we can go. There are so many signs that the opportunities are waiting for fulfillment.

So, my Mother's Day wish for all the mothers out there is that you get the chances to explore your opportunities so that you continue to be the best mother that you are.

Time Management

I am applying to the Micro to Millions program, the sister event to the Make Mine a Million $ Business. We don't qualify for the Make Mine a Million since we have not been in business for at least 2 years, but that doesn't mean that we don't have the chops ;-)

I am submitting a video to accompany the application. Do you realize how hard that is? I figured that since I am a relatively comfortable speaker, the recording process would take less time than it took to clean my desk. 20 takes and 2 hours later I couldn't get through an entire taping without making a stupid flub. It is actually funny, but you can see from the change in the background lighting that the day was ending. I finally came away with a recording that I could live with, but this is just one example of how my time disappears from me before I know it.

I am getting better about limiting how much time I will spend on a given activity, but I still feel like sleep is a waste of valuable time right now. There is so much that needs to get done and deadlines that have passed. Should I even mention how shot the Verify-crED development schedule is? You just want time to stand still.

Well, my time for this activity is done.

Don't You Hate Looking At The Others?

We have to do a competitive analysis for the business plan, and I admit that I hate the exercise. I want to believe that we are the first and only ones with the ideas, but we have to recognize that what we are doing is not new. What we do recognize is that we are approaching credential verifications in a different manner that will wonderfully differentiate our service / product (still don't know which to call it). Still, that doesn't take away the "I wish you didn't exist" feeling I have whenever I discover that there is another guy offering similar services. I KNOW that ours is better and more innovative, but I am sure that is how Ray Kroc felt when Wendy's popped up next door. A business associate gave me a great outlook. He said that we should welcome competitors because it justifies our existence. If no one wanted to get in our market, then investors would have a very hard time seeing the benefit. Now that is what I call a positive view! On another note, we need to change the name. My business partner hates Verify-crED. I thought that it was great because it continued the self-explanatory naming convention (it stands for "Verify Credentials"), but she thinks that is sounds like "crud". So, we decided to use our difference of opinion to our advantage by having another naming campaign. The great thing about this campaign is that we will invite our voters to use the service to better understand the great service we are providing. We are hoping that this approach will begin a PR campaign of sorts for us by others wanting to get in on the fun. We had a campaign to name Verify-ID and it was fun, so we are looking to repeat that success. If you would like to participate in the campaign to rename Verify-crED, shoot me a quick email message (jware@verify-ed.com) and I will add you to the list!

Painful Lessons

The last 2 days have been unproductive. Why? Because I dropped my laptop on the floor. That is right, I didn't close the protective case and it fell to the floor. As a result I blew the inverter and apparently jarred something with the hard drive because I was instructed to insert the recovery CD's in order to start the PC. Well, I followed the recovery directions that would leave my data files intact. I was very happy to see that my business plan and other documents were accessible, but I could not restore MS Outlook. I know what you are thinking, "just use your backup". Well, I am embarrassed to say that I am meticulous about My Documents, but I was not meticulous about MS Outlook. Considering that I LIVE in MS Outlook, this was obviously a very serious issue.

The point of this recount is to remind and reassure everyone that experts don't know everything and that with diligence and clues you TOO can be an expert. My husband, Chris, is a tech guru. I had a January archive of MS Outlook, and he managed to pull it up even though we were getting a million registry errors. He showed me how to gain permissions in safe mode and how to unhide folders. Regardless, we were unable to locate the most current MS Outlook files. First I took the laptop to the Geek Squad in Best Buy. He informed me that the process to replace the inverter and retrieve "locked" files would take about a week and a half. Who has a week and a half to be without their source of livelihood. But it turns out that the Geek Squad guy was the most knowledgeable of all the "experts" with whom I spoke. He knew enough that even though access to a folder was denied and showed 0 bytes, that it was just a permission issue that could be resolved.

Next, I took it to a guy who was highly referred. He is a nice man, but when he clicked on a folder and saw the "permission denied" error, he threw up his hands. He DID point out something that Chris and I didn't know. He said that the Outlook files should be in Local Settings. Chris and I had been looking in Application Data. This repair person wanted to send my PC to a recovery expert. I quickly took my laptop and went to a local computer repair shop. They were no better. They just pointed to the Outlook files that I already knew existed and INSISTED that these were the only files. When I tried to point out to them that those were not the most current files, they also suggested that I send the laptop to their recovery expert at a cost of about $800 (and who knows how many days). I ended up ordering the inverter and taking my laptop back. I knew that I could solve this puzzle.

This is where a little knowledge is key. Now that I knew where to look for my Outlook files, I used all the skills that Chris taught me. I logged on in safe mode, gave myself permission to get to Local Settings - AND THE FILES WERE ALL THERE!! I have never felt such relief! I paid about $30 to do the work myself (because I was charged an "evaluation" fee by repair person #3).

So, lessons learned as a result of this experience:
1) Time and knowledge will help you solve almost anything
2) The experts don't know what you need them to know
3) Never Give Up!!

As we embark on launching Verify-crED, I am holding these lessons high. I feel quite unknowledgeable on how to do certain things for this launch, but I KNOW what needs to be done. Unlike with my PC, though, I don't want to spend hours and days hunting for expertise just to end up doing it myself. I also hope that I don't get duped by an "expert". It is the same feeling that I have when I go to an unfamiliar mechanic. I feel wary at times when someone unknown offers "solutions" because they realize that we have a great vision and a service/product with real profit opportunities. Up until this point we have been relying heavily on very knowledgeable friends who continue to steer us in the right direction, never ONCE saying "what are you going to do for me". We realize that soon we will have to go beyond our circle, especially as we pursue investment dollars.

So, in reality, these last 2 days were invaluable because I was forced to find a solution to a major problem, and I did it. The reminder that we can successfully do this launch has been very appreciated.

Doctor Heal Thyself

The transition from employee to business owner is really difficult at times. When I was a project manager, I think that my tolerance for product development issues was greater. Although I would get annoyed, I still had the employee outlook of "well, it's not my money" or I would escalate it so that it was "no longer my problem". As a business owner, the only person on whom I can put the problem is my partner - and she already has enough on her plate.

Our developer has basically delivered what was requested. Hip-hip-HOORAY! At times there were communication issues, but in general our developer has been responsive. Well, last week I had the first meeting with the person who is going to spearhead the sales effort. The day before the meeting, our developer assured me that the features which were still "glitchy" would be fixed. Now, I KNOW based on my experience managing developers that you are supposed to add a couple of days to anything a developer promises - but we need Verify-crED launched and in use yesterday so I went ahead with the sales meeting. It was a disaster! Do I have to say that the features which define Verify-crED were not working? I was embarrassed and the sales guy was hesitant - not a good combination. I went back to the developer with my negative feedback, all the while hoping that I didn't dig a deeper hole (how many people have been in situations where someone holds something that is really important to you so you don't want to piss them off, but you also don't want to be the proverbial doormat? That is me at least once a day.)

I am very fortunate that our developer has integrity and stepped up to the plate. Moments like these reinforce my decision to stay with our developer, especially as he delivered a fully functional product the next day. A part of me felt like it was "a little too late", but the bigger part was grateful. I know that many of you are going: "why be grateful?", but when your future is dependent on so many things that you can't control, you are so happy when any of the pieces fall into place.

So, now the present. We are launching this baby! We are in user testing mode, cleaning up poorly translated text and going to present again to the sales guy. We are also now ready to get those partnerships in place. 2 steps forward...

Verify-crED: Is it a service or a product?

A couple of days ago we had our weekly meeting, and one intern asked whether Verify-crED is a product or a service? That is a good question. As she pointed out, we provide a service (credentials verifications) and allow users to purchase a product (the employer view). So it is both. Regardless of what we call it, there is MUCH interest - especially from small- to mid-sized employers who already feel overwhelmed with all that has to be done in the hiring process. Finding financing is tough. As I continue to kick myself for not getting a larger credit line when we started, I am knocking on various doors. Supposedly there is all this funding for growing small businesses, I just can't seem to crack through. First I approached our bank, who informed me that the credit line I am seeking exceeds the risk that they are willing to take. Fine. So, do I continue to max out my credit cards? I can't get an SBA loan because my husband is already on the verge of killing me so I can't even THINK about approaching the subject of using our home as collateral. I am trying to understand how angel investors and VCs work. I will let you know what I find out.

Verify-crED Business Plan

Today I worked on the Verify-crED business plan - in the strangest place. I took my daughter to a birthday party and hunkered down in the waiting room with my laptop. I have this laptop going everywhere. On Saturday mornings while my eldest daughter is at her fencing class, I sit in the car and drain the battery (actually, I have only done this once and I bought a jumper after that horrendous experience).

I anticipate that one of the requirements any interested investor will seek is a business plan - makes sense. It just feels like I am putting this together when I have the least amount of time.

As an aside, I attended a focus group at the NJ Star Ledger last week that was quite informative. The Star Ledger wants to revamp the business section to provide more for the small business. Interestingly (and wonderfully) there were not many small business owners there; rather there were quite a few representatives from organizations that support small businesses. At the meeting, I heard about all these seemingly wonderful resources that are available to me - but I know that muddling through the mounds of information is PAINFUL. That is why I think many small businesses eschew the help offered. The number of hoops through which you are expected to jump don't feel worth the effort. I am going to reach out to some of the other attendees to see if my perceptions are true. I just feel that at this time in our business cycle, I don't have time to waste. Everything I do has to positively impact the business and the return has to be as immediate as possible. So, when I go to the gym, conduct personal training sessions or coach Level 2 gymnastics - I look at those activities as helping me focus. I ran about 5 miles this morning and I felt so good. I appreciate the time to sort through my task list. I am always impressed by the people who can work out at midday. I need to start my day with activity, and I cannot break in the middle of it.

I wanted to also talk about Verify-ID (as promised). Verify-ID is our feature that allows our clients to submit search requests without the required social security numbers and dates of birth. Our clients can have our system send an email message to the search subjects that contains a direct link. This link takes search subjects securely into our system so that they can enter their own sensitive data. Neat, huh? It came out of my experience when I worked at an executive recruiting firm. There was a concern that candidates' sensitive data would accidentally end up in the search management database, so this feature was created to solve that issue.

We really try to make sure that we listen to our clients, because they are from where we will get the next great idea.

The Verify-crED Journey

We are getting ready to launch a new service called Verify-crED. As with Verify-ID (which is the reason Verify-ED even exists and I am sure I will explain more in the future), we came across an unmet need and decided to create a solution. Verify-crED allows job seekers to verify their own credentials and present a read-only view of the verification details to a prospective employer. Like many ideas, it is very straightforward and there are benefits for both sides of the hiring equation.

So - we have a great idea, a product nearing the end of development and various opportunities. What to do next? Well, one of the first things we have done is get much needed support. Since our product is innovative we decided to hire college interns. I have to say that the process of finding an intern who would be a true contributor to our company was not easy. I have conducted sessions at colleges about what employers seek, and I am saddened by the sea of uninterested faces. I keep trying to remember what I was like as a last year student, and I remember being ambitious even back then. So I wonder what these students are truly expecting when they get out there in the "real world".

I like to tell people about our hiring process. We post our intern positions through the college employment sites. When an applicant expresses interest, I always respond with 3 basic questions that "test" whether they even know what we do. It is so sad, but 9 out of 10 applicants never even answer the questions. This indicates that they are just throwing out their resumes hoping that one "sticks". No thought is even put into how the position will support their future career aspirations.

I am so happy that we have found a couple of interns who are not only interested in what we are doing, but willing to do the work involved in launching Verify-crED. It is a skill to recognize return on investment for the things that you do, and I am always impressed when that skill is exhibited in someone younger that 30.

So I met with our interns on March 31st and they hit the ground running on April 1st. On April 1, I conducted a presentation to fellow supplier members of the Council (NY & NY Minority Supplier Development Council). It was a co-presentation done with an awesome, knowledgeable presenter who represented Customized Benefits Solutions, Inc., an employee benefits and HR services provider. Her presentation was very informative and the attendees really received great information about how to approach their hiring process. I also believe that my portion of the presentation was well-received, and I greatly enjoyed the delivery (even with my "costume malfunction" at the end). I am constantly looking for more venues to talk about background screening and how it is one of the best, inexpensive ways to avoid potential liability.

As a result of that presentation, we received much interest in our services - and that is the goal. I am very happy that when people hear what I have to say, they realize the task of incorporating background screening is not daunting. This is the way that I like to do sales. I HATE cold-calling, which is a problem since I am the Sales department. One of the first things we are going to do when we receive investment dollars is establish a focused sales force. I - CAN'T - WAIT!

That leads into our current quest - proper financing. I find it interesting that I am reading all of these articles about the ways minority-owned companies finance ventures, and I realize that we have followed the (not-so-good) pattern. We have used expensive credit cards to grow to where we are now. Our revenue has grown over 2200%, but it is still not enough to support both partners. Verify-crED has such great potential to surpass the revenue opportunities that we can realize with background screening, we just have to really get it out there. We are looking at our competitors and determining what we have to do to make more of an impact than they have. We are happy that they don't seem to be on the radar other than in local markets. So, come along for the ride.

The New Verify-ED Blog

Hello Everyone,

Well, I am new to blogging so I hope that I properly maximize the benefits of using this tool. My goal for blogging is to give insight on our journey of day-to-day business and launching a new product.

For those who have not viewed our website, here is what we do in a nutshell: we verify credentials and perform background screening services. This may include verifying someone's education and conducting criminal record searches as they pertain to a prospective job.

I fell into this industry when I saw an unmet need. My business partner and I joined forces and we have been unstoppable! We are growing everyday, and we are always looking for ways to fill gaps in the hiring process.

One of those ways is our new Verify-crED service which is in its last stages of development. Stay tuned for more information!