Mike Mershimer’s Post

Exciting news: The CO—100 application deadline has been extended! You now have until July 15 to register and submit your entry for a chance to make our exclusive list of the top 100 businesses nationwide. Curious about the benefits of applying? Check out the top ten reasons — including our $25K America's Top Small Business award — to kickstart your application process ASAP: #smallbusiness #businessfunding

Shield yourself business owners! Read this and level up your reviews!! 🛡️In the business realm, navigating uncertainties can feel like facing a monster. However, by effectively managing your presence on review platforms such as Yelp, your business can equip itself with a protective barrier against these uncertainties, positioning your business to triumph and dominate the marketplace🛡️ https://lnkd.in/gm9q4Jd9

Congratulations to the award winners at the 2022 Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce ceremony!👏 The awards showcased the power of local businesses and the importance of their contributions to our community's economic wellness.🚀 As business owners, it’s absolutely crucial that we recognize, adapt, and stay ahead of local market trends. Observing the cream of the crop in our local business ecosystem can reveal valuable insights and best practices. 🎯 However, it's equally common and easy to overlook the nuances of localized strategies amidst our daily operations. Have you thoroughly benchmarked your business against the local top performers? How confident are you about dominating your local market share? As your experienced business consultant, I’m here to help you explore, evaluate and exploit potential growth opportunities within your local market! Let’s delve deeper into strategizing for local success, sustaining growth and outpacing competitors. 💪 Feel free to drop me a message or a comment here. Looking forward to lending a helping hand as you fortify your local market standing. 🔝✔️ #LocalBusiness #BusinessGrowth #MarketTrends

Time's running out! If you're interested in growing your speaking business, my membership is open for the next TWO days only. I've been a consultant and speaker in the industry for over 20 years and have worked with superstars in speaking and tomorrow's superstars. I'm offering something special that you may be interested in. Because I wanted to reach more people, I started a private membership group in 2020. It is for serious business professionals who wish to have successful speaking practice, excellent positioning, the ability to market and sell services, powerful social strategies, and more. We meet every Thursday for one hour at 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET. We record and transcribe each meeting and house it in our private community. In our membership, I cover marketing and sales and bring in outside experts you need to know. We also share best practices. Monthly, we have "hot seat" sessions where you can bring your challenges to the group and get great feedback from professionals. I also have a monthly bonus, "Office Hours," for those who want to stay after the meeting for discussion. In my private membership community, which is housed on Facebook, you'll have access to me and other members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So...until Friday only, I'm opening up my membership for just $900 a year. (You couldn't get on my calendar for consulting at that price point!) Read what member Harriet Stein says about this group: Everyone thinks they're the only one afraid of being embarrassed to pick up the phone and try to get work. I still fall into the same old trap at times. Being in a group of other successful and competent professional speakers who share my pain around business development has been very helpful for me. Lois leads her group with such compassion knowing how complex this subject matter is for us, and yet realizes that her job is to point us in the right direction when we get lost and gently kick our butts if we want our businesses to be successful. We support each other's struggles and celebrate our achievements together. I have found this group motivating and providing the tools I need to grow my business. And I've also learned from all the thought leaders Lois has invited to present to our group. I recommend joining if you're willing to participate, listen, and learn from the best. If you're interested in a private membership community that will support your success as a professional speaker, I'd love to have you join us. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Click here to join "Book More Business: Monetize Your Message Membership": https://lnkd.in/gEMGVWz4

Learn more about Mason Companies, Inc, our President and our plans for the future in this article from Volume One. https://lnkd.in/gSRpSHqd

Last week was #MomAndPopBusinessOwnersDay; Bluevine put together a list of their favorite mom-and-pop businesses to shop at. Fintech supports the entire life cycle of a small business. Learn more here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eTfHi4AW 

📣 Nominate a small business for an Intentionalist Award by August 28! https://lnkd.in/gpbtgczJ The annual Intentionalist Awards, presented by BECU, recognize small business community champions and celebrate the many ways that the value of Main Street small businesses is so much more than the products and services they sell. The six categories reflect why small businesses matter – they give back, provide safe and welcoming spaces, facilitate connection and learning, and simply make our communities better. The categories include: 🤝 Community Over Competition 💖 Heart of the Community 🆕 Rookie of the Year 🏅 Cross-Cultural Champion  🔟 Legacy Award 💪 Team Member of the Year  Any Main Street, consumer-facing brick + mortar small business is eligible, and self-nominations are welcome. Note that businesses who have won previously are not eligible to win the same category. More details on each category can be found on our website. Nominations are due by August 28, and awards will be presented on October 15 - submit your nomination today! https://lnkd.in/gpbtgczJ

Many of our members, such as Stort Valley Gifting, use the Royal Mail to keep costs down for their customers, as some courier companies charge 200% more for shipping on the same item. I spoke to Ian Puckey this morning on BBC Radio Essex about the negative impact the proposal to cut 2nd class postage from 6 to 3 days could have on small businesses: https://lnkd.in/d3wzHYJS It could push many to pay for first class postage instead. Second class is 85p whilst first class is £1.35, which may not sound a great deal individually, but will soon stack up. It is also impractical for small businesses to pay for postage in bulk, so this will pile yet more costs onto our small business owners, (already facing multiple economic headwinds). They desperately want to avoid passing on their costs to customers. But will they have any choice? Whilst everyone is feeling the pinch and we appreciate the challenging situation the Royal Mail are facing in trying to save costs, our role is to highlight the detrimental impact proposed changes may have on small businesses - and cutting the number of deliveries on seconds class will. From invoices to cake toppers, from thank you notes to pieces of jewelry, our small business owners rely on the Royal Mail, with 25% stating they use this service. The cutting of bulk business mail (such as bills and statements) from every 2 days to every 3 days was felt a more sensible, yet still difficult, cost saving option. As Ian asked his guests, what is the least you would be prepared to accept? Higher costs but a more reliable service? Or perhaps lesser deliveries but more reliable? Let me know...

October is Small Business Month, so you are going to see more post from me celebrating the incredible small businesses that make our community what it is today. These businesses are more than just places to shop or get a service; they are the heartbeat of our local economy. They provide jobs, fuel innovation, support local causes, and help create the sense of community we all value. Small businesses play a critical role in our neighborhoods, but they often face challenges that larger companies don’t. That’s why it’s so important for us to support them, not just during this month, but all year round. Every dollar spent at a local business goes back into the community, helping to create a sustainable and thriving economy. To show my support, I’m launching the Shop Small Challenge throughout October. Each week, I’ll be visiting local businesses and encouraging you to do the same. Whether it’s grabbing your coffee from a local café, shopping at a neighborhood boutique, or using a local service provider, every effort counts. I encourage you to share your experiences, and you’ll have a chance to win some exciting prizes that highlight the best of what our local businesses offer. Beyond that, I’ll also be spending this month highlighting some of the amazing small businesses I’ve had the pleasure to work with and showcasing their products and service. I believe in the power of sharing success and lifting up others, so I’ll also be sharing practical marketing tips and insights specifically designed for small businesses looking to grow and succeed in today’s digital world. This month is all about recognizing the effort, dedication, and resilience of small business owners, and I hope you’ll join me in supporting them in any way you can. #SmallBusinessMonth

Happy National Small Business Week 2024! Let's celebrate and recognize the contributions of small businesses to their communities. We've curated a list of our top resources to help you make better decisions and achieve greater outcomes. Check it out and get inspired! https://lnkd.in/eQbY8zG2 #CEO #SmallBusinessWeek