Business ROCKstar: The Son of a Greek Immigrant Takes "Cobbling" to Another Level

This week's Business ROCKstar is a modern day craftsman with traditional roots - an entrepreneur who followed in his father's footsteps to make a name for himself in one of the world's oldest trades.

While we appreciate technology in all its modern, convenient glory, the development of certain modern luxuries has undoubtedly resulted in the decline of quality craftsmanship. Carpenters, tailors and cobblers may not be some of the most popular or lucrative careers in this day and age, but George Vlagos of Oak Street Bootmakers didn't let that stop him...and it's a good thing he didn't because he's made quite a name for himself in the shoe-making industry.

George's father, John Vlagos, was also a cobbler. When George was a kid, John would "employ" his son to shine shoes in his Chicago shop every weekend. A Greek immigrant, George's father, "was hoping to show his son working with your hands is difficult and he should find a different profession. Well, it backfired."

The "white collar" jobs that afforded George nice, expensive shoes from run-of-the-mill department stores actually drove "him back to the family craft when he realized how difficult it was to find a pair of quality shoes. [So], he decided to design his own. Today, there is a six-week wait list for a pair" of George's handcrafted shoes.

"It blows my mind that people are walking the streets in New York, in Chicago, in other countries, wearing something that I designed," George told Inc. Magazine.

It seems most of our Business ROCKstar posts wind up at the same conclusion: if you do something you love, you never work a day in your life. Also, if you pursue your passion, the money will eventually come. George is an inspiration to small business owners because he took the road less traveled and achieved great success. It goes to show how far hard work and knowing your market can take you...and, whatever you do, do it well.

Now, excuse us while we look into a pair of handcrafted shoes from Oak Street...

If you own a small business but a lack of funds is keeping you from reaching your ultimate goals, you might want to consider a small business loan. At Silver Rock Funding, we have the interests of small businesses in mind and want to help you access the financing you need. 

*This blog post is in no way sponsored or endorsed by, or affiliated with, George Vlagos or Oak Street Bootmakers.

Traversing the Intimidating World of Instagram

We've shared social media tips for small business owners in the past, but we haven't touched on

Instagram. Instagram is a millennial favorite and can be intimidating to those just easing into the world of social media. So, we're here to share some "sage" advice on how small business owners can navigate Instagram to the benefit of their company/product.

• First, don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Start slow by simply filling out your profile and all the necessary information. After you've completed this, familiarize yourself with the dashboard.
• Embrace hashtags...but don't go overboard. You'll notice some users like to go hashtag crazy, but this doesn't make sense,for businesses. Be specific with your hashtags and use the ones that serve an intentional purpose. Also, do some hashtag research and figure out which ones are popular within your industry and consider jumping on board with some of the "cheekier" ones, like #WomenCrushWednesday.
• As a small business owner using Intagram it's important you always include a detailed, yet concise, description of what you're depicting in your post. While some users simply post photos with 50 different hashtags, it's key for business to always include an informative description.
• Make sure you're aware of Instagram's photo dimensions. The absolute smallest you'd ever want your photo to be is 150 x 150 pixels. If your photo is larger, it will need to be cropped (which is fine) but if you go any smaller than the aforementioned dimensions your photo will look grainy and unprofessional.
• Don't let your account go stale! You don't need to be glued to your phone posting to Instagram every hour, but you should post at least once a day. If you can manage two to three posts a day, that's even better.
• "Knowing who your audience is and what they like to do makes it much easier to post. Let’s say you sell a hot drink or a beer for example. Finding out your customer is typically someone who works very hard every day and needs to find more ways to relax is a real bonus, and it should be clear through your market research. Start posting photos and images that link to the idea of getting home from a stressful day at work, sitting back and cracking open one of your beers. This taps directly into the mindset of the people you are selling to or want to sell to."
• Promote your Instagram account. People won't follow you and interact with you if they don't know you exist! Also, make sure you link your Instagram account with your other social media accounts and website.

Hopefully this advice makes you a little less Instagram-shy - now get out there and get Insta-ing. Check out the original article that inspired this post here.

If you think your small business could benefit from more than just an Instagram account, and you need some extra funding to really amp up your marketing and public relations efforts, you might want to consider a small business loan. Head over to Silver Rock Funding today and we could help you access the funds you need to grow your small business.

Business ROCKstar: After Surviving Carcinoid Cancer, Amy Rueda Was Inspired To Develop an Organic Skincare Line

We are extremely excited about this week's Business ROCKstar, Amy Rueda (nominated by Leanne Refvik).

Amy is a true inspiration to the small business community. Following a triumphant battle against Carcinoid Cancer, Rueda was motivated to develop her own organic skincare line.

"[After conducting my own research], I discovered many of the products I was using on myself and my children were dangerous... I took the passion I had for research, and the drive and ambition that fueled my successful career in high-tech field sales, and applied it to the development of an organic skincare line... It's important to me to provide an alternative to dangerous 'injectables' like Botox, Juviderm and other toxins which we are only now beginning to see [negative repercussions] from in the form of [various illnesses]."

Rueda is particularly inspirational because she truly made lemonade from lemons. We love to see entrepreneurs who create businesses based on their passion and personal experiences. She merged her love of health and beauty with her creativity, drive and will to help others to create a new approach to beauty. Rueda's skincare line, Authentic Skin Remedies, now serves as an alternative to the many products out there filled with less safe ingredients. If you're interested in trying her skincare line and supporting a fantastic small business owner, you can find her products at Whole Foods, on Amazon and Etsy.

Hopefully you find Rueda's story as inspiring as we do! And, remember, if you're a small business owner and need some extra funding to really bring your company to the next level, Silver Rock Funding would love to help!

How to Turn Your Small Business Into a Recognizable Brand

Owning a business is one thing, owning a recognizable brand is another. And, I think it's safe to say most small business owners want to build their company into a recognizable brand. Here's how:

1. Understand building a brand takes time. As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. "Building a brand is a multipart process that starts with getting clear on your mission and target audience and creating images and words that reflect that."

2. Get to know your customer base. Spend time researching and speaking with your target market - figure out their needs and then fine tune your product/service so it answers those needs. Focus groups are a great way to accomplish this.

3. Embrace simplicity. Determine how to communicate your brand in the simplest, most effective way possible. Don't try and cram a ton of information in your ads or social media profiles. Single out your main message and stick to it.

4. Flexibility is key. This tip stems from number two. Keep an open mind - you might have a great idea but you want to be sure it corresponds with your customers' wants. Tweaks and changes are inevitable, so don't be a stick in the mud.

For the article that inspired our post, head over the Money Magazine. Happy branding!

Also, remember, if you need some extra funding to really bring your small business to the next level, consider a small business loan. Every small business owner faces working capital issues at some point and Silver Rock Funding would love to help!

Business ROCKstar: Leah Segedie, leading lady of the "blogosphere" / digital food activist / mother of three

Women business owners have been making a lot of headway the past few years, and we couldn't be more excited. One such woman paving the way is Leah Segedie, the founder of Mamavation.com, chief of the Bookieboo Blogger Network, digital food activist and mother of three.

Mamavation serves as a community where parents can learn how to live a healthier lifestyle. In fact, members of the community have lost more than 3,500 lbs. since its inception. Segedie is also a food activist and uses her social media platforms to educate people about the latest "food issues" and even hosts the annual ShiftCon Social Media Conference for "green" and lifestyle bloggers. With more than 10,000 bloggers in the Bookieboo Network, brands seek out Sedgedie in order to collaborate on wellness related campaigns.

Segedie's hard work has not gone unnoticed as she's been named “Mom of the Year” by Shape magazine, the 4th most Influential Mom Blogger by Cision Media, one of the "Top 10 Women Changing School Nutrition," and her blog has been named "Favorite Weight Loss Blog" by Fitness magazine.

We love Segedie because she's a great example of discovering what you're passionate about and turning it into a profitable career. After all, most professional success stems from doing what you love.

We love small business and we want to see small business owners thrive. If you need some additional financing for your company, remember there are some great loans out tailored to the needs of small business owners.

Capitalizing on Holidays to Grow Your Small Business

While the Fourth of July might not be the "biggest" holiday of the year, it got us thinking about how
holidays - from Valentine's Day to Christmas - are amazing marketing/PR opportunities for small businesses. Here are just a couple of marketing/PR tactics you should keep in mind when the next holiday rolls around...

The holidays are a great excuse to get creative! If you own a cupcake shop, offer a discount during the Fourth of July weekend on all your red. white and blue frosted treats. Or, if it's the Christmas season, offer "12 Days of Deals" (a play on the popular Christmas song) and for 12 days offer your customers a different freebie or discount.

Use holidays as a time to clear unpopular stock. If you own a beauty shop and one particular hair care product isn't selling well, use Mother's Day as an opportunity to mark down that item as a "great gift idea for mom." Or, maybe you own a hardware store and a particular power drill is collecting dust on your shelves, Father's Day is a great time to offer a sale on that item.

Holidays are the best time for philanthropy. Get your employees together and serve food to the homeless on Easter or Thanksgiving. Or, hold a mini fundraiser within your company and use the funds to donate flower arrangements to a women's shelter on Valentine's Day. While philanthropic efforts are good for the soul, they're also fantastic PR opportunities to showcase how your small business is an active member of your community.

And remember, if you need additional funds to really bring your small business to the next level, a small business loan might the best solution. Head over to SilverRockFunding.com and find out how we can help you access the finances you need.