Last week, I received an email message from someone I don't know and have never heard of before. There was no "Dear Donna Maria" at the top, and the body of the message said this, "Your organizations focus on women is incredible. I've passed along this flyer so you can share it with your staff or your audience. Thank you- Name." This was followed by a business name, a street address, a phone number, an email address and a website address. The email also had an attachment, which I think she expected me to open. Before you read on, think for a minute about what you would do it you received such a message.

What I Did

My first thought was to wonder how she knew that my focus on women was so "incredible." I could have been flattered, but there was no indication that she was really talking to me. It looked like a canned message that was sent to hundreds if not thousands of anonymous people. That's not a good way to introduce yourself to someone when you want them to promote your work. Even so, I was curious.

So, I Wrote Back

I responded to the email as follows, "Thanks, why are you sending me a flyer? What is it? Who are you? What do you do ...?"

And She Responded

I received a very nice reply, which said:

• she found out about me through Mocha Moms, where I serve as the National Work At Home Network Director
• she is a certified life coach
• she has worked in a home office for 15 years
• the flyer is about an inexpensive teleclass she is offering to help women in the areas of stress relief and self care
• she sent it to me in case I wanted to offer it as a resource to members of my network (I guess she meant the Indie Beauty Network) or other professional women

Why Not Say That At First?!

All of this made me wonder why she didn't tell me all of those great and wonderful things in the first place.

When contacting someone to ask them to connect you with their audience, know that the person receiving your request will probably want to know how you heard about them. They will also appreciate being addressed by their name. And they will probably be very hesitant to open an attachment from someone they don't know.

They'll appreciate you providing enough information to allow them to "investigate" you a bit before taking any action. In my case, I get dozens of emails weekly from people wanting to connect with me and my circle of business colleagues. There are only so many hours in a day, so I focus on the requests I receive from clients and members of IBN first, and then on sincere inquiries that seem to be genuinely targeted to me. After all, if someone doesn't care enough to make their offer seem special, then they have no reason to expect others to treat it as though it's special.

If you want to use an email message to attempt to collaborate with a complete stranger, address them by name, include a short introduction about yourself and what you do, and tell them exactly what it is you want them to do with and/or for you. It shouldn't be too long and flowery. It should be interesting and easy to read, and get quickly to the point.

Sample Outreach Letter

You can use this sample outreach letter to introduce yourself and the collaborative opportunities you have to offer. It's skeletal, and meant to be that way, so that you can infuse your own details and personality into the mix. I hope it's helpful.

Dear Donna Maria,

My name is Joanna Doe, president of Joanna Doe Company. I provide products that help people do this or that. I heard about you from so and so's blog and I am writing to find out if you might be interested in working with me to do thus and such.

I know that you are a big fan of these things and those things, and since I am as well, perhaps we could join together on this project that I believe would be beneficial to each of us, and to our customers. You can read lots of details about my products at this link, but the short overview is that I would like to connect with you to create a whatever your idea is that will accomplish the goal of whatever the goal is. The benefits for you are these and these benefits. All you would have to do to participate is this and this. I will take care of the rest, such as announcing your involvement in my blog, at my website and in my newsletter, which has this many opt in subscribers. (See a recent issue, plus what my readers have to say at this link.)

I hope this interests you and I'll follow up by phone at the number at your website in a few days to discuss this exciting opportunity. I am also interested in knowing if you have any ideas so feel free to call me at the number below or send me an email with your questions or thoughts.

I look forward to connecting!

Thanks for your time,
Me

Full Name
President, URL
Other marketing copy

I used some of the techniques described here to get my blog listed in the Small Business category at Alltop. And while email is great, sometimes people's websites or blogs will tell you the best way to pitch them an idea. Failing to follow their instructions to a tee is the surest way to get your idea tossed in the delete folder. And don't forget that, sometimes there's no substitute for a friendly phone calls or an in-person meeting to pave the way to new and exciting collaborative opportunities.

What do you think?

First impressions count, even in email messages. Even though technology makes connecting easy and cost-free, we still must use basic manners and etiquette. Don't make the mistake of coming across as unprofessional or insincere. Both are deal breakers, don't you think?

How do you connect with other people? Weigh in with your ideas and tips for creating new collaborative ventures that help you and others accomplish their goals. And don't forget to leave a link that describes your successful collaboration so we can find out more!

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Hazlet founded Integrate Consulting in 2006, and by the end of 2007, it was generating income in the low six figures. But in January of this year, income plummeted to next to nothing. When you read Hazlett's story in Wednesday's New York Times, you'll see a perfect illustration of what Darwin wrote about. When Integrate Consulting's clients terminated their contracts, rather than fretting or selling his services at fire sale prices, Hazlett simply changed direction. He launched Event Clipboard, an event planning company, using the same skills and talents that made Integrate Consulting successful. Hazlett is excited about the positive feedback he's receiving from his first 50 beta testers.

Adapt, or Else ...

Darwin's conclusions could have easily referred to business owners like Hazlett. And like you. And like me. Don't sit around whining and complaining about your hard luck or the downturn in the world economy. Do what Hazlett is doing. Focus on your own economy. Tap into your talents, gifts and work history to adapt to the world as it changes.

Once you find your place, you have to always be ready to change it in order to adapt it to circumstances over which you have no control. Seize your own place. Wrestle it to the ground. As Darwin wrote, the world will not hold you if you don't.

What do you think?

Are you inspired by Hazlett's story? By how he refused to let the grass grow under his feet and instead, took the bulls by the horns and made something happen? How are you holding your place in this rapidly changing economic environment? Inspire us with some of your story! I know it will encourage a lot of other Indies today.

Related Posts

You Have to Touch Home Plate
Ask Not What the Economy Can Do For You
Boots and Hard Hat Required
Position Yourself as an Expert in Your Field (Video)

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About Alltop

When people log onto the Internet, they are usually looking for information. Alltop's purpose is to aggregate or collect this information in one place, thereby making it easier, faster and more efficient for people to find the information they are looking for. Not only does Alltop aggregate the content via a feed from the content originator, it separates this content into categories. This makes it easier for an Alltop site visitor to find quality information that interests them all in one place.

When you log onto your favorite search engine and and type in key words, what happens? You get dozens if not hundreds of pages of potentially relevant website links. Where do you start? How do you know that the content you find is going to be useful? You don't know, until you take the time to click on it. While search engines can still be useful, Alltop adds a new dimension to your search for information by collecting what you are interested in by subject matter and making several of quality links on that subject available to you in one place.

Alltop "clears" the links it includes at its website in terms of relevance and timeliness. No more clicking on a link that sounds good, only to find that it's from an article dated May 3, 1987.

As of mid-September, there were 213 topics at Alltop. I'm sure they've added more by now. I believe that Alltop will make it easier for more people to find out about the Indie Business Blog, and that's why I wanted to be included. Would you like to be listed at a site that makes it easier for people to find out about you, and which touts itself as the place to find "all the top information" on the Internet? Darn skippy you do! That's why I'm going to tell you how I got listed at Alltop. Maybe my strategy will work for you too. Here's what I did.

My Alltop Strategy

1. Learn About Alltop

Just as I would not pitch a magazine without first knowing as much as possible about the publication, I didn't want to ask Alltop to include me until I knew how it worked and what its purpose was. So the first thing I did was make sure I was a good fit. I did this by visiting the founder's, Guy Kawasaki's, blog. There, I discovered how and why Alltop was created.

2. Make Sure Your Blog Is a Good Fit

I invested some time reading through Guy's blog (and very good investment of time, by the way!), and then grabbed some coffee and delved into Alltop. My goal was to find out what was so special about the blogs Guy included there. I focused on small business and entrepreneurship, but you focus on the topics you cover in your blog.

My search revealed several helpful things. First, while many of the blogs were custom designed, many others were not. Some were pretty plain in fact. No bells and whistles, no fancy videos or flashy graphics. A few of the blogs were even hosted on free platforms like Blogger. But no matter where a blog was hosted or what subject matter it covered, it was well written and had "curb appeal." That is, from the time you hit the home page, you could tell that someone cared. Someone was keeping cobwebs from forming and updating the blog regularly with fresh, relevant content -- the ultimate search engine candy.

3. Make Your Best Pitch!

Once I decided that my blog was up to snuff based on what I saw at Alltop, I went to Alltop's About Page to read more about Alltop and to find out exactly how to submit my blog for consideration. On September 29, I dusted off an email to Guy and the Alltop team. I treated it like a cover letter, with my blog serving as my resume.

My Alltop Pitch

I divided my email message into 3 parts.

• I started with a little Alltop praise, and then introduced Indie Business Blog as a blog one that is relevant and unique in the small business category
• The meat of the email was highlights of some of my more popular and insightful blog posts in different categories, with a focus on posts with video, my take on current events and photos of me with members of the Indie Beauty Network
• I concluded with an indication that I was willing to answer any questions Alltop had or provide any additional information in support of my application. I also left all of my contact information at the bottom, including other website links, to show that I am socially well connected online.

Later that day, I got an email from Alltop confirming receipt of my application and asking me to complete an online form to help them evaluate my application. It took about 60 seconds to submit the form.

On October 6, I received a note welcoming me to the Small Business Alltop family. Yipppee! So now, I can display the cool button you see on the right column of my blog.

So that's how I did it. If you give it a shot, remember to make sure your blog is updated regularly and well maintained. No cobwebs are allowed at Alltop. Plus, be sure to cite a few examples of why your blog adds value -- like videos or your own especially unique or uncommon perspective on the topic you want to be listed under.

OK so that's it. Now it's your turn. Let me know how it works out.

What about you?

Would you like to explore whether it's a good idea to pitch your blog to Alltop? If so, maybe you'd like to get a copy of the email I sent to pitch my blog. I'm happy to email it to you if you leave a short comment here telling me briefly why you enjoy the Indie Business Blog. That's a fair exchange, don't you think?

Related Posts (to help you whip your blog into Alltop shape!)

Blogging: So Easy, Anyone Can Do It
Top 10 Reasons Why Your Blog Is Dead
My Blog Mentors
Bad Blogger

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1. Make Mistakes

In conversation after conversation with Indies, I am told that the reason they are not doing something they know they need to do is fear. Fear that they won't do it perfectly. Fear that it won't work. Fear that it will turn out to be a waste of time. I was terrified to host my first Indie Business Radio show. If I had followed that terror, the show that helps so many people (and is so much fun for me) would not exist.

Tinu Abayomi-Paul, a partner in a website promotion company (Twitter: @Tinu) puts it this way: "Repeat what works until it doesn't." If something turns out out be a mistake, don't do it anymore. If it works, repeat the activity. How simple is that? There's nothing to be afraid of because if it doesn't work, just scratch if off your to do list.

Effective business leaders risk making mistakes. It's how they learn. Something that first looks like a big mistake could turn out to be a big success instead. But, you'll never know unless you take the risk.

2. Welcome Competition

If you're not connecting with those who provide similar products and services to you, you're missing out on the best way to keep your business on top. It may seem counterintuitive, but welcoming competitors into your circle of influence is fun and empowering. Competition is good. It keeps us sharp. It's what drives us to make our products and services better, faster, less expensive, more enjoyable and more fun.

Iron sharpens iron. Be thankful that there are other people doing what you do so you can use them as a sort of tool sharpener. When this happens, you win because you learn ways to make your business better, and your customers win because when you compete, they have more options. This keeps the economy strong and keeps business leaders on their toes.

3. Seek Out Like-Minded Companions

Effective business leaders are connected to other people. For example, last year, I convinced my friend, the E-Commerce Diva (Twitter: @ecommercediva) to launch Bootstrap Babes with me.What happens when two or more passionate people get together is magical.

Take Indie Beauty Network member Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry (Twitter: @brambleberry) who employs and writes about the power of MasterMinding as a collaborative business building technique. Anne-Marie, a regular MasterMinder who is featured in the November 2008 issue of Success Magazine, grew her business to over $3M in annual revenue before she turned 30 years old.

Anne-Marie also collaborates with like-minded companions in different ways. For example, she accompanied me and several other Indie Beauty Network members to Capitol Hill in August to advocate against FDA Globalization. Each one of us learned a lot from the experience and new ideas and collaborations continue to form as a result of the investment of time in ourselves and in each other.

WendyY Bailey (Twitter: @wendyybailey) of Group Mastery, a service that helps people successfully implement group coaching programs, says that, "Connecting with people via social media has exposed me to lots of new perspectives and opportunities to collaborate." WendyY says she found a kindred spirit in Melody Campbell, the Small Biz Guru (Twitter: @smbizguru). After meeting on Twitter, they discovered a joint passion for helping radio show hosts be successful, so are now collaborating to create a Facebook support group to help Internet radio show hosts be successful. (I joined yesterday!) Wendy says the group will officially launch later this month and when it does, it has the potential to enhance Wendy's and Melody's core businesses while allowing them to expand their reach naturally.

4. Don't Expect to Become Rich

Effective leaders don't overemphasize fortune and fame. They want to be comfortable, yes. Some even want to be rich and famous. They they don't do what they do because they expect those things. They do what they do because they want to have a positive impact somehow, and if those things, come as a by-product, it's icing on the cake of life.

Take Indie Beauty Network member Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale (Twitter: @EssentialU), a supplier of bulk cosmetics to cosmetic retailers. Kayla and her husband, Dennis, launched their business so that they could change the face of the cosmetics industry as they also supported themselves and their three children. They didn't pursue riches, nor did they expect them. According to Kayla, "We never wanted to be rich, we just wanted to develop products that could help others and sell them at a reasonable price so we could take care of ourselves. The fact that our business has grown beyond what we originally planned is like extra credit for us." (Enjoy my interview with Kayla and Dennis on Indie Business Radio.)

The most effective (and admired) business leaders never have financial gain and self indulgence as a primary motivation. I believe this is because the lure of money wears thin after a while. It's not money alone that's going to make you want to do that interview, launch that new website, get on that airplane or take that annoying phone call. Only true passion makes a leader do those things with a joyful and thankful attitude. Effective leaders are passionate about changing the world, not about becoming rich.

5. Stay in Touch With Your Audience

One of the ways Tinu Abayomi-Paul markets her business is through article marketing. At one point in 2005, she stopped article marketing altogether and invested 3 to 6 months a year to use some traditional advertising techniques. Says Tinu, "I stopped doing my weekly article marketing, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why my sales had dropped. Then someone pointed out that they hadn't seen a new article from me in months. Suddenly, it all made sense."

Staying connected with customers and clients is a necessity. Staying in touch is one of the ways Tinu has grown her business so much that she calls herself "retired." Like Tinu, we all have to figure out what works best in terms of staying in personal touch with our customers and clients. The same thing won't work for everyone, but as Tinu points out, staying in touch is critical. Use blogs (yours and other people's), email newsletters, Twitter, direct mail, the telephone, traditional email and everything else at your disposal to create and maintain contact with your target audience. Tinu's experience shows that, if you are experiencing a drop in sales, it may not be due to a recession, a poor economy or even poor products. It may simply be that your customers aren't hearing from you.

6. Use the Heck Out of Technology

One of the best things about leading a business today is that technology makes it easier and more fun than ever. One of the most effective ways to use technology is by establishing a blog. Take Indie Beauty Network member Kelley Maddison. Kelley started coaching with me earlier this year, almost a full year before the early 2009 launch of her cosmetics business, PRIIA Mineral Cosmetics. One of the first things I did was introduce Kelley to blogging, and she launched The Mineral Makeup Coach Blog nearly a year before the planned launch date of her cosmetics line.

Of my advice to launch a blog so far in advance of her products being available for purchase, Kelley says, "At first, I didn't know if it was a good idea because PRIIA wasn't slated to launch until early 2009. I didn't have a clue about what a blog was, or the value of having one BEFORE launching my business. I thought it didn't matter.  Boy, was I wrong!"

Kelley continues. "The Mineral Makeup Coach Blog has allowed me to establish myself as an expert in my field, plus people are interacting with me on a personal level. This is giving future customers a chance to know in advance who is behind their favorite brand of mineral makeup and skin care. They have a connection with me that the behemoths of the cosmetic industry don't have with their customers, and it's all thanks to technology, specifically my blog and other social networking avenues like Twitter.'

It's 5 months before Kelley's business launches and already, dozens of people are anticipating the event. In addition, Kelley has been named a beauty and cosmetics contributor at Boutique Flair, where she'll contribute an article each week. Kelley is taking effective leadership actions months in advance of her business launch. She summarizes the business launch experience thus far like this: "Behold the power of technology!"

7. Ask For Help

As simple as it sounds, this one gives a lot of people trouble. But any successful business leader will tell you that, without a combination of helpful clients, customers, partners, employees, team members, family members and friends, their business would not exist.

I am a perfect example of this. I launched Indie Beauty Network nearly 9 years ago. During that time, I have used all of the above to help my business maintain an edge in the market. Clients and customers help me by telling me what they like and don't like so I can serve them better. My husband and I are the only employees, but a team of independent contractors from website designers, graphics artists, SEO experts, my radio show engineer and more help keep everything working together. And perhaps most importantly, I have a group of family helpers and friends who help me take care of my home so that I have the freedom and flexibility I need to expand my business.

Without all of these people (and more that there's just no space to include!), nothing would be happening in my business. No Indie is an island, and no effective business leader goes it alone. If your business is stalled and you have more ideas than you have time and expertise to implement, you need some help. Get some.

8. Know When to Change, Then Change

Howard Schultz joined Starbucks in 1987. Over the years, as the CEO, Schultz lead the company through a series of decisions that resulted in enormous growth and profitability. In April 2005, James L. Donald was named president and CEO of the company. Unfortunately, on his watch, the company made decisions that led to too much bureaucracy; and a series of financial decisions that were not warranted given the growth curve of the business. So in January 2008, Schultz returned to the helm, and when he did, he made a series of difficult decisions designed to set the company back on the right track.

First, he shut down all 7,100 Starbucks stores for 3 hours on February 26 to give employees a crash course in improving coffee customer service. In July 2008, he announced that the company would close 600 US stores and terminate hundreds of employees and planned job openings between then and the first half of 2009. These were difficult but necessary changes to make. Acknowledging the need for change is a good thing, but effective business leaders also take action. They make things happen. They take control. They create change rather than let outside forces create change for them.

9.  Connect Your Business Mission With Your Life Mission

In an interview that aired yesterday on CNN's GPS Show, host Fareed Zakaria asked Microsoft founder Bill Gates whether he thought history would remember him as the man who created Microsoft or as the man who created the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Gates answered:

"You know, most of the things we do, we do because of the people we care about, our family, because we love doing them every day. And it doesn't require a historical perspective. You have values. You have things you enjoy, things you're good at. And for me, these foundation issues really fit every one of those characteristics."

Gates' answer shows the inextricable connection between his personal and business missions. He pursued what he enjoyed, what he was good at. This allowed him to care for his family and remain true to his values. When the foundation came along, it was an organic extension of what already existed. You can read the transcript of the Gates interview here. Even before Gates became one of the most generous philanthropists in the world, he connected his business to his passion of ensuring that every home in America had at least one computer. Gates' life mission changed the word. His business is simply what he used to do that.

What do you think?

How many of these leadership actions do you take each day? What things do you do to lead your business that are not listed here? Please weigh in with your best Indie Business leadership tips and ideas.

Related Posts

Good Home Managers Make Good Business Leaders
You Have to Touch Home Plate
Being Oprah Winfrey
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Boots and Hard Hat Required
Position Yourself as an Expert in Your Field (Video)

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Katie Nguyen and her fiance, Thomas, have been members of IBN since June 2007. They purchased their business, The Conservatorie, from a prior owner. The Conservatorie, headquartered in Aguora Hills, California, formulates bulk mineral makeup and wholesales it to spas and other companies that sell it directly to consumers. She and Thomas said that they joined IBN in part because they love Indie Business Radio: "Even though the show is free," they said, "We joined IBN because we are, well, greedy! We thought to ourselves, if the free radio show is this informative, just imagine how great other materials and services are!" Enjoy Katie's Indie Candy feature here.

Funlayo Alabi is a wife and mother of two who hails from Nigeria. She and her husband own Shea Radiance, a supplier of finished products and bulk natural shea butter which they import directly from Africa. They have been IBN members since June 2006. Funlayo and her husband are working on their exit plan from traditional jobs to running Shea Radiance full-time. Their hard work and tenacity are paying off, as you can see from the beautifully packaged shea butter creams and other products at their website. Enjoy Funlayo's Indie Candy feature here. You can follow her Tweets at @shearadiance.

Princetta Jones owns Princetta's Beauty Secrets in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, she is a musical performer who travels the world entertaining audiences with her spicy sounds. Check out her Myspace page and enjoy her Indie Candy feature here. Princetta joined IBN in March of this year. Her schedule keeps her so busy that she is not accepting online orders at this time, but if you're in Las Vegas, you can get her goodies at selected Whole Foods Markets there and in Philadelphia at Spa Bavu.

Ellen Lange is a wife, mother and the owner of Ellen Lange Medi-Spa in Highland Park, New Jersey. Ellen also a Retexturizing Peel Kit and a Clear Complexion Kit. Ellen's father is a renowned plastic surgeon, so it's no surprise that she has a wide ranging interest in facial and skin care that includes plastic surgery options. She blogs about her ideas at her recently launched blog. She enjoys helping women look and feel their best. Ellen has been a member of IBN since December 2006. You can follow her Tweets at @ellenlange.

What do you think?

Aren't they amazing?! I could make this a regular blog feature. Should I? Do you enjoy learning about how other women combine their Indie Beauty businesses with their passion for helping women and also managing their homes? Let me know what you think in the comments section below. I'd like to hear if this feature is something you enjoy.

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Letter From American Small Business League

Today, I am contacting you with an important legislative alert and a call to action. As you may know, [Monday,] the House of Representatives voted down the financial bailout bill, by a 228-205 House Vote. The bill, H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, contained a provision that could have had far-reaching negative impacts for small businesses across the country. We are concerned that as Congress moves forward with the second incarnation of the bill, this legislative language could come up again.

Specifically, Section 107 of H.R. 3997 would give overly broad authority to the Secretary of the Treasury, allowing the Secretary to waive or suspend provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The bill states, "The Secretary may waive specific provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation upon a determination that urgent and compelling circumstances make compliance with such provisions contrary to the public interest." This vaguely worded power grab could lead to vital small businesses programs being suspended on the whim of the Treasury Secretary.

While this bill was voted down in House, it is almost certain that a new bailout bill with a similar provision will be introduced and possibly voted on soon. We cannot allow a bill to pass that contains legislative language, which weakens or removes the current protections for small businesses. In addition to concerns regarding the bailout plan, we are concerned that the language of H.R. 3997 did not contain any provisions to help small businesses compete during these hard economic times. With that in mind, we are pushing for the inclusion of a provision that would stop the diversion of federal small business contracts to large corporations, as a means of giving a boost to the middle class economy.

Given the gravity and time sensitive nature of this issue, we ask that you offer an official statement from your chamber opposing language similar to that of Section 107 and supporting the removal of large firms from federal small business contracting programs. Additionally, we ask that you distribute our message to your members, asking them to contact their elected officials regarding this issue. We would appreciate a copy of any letter that you decide to send to your congressional representatives. Please email me a copy of your letter or send it via fax to (707) 789-9580.

For your convenience I have included: a description of our concerns, a link to the congressional contact portal, a copy of H.R. 3997, and a letter template that you can personally use to contact your congressional representatives.

Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Kevin Baron | Director of Government Affairs
American Small Business League
707.789.9575w | 707.789.9580f
kbaron@asbl.com | www.asbl.com

ASBL Concerns

We are concerned that Section 107 of S. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, will be included in the second incarnation of the financial bailout bill. Section 107 of the bill, will give overly broad powers to the Secretary of the Treasury, which would allow the Secretary to waive specific provisions within the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) given, "urgent and compelling circumstances," which make compliance with such provisions contrary to the public interest. The suspension of the FAR would effectively remove vital protections for small businesses in federal contracting programs.

The language in H.R. 3997 was too vague and ill defined, which will open the door for an abuse of power that will harm small businesses. New bailout legislation will be introduced and possibly voted on by the end of the week and we cannot allow a bill to pass, which contains legislative language that weakens or removes the current protections for small business contractors, while giving the Treasury Secretary, overly broad powers.

Every year billions of dollars in federal small business contracts are awarded to Fortune 500 corporations, their subsidiaries and European firms. The current language of the bailout bill does not address stopping the diversion of federal small business contract dollars to large corporations. We believe that by including language to remove large firms from small business programs, we could infuse the middle class economy with billions of additional dollars.

Due to the urgency of the current financial situation and the willingness of Congress to introduce and pass a bailout bill within a quick timetable, we are asking that you take immediate action to help protect small businesses.

Links

H.R. 3997 (PDF)
Chamber Endorsement Letter Template
Senate Contact Portal
House of Representatives Contact Portal

Sample Letter

Dear Senator/Representative _______,

I would like to express my concern regarding the inclusion of Section 107 from H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 or any other legislative language that has the potential to weaken federal programs designed for small businesses. I oppose giving the Secretary of the Treasury the ability to waive specific provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) under any circumstances.

Additionally, small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. Every year billions of dollars in federal small business contracts are awarded to Fortune 500 corporations, their subsidiaries and European firms. That said, I support amending the current language of the bailout to include a boost for small businesses in middle class America, by precluding the federal government from counting large corporations towards the congressionally mandated small business procurement goal.

Small businesses are a vital engine of growth in our economy and I strongly urge you take action to ensure that small businesses remain protected.

Thank you,

Name
Date

What do you think?

I just wrote my representatives. Did you write yours? Share your thoughts and actions!

Related Posts

Bail Your Own Self Out
Bad Bail Out!

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dM: How has being a Fit Indie impacted your life and your business?

Rhonda: Being fit gives me, my lifestyle and my products credibility. I look like I live a healthy and fit lifestyle. While I am not thin by any means, I maintain a healthy weight for my height and bone structure, and I have healthy skin, nails, hair and teeth. People are always asking me about the all-natural products I make and use on my hair. This provides a natural way for me to recommend my products in particular and natural products in general.

dM: What is your best selling product?

Rhonda: My best selling product is Diva Glo Spa Ginger Skin Exfoliator. Every time I make a fresh batch, I fall in love with it all over again. It sells well because it's a sensual body and mind experience in a jar. It combines ingredients such as Dead Sea Salt, premium skin loving vegetable oils and essential oils in a whipped cream base. It stays at the top of my best seller list. I have yet to demo this product on a customer who did not immediately buy at least one jar.

dM: What are your best tips to help others become fit?

Rhonda: I have several.

1. Move your body every day. Whether it's walking, swimming, yoga or whatever. Do it for at least 30 minutes a day. Dr. Oz. of Oprah fame, wrote me an email years ago with that advice. I met him last year and his advice was still the same. Move, move, move. Also, eat healthy and get appropriate periodic health exams.
2. Do not smoke. I never have, and am a rabid anti-smoking crusader. Smoking contributed to the deaths of several people that I have loved over the past four years. Two of them were my sisters, who passed away within 15 months of each other.
3. Use smaller plates. Regular plates are usually 11 - 12 inches in diameter. Replace them with 9- inch plates and you will be amazed at how it helps you control your portions. When I first made this change, (3 teens and a husband) asked me why we were eating from saucers! I told them it was a way to visualize how we were changing our lives and the way we eat. I assured them that they could always go back for more, if and only if they were truly still hungry. We all soon adjusted to the new plate size and started to concentrate on how good the food looked on the plate instead of how much food was on the plate. We occasionally use our larger plates, but we all notice how out of place the food looks on them now.
4. Use white plates. There's a reason why most restaurants and cooking shows serve food on white plates! It's because food looks more inviting and plentiful on a white plate. Remember how much bigger our feet and other body parts look when we wear white clothing. Same principle applies to food.
5. Switch to Olive Oil. Use Extra Virgin, if possible, in place of regular Vegetable Oils for most every uses, except for frying. Try combining a dash of really good balsamic vinegar, a grind or two of red chili peppers and garlic and some extra virgin olive oil. Add a sprinkle of sea salt, if you don't have blood pressure issues. Heat gently in the microwave and use as a dipping sauce for whole grain breads. My family loves it and anyone can make it.
6. Throw out white stuff -- sugar, flour, bread, rice, pasta. Go for brown in all of these areas. Concentrate on whole grain, not just whole wheat. Look for organic if possible since pesticides are heavily used in many of these products.
7. Do a whole body cleanse. This helps jump started my system with a new "clean" feeling. An unexpected benefit is that, after a cleanse, my taste buds become more sensitive to sweet and salty tastes, especially sugar. This helps ward off possible cravings that can wreck my healthy lifestyle.

dM: Have you lost weight following these steps?

Rhonda: Yes. I lost 16 lbs over the course of about a year and have kept most of it off. But remember, it's lifestyle changes, not a "diet," that works in the long term. If I venture too far off my "path," I feel it right away. The weight creeps up, the well-being suffers, and I don't feel and look as cute as I know I am!

dM: Sookie sookie now, Rhonda!

Rhonda: That's right. And get regular health exams. I'm going to step on some toes now.

A few weeks ago, I went in for my regular annual physical. I received a clean bill of health, by the way. Anyway, while there, I noticed that I was the only Black woman there for my whole visit. As I left, I wondered why -- insurance, convenience, priorities, what?

The next day, I took my daughter to the hairdresser, and what do you know? Standing room only. Every seat was taken and some women even had small children on their laps. I was startled by the contrast.

How is it that we can't make it to the doctor's office, but we'll wait for hours to get our hair and nails done? This angered me and I was determined to get after my sisters and brothers to take responsibility for their health. Today, I wage a one-woman campaign for better health and well being. In essence, I am a Fit Indie for everyone I meet, and this is a part of the legacy I am leaving my children.

You should see my daughter's refrigerator at college. I am so pleased with her food choices. When I consider the hard times that we have endured, it is validating to know that all of my hard work is not in vain and that my healthy lifestyle choices are benefiting my children, and will also benefit their children for years to come.