GOOD ADVICE: TIPS FROM SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

THE FOLLOWING ADVICE FROM SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IS WORTH NOTING:
FIRST, CREATE A SUPPORT NETWORK:

FIRST, CREATE A SUPPORT NETWORK

Being a business owner might occasionally feel lonely. You can lose touch with other business owners, especially if you run a solo operation.

It’s crucial to maintain connections within the greater business community. This entails scheduling an hour-long appointment with business coaches or mentors every four weeks. In business, coaches can help you work through difficult decisions and find answers to challenges. It is quite advantageous for her to network on Facebook and Linkedin from the comfort of her home.

Find a business group you can join, and schedule meetings there. There, you can converse with one another and speak about issues and potential fixes.

BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT YOUR GOALS.

Make major objectives into smaller ones. Set four-month, one-year, and three-year goals.

Becoming extremely specific with goals is the first step in creating a performance-driven organisation.

ASSIGN DUTY WHEN POSSIBLE

The Marks Group, a technology consulting firm, was founded in 1994 by Gene Marks and his father. According to Marks, “He was doing sales and I was doing service.” Then his father passed away. “When Dad went away, I took over and hired some new staff after realising I couldn’t do everything myself. I’ve discovered that hiring others to do your work can significantly increase your income.

MAINTAIN LOW OVERHEAD

Eight years ago, Marks realised he was idly paying rent on an office that cost close to $30,000 a year while his staff was out meeting with clients. Marks made his workers virtual in order to do away with the office in suburban Philadelphia. Along the way, he also abandoned computer servers in favour of the cloud and switched from the landline to an Internet-based phone that cost approximately $10 per month.

During the Great Recession, Marks found some comfort in lowering the overhead. When things go south, Marks says, “you can take a cut in revenue, so you don’t have to panic.” “We never lost money, even through the worst of the recession. You actually experience that peace of mind when you reduce overhead. You can set prices that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to if your overhead is modest.

IDENTIFY YOUR BEST NICHE AND REMAIN IN IT

You’re attempting too much too soon. Do you feel the urge to satisfy every client’s needs? Perhaps diversification is not always the best course of action. If you have something that works exceptionally well, it can be beneficial to reproduce the magic sometimes. That has been the effective tactic for

Marc Mathios, who along with his two brothers is the third generation to operate the 78-year-old family company, claims Ace Apparel.

Operators of parking garages are “one of the industry silos that we’re really good in,” according to Mathios. Because we produce our own line of jackets just for parking garage firms, parking garage operators choose to collaborate with us. In North America, we have replicated that accomplishment with 30 other parking garage operators.

REFRAIN AT ALL COSTS FROM DISTRACTIONS

A few years ago, Seattle-based AudienceBloom, which specialises in content marketing, was doing so well that its CEO and founder Jayson DeMers felt he could focus on a different startup that he was interested in. DeMers would later regret his choice.

“Running an organization ‘fine and dandy’ isn’t what a business visionary’s occupation is,” DeMers says. “Effective business people don’t do the base for their organization; they continually work to develop it, advance it, and set it up for what’s to come. Since I was parting my group between the two new businesses, development slowed down at my most memorable organization, and I needed more opportunity to devote to the new startup to make it effective.”

At last, the subsequent endeavor fizzled. Audience Bloom had the option to develop again once DeMers had the option to concentrate on it. “I discovered that an effective endeavor requires 100% consideration, concentration, and exertion. Optional endeavors need a full-time director or probably they’ll simply occupy you and wreck your current endeavors if you don’t watch out.”

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Manipuri Folk Artists Mangka

Manipuri Folk Artists Mangka to perform at Switzerland and France 

By James Khangenbam 8 April 2023 Imphal:

Renowned Manipuri folk artist Mangka Mayanglambam is set to go on a tour of Switzerland and France from April 11 to 18.

Manipuri Folk Artists Mangka

A press release issued by MaolKeki Foundation has shared that Mangka will perform at three locations in Switzerland and two in France. The tour will also include a collaborative session with Enrico Lenzin, a well-known Swiss Alphorn player and Angela Sofia Sterzer, a Franco-German artist who teaches Manipuri dance in Paris.

According to the statement, this will mark the first collaboration between a Manipuri and a Swiss artist to create a unique form of music from the ‘Pena’, a single-stringed traditional Manipuri instrument, and the ‘Alphorn’, a traditional Swiss wind instrument.

Folk Artists Mangka

Mangka, from Laihui Ensemble, will be accompanied by her father Mangangsana Mayanglambam, an artistic director at Laihui, who will provide musical and vocal support and Nirupa Sanjenbam, Head of Projects at MaolKeki Foundation, who will provide management support during the tour which is designed to raise awareness on Manipur and Manipuri arts and culture. 

The highlights of the tour include a performance at the India Day Event in Riehen, Basel Stadt, Switzerland on April 15 and another at the Caveau du Café littéraire, Saint Louis, France on April 14, both of which are open to the public.

The tour has been organised with the support of various entities namely, the Government of Manipur, Manipur State Tourism Department, the European Manipuri Association, the Association of Friends of India Basel, Riehen Lebenskultur, Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt, MaolKeki Foundation and BalmeticaTM: Swiss Made Physiotherapy Cream, the statement added.

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Machihan Sasa -the man how crafted the famous Black Pot of Ukhrul

By James Khangenbam 8 April 2023 Imphal:

Crafted the famous Black Pot of Ukhrul Photo courtesy  Sukumar Haobam

“After my national award in 1990, the government have entrusted me to train the art of making Black Pot to my villagers. Now 200 to 300 people from my village have started making pots and they are earning for a living. Now our village has two more National award winners on the same art. My youngest son is running a pottery shop at Vasant Kunj, since 2005. The powdered raw materials from Nungbi, Ukhrul is sent off to Delhi and groups of skilled potter who are five to six in number make the Black pot and other designs which is a big demand in the National Capital. Shop owners use to buy in bulks. The sale range from 200 to 500 pieces in one buys and the price is good. My 33 year old son is doing good business promoting the black pot and meeting the demands of the ever increasing buyers” says Machihan Sasa the two times National Awardee including the grand Shilp Guru recognition.

Sasa has 3 sons and 1 daughter. Eldest get state award, 2nd get district award last one in Delhi got an award for black pot making. Machihan Sasa held from Nungbi (Longpi) Kajui, Ukhrul District. He learned the art of making Black Pot which basically is the ‘coiled technique’ of pottery craft, from his father who was a potter by profession.

Sasa was born in 10th April, 1950. In 1970, he started helping his father in pot making. Among 3 brothers and four sisters Sasa and his younger brother are making pot. His younger brother was trained by him. Sasa was not interested in school. So he joined his father. His Friends use to tease him passing comments like “young potter – don’t you feel shy’’. Sasa started his career in pottery at the age of 20.

In 1979 he started receiving awards at the district level. His first prize was worth 25 Paisa. He got the recognition from a fair. Next years, if you have new design you will get prize was the assurance the district fair committee of Ukhrul gave him and he started making new designs where he got acclamation. Sasa started getting grants under various schemes. The grants he got was Rs 5/10/20 thousands. Sasa have attended more than 80 fairs including international meets since 1979. He uses to get first and second prize in the fairs. Now there are more people working on Black Pottery. And the product is being used widely out of popularity and promotion. The credit goes to Sasa. “High profile people come to meet you, government is giving you aid. You are doing the best thing, we will also follow your path’’ was the ultimate words from his once teaser friends.

After my National Award people seek training from me. By then government encouraged trainee with a stipend of Rs.250 under the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The first batch of 25 people was trained in 1990. Next year 20 more people and it went for around six consecutive years. Number of potters in my village and beyond was increasing in number. Every household makes their own they are expertise in the field now’’ says the well-built strong man Sasa with a smile. Uyan (cooking utensil) or Hamphai in his mother tongue Tangkhul language is the best choice of the people.

Lison stone is the name of raw material stone. It is black stone – Black serpentine rock which is found in Kapungrum, Ukhrul. Soil is salanali found near river Sala village of Ukhrul. Sala village has no inhabitants. Raw material – Four kilometer of rock. Soil we get from river bank. “We powdered the stone and filter the finest particle. The perfect proportion is 3 kg of stone and 2 kg of soil. We mixed the powdered stone and soil with water in a quantity not less and not more to make a paste similar to the flour paste in Puri making. Time consumption depends on the shape, size and design. It gets complete in half an hour or one hour. Polishing is done with green bamboo stick and then the pot is exposed to fire’’ explained Sasa. On  longevity he says it depends on how one use it. Uyan (cooking utensil) lasts for 10 to 12 years. If we drop then it breaks.

An individual can make 5 to 6 hampai a day. Next day it is polish for shinning. And after 2 /3 days it is treated with fire flames.

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