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Our Q&A with Michele Harris...

What is Harris Business Services?

Harris Business Services is an entrepreneurially focused marketing and business development consulting firm that is dedicated to helping women and minority entrepreneurs…to start....to succeed....to grow....and to prosper.

We specialize in assisting women and minority entrepreneurs with start-up, expansion and development processes by creating and implementing results-oriented marketing and business development programs that are creative, innovative and affordable. We work closely with our clients to define and achieve marketing and business development goals by providing customized solutions and the adequate tools to be successful in business.

Harris Business Services provides an invaluable service to our clients. As consultants, we concentrate on our client's needs. Our services include: Business and Marketing Plan Development and Analysis, Personalized Business Counseling, Company Start-up and Development Strategies, Advertising and Sales Promotional Strategies and Small Business Group Seminars and Workshops.

What inspired you to focus your business on women and minority entrepreneurs?

Harris Business Services’ mission is to actively promote the growth, development, and competitiveness of economically disadvantaged businesses. These disadvantaged businesses are predominantly women and minority-owned. Harris Business Services is committed to assisting women and minority entrepreneurs with all aspects of business development and expansion, thereby stimulating the economy, increasing employment opportunities, and expanding the economic tax base.

What challenges have you faced as a business owner within the marketing and consulting firm industry?

The biggest challenge that I faced is stressing to small business owners the importance of having a business plan. There are so many business owners who go about their day-to-day operations by going with the flow or thinking whatever happens…happens. Some of them have what I affectionately call a “Flavor of the Month” business.

These are businesses that started off successful because at the time when the company was launched, everyone thought that they were the exciting new kid on the block. Customers were hungry and had to have a taste of the new business. As with everyone, appetites tend to change over time. As customers no longer savor the flavor of the new business, their appetites turn to the next “Flavor of the Month”. Business owners who do not have a business plan in place will find themselves lost in the midst of chaos not knowing where to turn.

The business plan is the roadmap to success. It tells where you are, where you are going and how you are going to get there. It offers contingency plans for what a business owner can do if and when their business is no longer “The Flavor of the Month”.

Harris Business Services provides comprehensive business plans and strategies that help small business owners to avoid having a “Flavor of the Month” businesses. The key is recognizing the importance of having a business plan. Harris Business Services is up to the challenge and will consistently educate small business owners on the importance of having a solid, comprehensive business plan.

What is ENSPIRE eNewsletter, and what made you create it as a supplement to your service?

ENSPIRE, the eNewsletter for Successful Entrepreneurs, is published monthly by Harris Business Services. ENSPIRE covers today’s most relevant entrepreneurial issues and is an effective guide to the diverse challenges of business ownership. ENSPIRE equips entrepreneurs with critical information required to help them to start, to grow and to maintain a successful business.

Every issue of ENSPIRE is inspirational and informative, covering topics that inspire entrepreneurs. ENSPIRE provides entrepreneurs with a place to learn how to face business challenges head-on and overcome potential obstacles. ENSPIRE provides the resources needed to conquer the daily challenges of entrepreneurship and the tools needed to succeed.

ENSPIRE was added as a supplemental service to Harris Business Services in order to reach a broader market of entrepreneurs who were not necessarily clients of Harris Business Services. While working with my Harris Business Service clients, I found a common concern that resonated among them. They wished that there were more resources available to help them to avoid some of the mistakes they experienced while starting their business.

I heard comments such as “If I only had someone to talk to when I started out who could answer my questions. Someone who could tell me where to go for help. What resources were available”. Taking their concerns under consideration, I decided to create a newsletter which would contain articles that were both inspirational and informative. My goal was to write articles about various entrepreneurially focused topics that would serve as a resource for entrepreneurs. The content would appeal to both aspiring entrepreneurs as well as those who had been in business for years.

The focal point of ENSPIRE is the featured business article. We feature one business owner in each issue. I wanted to give one entrepreneur an opportunity to shine in their own spotlight. What better way to educate and inspire other entrepreneurs than to hear the entrepreneurial journey of someone else who has walked in their shoes.

Featured business owners are carefully selected. We look for entrepreneurs who truly have a story to tell about the trials, triumphs and lessons learned on their journey. They are our cheerleaders, out coaches, our motivators, our mentors that tell other entrepreneurs that you are not alone in your journey to become a successful entrepreneur and to know that there are other entrepreneurs who truly understand your struggle.

How can your service help people find their Lifestyle Zen?

Some small business owners have a tendency to try to do everything themselves without seeking expert advice for areas that they may lack knowledge in. They take on projects that may be beyond their expertise which can lead to loss of time and can create errors that may negatively affect their business financially. This in turn may lead to stress which can affect their personal and business lives. In addition, considerable time may be wasted in doing so. Time is a precious commodity that once it’s gone, you can never get it back.

That’s where Harris Business Services comes in. Our consulting firm helps small business owners define and achieve their goals through improved utilization of resources. We identify problems and recommend solutions. As consultants we not only propose change but also help implement it. By relinquishing these tasks to Harris Business Services, the small business owner will have more time to effectively manage their business. They will not only reap the benefits of a healthy, successful business, but they will also have more time for personal activities thus creating the perfect work-life balance, helping them to find their “Lifestyle Zen”.