2015 End-of-Year Fundraiser

Helping Those In Need The Helius Foundation needs your help. Helius is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit that works with Necessity-Driven Entrepreneurs (NDEs). These are individuals who are unable to find traditional, living wage employment. Reasons can range from job seekers being long-time veterans, single parents with limited available hours, the undereducated, people with minor criminal records, or individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds who lack the social networks needed to find well-paying jobs. These individuals create work for themselves through entrepreneurship. NDE's like James. James is a single father, with a 6 year old daughter named Tasha. He worked in the maintenance department at a local hospital for 11 years, before he was laid off. He has no college degree. For the past year he’s has been struggling to find work. Instead of waiting around for a hand out, James started a business that builds residential fences. But his business is not doing well. According to James, one morning before he went to work, he made his daughter three sandwiches. He told her they needed to last her all day. James, in the meantime, ate nothing. James is one of many NDEs. Among all entrepreneurs in the United States, 15% of them are NDEs, and these numbers are expected to increase by another 6.6% in the coming years.  And with Durham’s on-going entrepreneurial explosion there are more NDEs than ever, many of whom will be left behind without assistance. How Can You Help? You can support these men and women who wake up every morning and fight to provide a life for their families. Like you, they want healthier food options and better healthcare. Like you, they fight to provide an education for their children so that they don’t have to fight these same battles when they reach adulthood. Just click on the link below to be taken to our CommitChange Campaign.

About Us The Helius Mentorship Program provides all of the services that any business owner needs in order to create a sustainable business. We provide the same level of mentoring and coaching that you would demand for your own business. And we do so at no cost to the NDEs in our program! This includes one-on-one coaching sessions, free training seminars, and business development tools needed to take an NDE’s business from the idea phase to a fully-operational, self-sustaining business that earns a fair living wage. But we can’t do it without you. We Need Your Help Tax deductible donations of as little as $25 and $50 can provide a month of coaching for a local NDE. Donations of $100 to $500 can help in marketing and licensing of NDE businesses. Just click on the link below. Donating takes less than a minute. All donations come with the seasonal newsletter, including updates and profiles for the Program Participants so that you can see exactly what your donations have provided! Thank you in advance for your support. By donating to the Mentorship Program, you are giving struggling NDEs a fighting chance. You are providing them with the chance to support themselves and their families with dignity, despite race, education or financial upbringing. Sincerely, Geraud Staton Executive Director The Helius Foundation

President vs. CEO: Choose Your Title Correctly

by Geraud Staton

I haven't reviewed your company. I don't know how many employees you have. I don't know what you do with yourself all day. But I can tell you this: odds are good that you do NOT need to be called the "CEO."

What Does the CEO Do?
The CEO is responsible for quite a bit within your company. And no matter if you have a 1000-person company or a 3-person company, these tasks need to be done if you want to continue being a company in the next few years. In essence, your job is to see into the future.

1. Look at the Physical
You are operating your business in a warehouse, a storefront, or out of your bedroom. How long will that suffice? Where should you be if your company is to grow? What facility do you need next year? The year after? Five years from now? It's your job to answer those questions and to ensure that your company is ready when the time comes.

2. Look to your People
Your customers are why you get up every morning. You are helping hundreds or thousands of people. You want to help millions of people. Will your customer be the same 5 years from now as they are right now? What changes? What do you need to change in order to reach them?

But your customers aren't the only people you care about. What about your employees? How many of them will you need in order to keep helping your customers? What skills will they need to have? When do you need them? It's your job to be ready for them.

3. Look at your Technology
One day your laptop will become obsolete. So will your phone. So will the tool you're using for your company. The question is: did you see it coming? And if you did, did you prepare for it? It's your job to see it coming.

4. Look at your Money
You need to know where you're going to be, who you're going to hire, who you're going to serve, and what technology you need in order to continue your mission. All of that is going to cost your company money. And it's your job to know how you're going to get that money. Will you borrow it, or find investors? Will you earn it through your current operations or will you look at other revenue sources?

As CEO, you live in the future. But, let me repeat this because it it important. You SHOULD be doing these tasks regardless of how large or small your company is. But, as CEO, this is the bulk of your job. You have the time and income to do so. That means that someone else is doing the every day work that keeps your company running while you get to live in the future.

Some people's favorite president. Check him out at Soul Pancake

What Does the President Do?
To put it simply, your President's job is to lead your company and its employees toward the company goals. The President is the commander of the troops, and the cheerleader, and the dispatcher. The President of your company needs to keep his or her finger on the pulse of the entire company, and if that person were to leave it is possible that everything would grind to a halt!

If you are the one ensuring your company's daily survival, you are more likely to be President than CEO. You are living in the here and now. You know what is happening in every department and with every employee. Again, you SHOULD be taking some time, at least quarterly, to do the job of the CEO, but maybe you aren't at a place where you can do this every day, or even every week.

And that's ok.

By working your business, growing respectfully, and being certain to take time out to put on the CEO hat, you will eventually get to a point where you actually need someone to handle CEO duties regularly. That's the goal. Once that happens, feel free to promote yourself. Or, hire someone from the outside to be your company's CEO.

The important thing to remember is that you are doing what's important for your company and for you customers. 

Simple Marketing: Pay Attention to the Signs

By Jenny Tracy

There are many common characteristics of successful businesses; one of these characteristics is a well-placed, quality-made, creative, and attractive sign. Signs are an essential part of a business’ overall marketing strategy; they serve as a 24/7 advertisement that draws attention to their business and helps differentiate it from their competitors.

Exterior Signs: Exterior signs help to draw attention to a business; they can be ground-mounted, typically near a road to attract the attention of passing motorists and pedestrians, or they can be building-mounted on the rooftop, walls, or awnings. 

Interior Signs: Interior signs are usually hung from the ceiling or attached to the walls; they help customers locate merchandise, and, when added to special displays or to advertise sales, can lead to impulse sales.

The costs for signage is much lower than the other types of advertising, such as radio, television, and newspaper. In fact, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, signs are the most effective, yet least expensive, form of advertising for a small business. 

Great example of a ground-mounted exterior sign

Three things to consider when purchasing a sign:

Zoning Regulations: Many cities have specific regulations for outdoor signs, concerning the size, type, and location. It is important to know these local regulations before designing and purchasing your sign.

Design: The design of a sign should appeal to the business’ target audience. If you own a yarn business and would like to attract motorists passing by your store that knit and crochet, the ideal sign would be a ground-mounted sign near a busy road, or a building-mounted sign that is high enough to be seen by passing motorist. The sign should include your business’ logo and possibly an eye-catching relevant image, in this case, a yarn ball would work. If the sign is not building-mounted or ground-mounted near the store, an address and phone number may be needed to direct the customers to the business’ location.  You want your sign to be visually appealing, have all the necessary information for the customer, yet not look cluttered. The larger your sign, the more information and visuals you can add; the smaller the sign, the more you should focus on adding only necessary content, like the business name and phone number. 

Nice and simple, but still effective!

Picking a Company:  Once you decide where you would like to place your sign and draft a design, get quotes from several companies; remember to calculate and add any design, set-up, and delivery fees. Sign costs vary depending on the size, material, color, and content. Some companies specialize in certain types of signs (neon, wall-mounted, etc.), so it may be less expensive to work with a company that specializes in making the type of sign that you desire.

Even better, use your own experiences.  If you see a business sign that you like, don’t be afraid to ask the business’ owner who they ordered it from and if they would recommend working with that company. And always remember to read reviews before deciding which company you are going to work with.