Ellisa Brenneman

Part 2: Managing Upset Customers In The Pipeline

Naturally, complaints from current customers are the most pressing. If handled improperly, you can lose a sale or, worse, promote negative word-of-mouth, as dissatisfied customers are often the loudest. It follows that these situations must be confronted ... Read >

Part 1: Behind Every Customer Complaint, A Silver Lining

Customer complaints are a fact of business life. It doesn’t matter whether you have 15 or 1,500 employees, whether you operate strictly online or with a brick-and-mortar presence, or whether your primary customers are Millennials or Baby Boomers. Ultimate... Read >

Positive Outlook For Venture Capitalists

Currently, the state of funding for start-ups from a venture capitalist seems to be on the wane. The keyword there is "seems." Once again, what is actually happening in the realm of business and what is being perceived to be happening in the realm of bu... Read >

The Five Killers Of Business Plans When Seeking Loans

Guess what? Lenders can't approve every loan application that crosses their desk. I'm sure they wish they could, but the fact of the matter is that they deal with mostly very small businesses seeking small loans, usually less than $250,000. Lending to in... Read >

Secrets To A Strong Investor Pitch

I hear from a great deal of my clients that they're looking for the secret to the, "best pitch to investors." To me, this always sounds like looking for the secret to, "the best pitch to ask someone to prom." There is no perfect method. There is no sec... Read >

Business Plans: Getting Started

Whether you are planning to start a brand-new business, expand an existing company, or get financing for a business venture, you will need to write a business plan. There's no way around this unless you have a dead rich uncle who just left you his two-ca... Read >

Raising Capital In This Day And Age

Many people ask me if it's possible to raise capital in the traditional sense these days. Everyone knows and understands that lending practices have tightened and many VC firms have gently (and occasionally not so gently) refused to accept any more submi... Read >

How To Increase Your Chances For Getting An SBA Loan

Many of our start up business clients at www.Ethos360.com come to us with basic questions on how to get financing from the SBA. There are a few things to have in your back pocket (and on the tip of your tongue) before going to them in order to increase y... Read >

The Holy Trinity of Business Mentoring

Whenever I'm discussing my philosophies on the purpose of hiring a mentor service, I sometimes notice an elephant in the room that no one wants to address: Just what the heck IS a mentor anyway? Sometimes it slips my mind that there isn't a clear defini... Read >

The Best Least Expensive Businesses to Start

In today's economic environment, individuals with entrepreneurial mindsets are exploring new ideas for businesses that will not only survive in a recession, but will also thrive. The key to starting a new business is maximizing its resources while remain... Read >

Five Ways To Market Your Small Business Without Cleaning Out Your Bank Account

Every business owner wants to use time-proven, effective marketing tactics that build strong brand awareness and increase its clientele. Small business owners today may not necessarily have the tools to spend an insane amount of money on television adve... Read >

How A Business Mentor Works With An Entrepreneur

My mother used to remind me that all relationships take time. Friendships, marriages, and even business relationships all require a little TLC and room to grow so that they can find their way to success. This is especially true for a business mentor rel... Read >

Woman Entrepreneurs- Under The Gun

Currently, women outpace men in new businesses about 2 to 3. Of this statistic, Latina women in particular are entering entrepreneurial ranks full speed ahead, outpacing every other demographic group. With these key points in mind, why are women losin... Read >

How To Sell More In A Down Market - The Leadership Secrets To Dynamite Sales Results

Accepting the basic premise of How to Sell More in a Down Market is vital for success in selling more in a down market. The premise is for you to "take a leadership approach to your sales responsibilities". This leadership approach is straightforward ... Read >

Ten Tips For Home Based Business Entrepreneurs To Maximize Your Mentor Relationship

Finding a great mentor is one of the best ways to learn, to get feedback, and to take your start-up or small business to the next level. Here are ten tips for making the most of your mentoring relationships. Tip #1 Self-assess. Ask yourself, "What... Read >