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Inspiring people through your small business
Written by: Roger PierceArticle Overview: It’s a wonderful feeling to know your small business inspires change. “We make a positive influence on people through our stage performance,” says entrepreneur and entertainer Stuart Knight.
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Inspiring people through your small business
It’s a wonderful feeling to know your small business inspires change. “We make a positive influence on people through our stage performance,” says entrepreneur and entertainer Stuart Knight.
His company, KnightFlight Productions, takes self-improvement concepts and incorporates them into entertaining, hilarious and thought-provoking presentations. KnightFlight Productions reaches out to high schools, corporations and the theatre scene.
One of his company’s current performances is the popular Decide Show, (www.decideshow.com) a “play-party” put on each Saturday night inside his trendy loft theatre at 721 Queen St. West.
Decide is a six-person show that literally grabs the audience by their chins and asks the question, “What if?” It combines music, video and a talented young cast in an engaging and entertaining performance that encourages guests to think about their futures and open their minds to new personal possibilities. Following the performance, the play turns into a party with guests and actors mingling over cocktails.
Knight decided to use his considerable talents as a writer and entertainer to bring new energy to motivational presentations. “I saw an industry that needed new blood,” explains Knight. “Most motivational presentations are boring and lack style, putting the audience to sleep with predictable speeches.”
In business for eight years, Knight has appeared before 300,000 people and has toured Canada three times in the National “Discover What’s Inside You Tour” sponsored by Coca-Cola. As a national award-winning entrepreneur, he thrives on combining entertainment with thought-provoking ideas to inspire change.
Knight funded his business start-up with personal savings and a loan from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (www.cybf.ca). “The idea of being an entrepreneur has been in my blood since the day I started charging my neighbours to watch me do tricks on my bike,” he jokes.
With its popular reviews and growing audience, Knight plans to take his Decide Show to New York City. From there, he wants to get into film and television to present his motivational ideas to the world. “Ideally, we want Oprah’s spot!” he quips.
Good reputation builds business
People will most likely buy from your small business based on your reputation. Since word of mouth advertising is one of the most powerful marketing tools, it’s important to focus on techniques to develop and maintain a good reputation.
Create happy customers and nurture a positive image by following these simple tips:
* Keep your promises. It’s so easy to “over promise” a customer just to get the sale, only to disappoint them when you “under deliver.” Avoid building unrealistic expectations by honestly communicating what your product or service can and cannot do.
* Return your calls . Busy entrepreneurs often ignore phone messages from people they deem to be unimportant. Remember, that caller has hundreds of friends, family and colleagues. Adopt a policy to return every phone call you receive.
* Correct your mistakes. A mistake becomes a problem when you don’t correct it. Accept the fact that your business will make the occasional blunder with a customer, but move quickly to make it right whatever the cost.
* Be on time. It’s so easy to blame the TTC or traffic jams for being late to a meeting. While such excuses are commonplace, the reason we’re often late is due to poor time planning. Try giving yourself plenty of time to get around town and aim to arrive early to each appointment. You’ll help to build a favourable reputation as a person who is punctual, professional and “on the ball.”
The Best Leaders Are Inspired People
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Three Places To Look For Inspiration
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About the Author: Roger Pierce RSS for Roger's articles - Visit Roger's website  Roger Pierce is a Startup Expert with 11 small businesses to his credit. He's coached and trained tens of thousands of entrepreneurs across Canada and around the world. Co-founder and former President of BizLaunch, Roger has worked with dozens of major corporations to advance their small business marketing strategies. An avid writer and blogger on small business topics, Roger is the Entrepreneurship Columnist for the Toronto Sun and co-author of the book, Thriving Solo: How to Grow a Successful Business. What does he love most about being an entrepreneur? "I get excited about the work I'm doing. When I wake up in the morning I feel an adrenaline rush as I anticipate the things I'll get to do today." Roger and his wife, Tina, and their young daughter, Kaitlyn, live in downtown Toronto. Click here to visit Roger's website   Three BillionDollar Ideas Peoples pets are big business Use your talent to launch your biz People love their pets and theyll spare no expense on them My dog is my child and I want the best for him agrees entrepreneur Roxanne Pettipas Million Dollar Mistakes |
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