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Respect My Business
10 Plays5 years ago
This week's episode is about why and how to respect business and business owners.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! I'm @elianeanita!
If you want to send me an email you can email me at [email protected] instagram.com/elianeanita
twitter.com/elianeanita
facebook.com/elianeanitashow
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Recorded, Produced and Edited by: Éliane Anita
Track Produced by: Devo Beats
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Respect my Business'
00:00:21
Speaker
Hi guys, welcome to the Alion and Edith podcast where we get down to business every week. I am your host Alion and I'm so excited to have you join me for this week's podcast. This week I am going to take a small little break from our series success hindrance and I am going to talk about a subject that I'm slightly, I'm
00:00:44
Speaker
incredibly passionate about and the type the topic of this podcast is entitled respect my business. Now I'm not going to do a lot of editing to this podcast so I'm going to just talk straight from the hip from experience and just give you guys some background and give you some explanations to things and
Personal Motivation and Stereotypes
00:01:07
Speaker
It's going to be kind of like a two part podcast so one is going to talk to a consumer, talk to the consumer and then the other part, the second part is going to talk about talk to the business owner themselves. So, it's going to be a wrap it up and bring it all together but I think that this is a subject that's really important to talk about.
00:01:26
Speaker
And the reason why I wanted to talk about it and I'm so passionate about it is because as you guys know, I have officially been in business for a little bit under a year. February would be the first year of business for me and I have experienced
00:01:42
Speaker
a lot of stuff being in business. And so I just wanted to talk, I wanted an outlet to be able to talk about this. At first I was just going to do like an insta story, but I decided against it. And I was like, you know what, this will be a good topic to talk about on the podcast.
00:01:59
Speaker
What inspired me to do this is I had posted on my Instagram page a video of someone that I follow and they talked about you guys need to learn how to respect businesses and she wasn't saying it in a harsh way like you guys don't respect businesses but she was just saying that it's so important to do so.
00:02:20
Speaker
And I wanted to give more background into why it's important to do it, more than just the company trying to level up and all of that stuff. But I really wanted to talk about the importance and what the business owner has to have to be accountable to so that they can continue to grow and offer you great product.
00:02:39
Speaker
So some of the things that I've experienced throughout the time, and again, this is not a bashing podcast. I'm not bashing consumers, obviously. I love consumers and I'm in business to help consumers' lives be better. So that's what I do. But I just want to talk from the angle of business owners so that you guys understand why we have certain rules and regulations.
00:03:05
Speaker
Um, I have a couple of bullet points that I want to talk about and I'm going to just talk through each one of them. So the reason why we even have certain rules in place is to guarantee you an excellent experience with our company.
Order Management and Quality Assurance
00:03:20
Speaker
I hear as a, I'm a black woman and I hear all the time from consumers that
00:03:27
Speaker
Black entrepreneurs never have it together as business owners. Black business owners are highly criticized. And so in order for us to level up and be excellent, we have to make sure that we have rules in place.
00:03:43
Speaker
And so one of the rules that I have in place is in order to, unless I'm selling on site, like if I'm doing a pop-up shop or something like that, if you want to order my product, you have to go to my website. Why is this a rule? It's a rule because one, I don't carry product on me. I don't have it in my trunk. I don't carry a bag around.
00:04:07
Speaker
I don't do that for a lot of reasons. The biggest reason why I don't carry product with me all the time is because I want to ensure that you get a good quality product. So I don't want to sell you something that's been sitting in my trunk. I don't want to sell you something that's been in a bag.
00:04:24
Speaker
I want to sell you something fresh, something that has been stored properly, something that works and I know works for you and that's safe, period. So I don't carry product around with me for safety reasons purposely.
00:04:40
Speaker
So I have another reason why I don't carry product around on me all the time is because I need to keep track of inventory. So in order for me to introduce a new product on to the public or for me to actually be able to fund a project because I am a self funded company.
00:05:00
Speaker
In order for me to be able to do that, I have to know how much product I actually have in inventory. What do I need to put a sale on? What do I need to get rid of first? How do I need to promote things? It's so many different factors. My brain is just opening up tabs as I'm talking about it because it's so much that goes behind the scenes to present a product.
00:05:22
Speaker
and to even create more product. So you have to make sure that you don't have an overstock of things, that you're just not adding product to your catalog without moving product. You have to also know what's selling so that you know it's advertisement spots or marketing, what's your tools of marketing. You have to measure
00:05:45
Speaker
your matrix and effectiveness with your clients and with your consumers. So we send you to our websites, not because we want to give you a hassle and make it hard for you, but we send you to the website so that we can prepare properly for you. It's our way of guaranteeing excellence. So I know that if I send you to my website,
00:06:07
Speaker
I'm going to fulfill your order in this amount of time. I'm going to get it to the post office. You're going to get it within a certain amount of days. If you order for me, let's say you ordered like here's
Training Consumers and Financial Practices
00:06:18
Speaker
an instance. I'll have people walk up to me at my church. They know that I'm in business and they're like, hey, I want to buy some of your lipstick. And I'm like, awesome, great. And they'll say, could you bring next Sunday this lipstick, this lipstick and this lipstick?
00:06:34
Speaker
I have seven whole days of life that happens to me in between you telling me verbally telling me that you want to purchase this lipstick and whatnot. And I have to remember it.
00:06:48
Speaker
and bring it to church the next Sunday, amongst all of the other things. There has been times where I've forgotten, and people walk up to me and be like, hey, did you bring that? And I'm like, oh my goodness, I totally forgot. I'm embarrassed. I'm ashamed because I want to make the sale. But because of whatever happened that week, I just forgot.
00:07:09
Speaker
And so if that person would have put their order in via the internet, they could have got it from me two days later if I would have just shipped it. They wouldn't even have to wait a whole week. Now you have to wait an extra week.
00:07:22
Speaker
But it's about training and disciplining your consumer to do, to respect your business in that way. And so that's how, so now I tell people all the time, I do not accept face-to-face orders unless I'm doing a pop-up shop because I cannot trust my brain enough to remember a few days later to bring you your product. And I cannot guarantee you excellence.
00:07:51
Speaker
I can pay more attention to detail when you order through the proper channels, when you go to my website and do it because I know how I want you to experience the product from the mailing place. If I had to sell it to you,
00:08:07
Speaker
person to person, then I have to create that experience. And so if you follow the protocol, if customers follow the protocol, it helps ensure that you get the packaging or that you get the experience that you need to get.
00:08:23
Speaker
Um, you deserve to have your order correct. You know, so if you, if you go to the website, I can print out a form that tells me this person wants this, this, and this, or just this. So I won't, I won't misconstrue your order with somebody else's.
00:08:42
Speaker
So it's highly important that you respect the business owners reasons. So for instance, if you have somebody that does makeup or nails or something like that and they tell you book through this site and you have to put down a certain deposit, they're doing it for security reasons. They need to make sure that you're actually going to come.
00:09:02
Speaker
They need to make sure that they have time for you. Have you ever been to a beauty shop and you schedule your appointment with your stylist and then they have three other people scheduled at the same time and the furious, the frustration of that of having to sit while they try to manage three different people at the same time. Well, that's the reason why
00:09:21
Speaker
We have a certain business owners have things in place so that they so that you won't have that overlap So you won't be frustrated as a client Another thing is that I've had issues with is how Pete how people want to pay me?
00:09:38
Speaker
So I remember when I was approaching my tax accountant and my business attorney, she told me, the both of them told me the only how I would accept you as a client is if you keep your business finances separate from your personal finances.
00:09:58
Speaker
I agree to those terms and I have been a stickler for it. A lot of times people assume that because it's a black stereotype that if you're in business, you don't have the proper channels in place. You don't have an LLC form or a corporation or whatever that you don't have that form. They assume that you don't have a website or a way to make payments for your services.
00:10:26
Speaker
That's not everybody. A lot of times, like we all, again, this is something that we all kind of fall into under the hat. It's just simply not true. So people are like, can I cash app you cash or whatever? And I'm not against cash appy. Like I'm down with it when I'm out and about with my friends and we are hanging out and maybe I paid for dinner and they're gonna pay for their part or whatever. I'm here for that.
00:10:53
Speaker
but I am not here for it for my business because I have to be accountable for my business accounting. Business accounting and personal accounting is two totally different styles and I am learning that.
00:11:08
Speaker
So I have, right now, it's December and I am compelling all of my documents and getting all of my stuff together to turn into my, give this information over to my business accounting so she can handle all of that stuff and it's a lot. So if I had, you know, if you cash happened me here or cash happened me there, I cannot keep track of all of that stuff.
00:11:35
Speaker
And I have to report this stuff to my state. I have to report it to the federal government and all of that. And I don't want those kind of problems for my business. And I don't think any other business owners want those kind of problems. So if we ask you to pay with your debit card, let me swipe your card or I need cash or
00:11:57
Speaker
paid through a website or whatever, right? It's a reason why. It's because they need to keep track of their cash. Another big issue is people get frustrated because they have to pay taxes on a product.
Pricing, Taxes, and Business Protocols
00:12:09
Speaker
Listen, I am selling products in the United States of America. We charge taxes. I don't think that is many states that don't charge taxes.
00:12:20
Speaker
But in the state of Illinois, they charge taxes when you purchase a product. So I have to charge taxes. It's just one of those things. And I know that people are like, I don't want to pay for it. I don't want to pay the taxes and all of that stuff. But you have to do it. And I have to do it because I have to report this to the state and then to the government.
00:12:44
Speaker
So these are, it's reasons why, again, it's reasons why we have all of these things in place. Another reason why we ask you to, you know, go through certain formalities is to keep us on schedule. You know, I am, I do not have a staff. I am just a staff and one person. So again, I have several different things to account for, right? And I actually have an intern that's coming in. So,
00:13:12
Speaker
I have me and my intern that's working with me. I have to be accountable for my timing and I have to be accountable to my intern for their time. So if I ask you to do certain things or follow certain rules of regulations of the business, it's because I need to make sure that I'm on track.
00:13:32
Speaker
with certain things. I am not just selling products, but I'm creating products as well, not just for myself, but other clients. And so because I wear so many different hats, I have to stay on track with everything that I'm responsible for. So I ask you to do this for these reasons, to make sure that I'm on time. I need to make sure that things are not chaotic, that you don't experience relevant cosmetics in a chaotic way.
00:14:00
Speaker
I need to make sure that I can handle every dot across every across every T and dot every I to ensure that you get an excellent experience with my company. So again we we have so many it's it's not like you know going to a website is a hard thing you know it's not like
00:14:21
Speaker
paying me in a certain way is a hard thing or doing certain things. I just gave you, I list out a few examples and gave you a little bit of background on a few things because this is some of the most common things that pop up. Oh, here's a, here's another one. I'm sorry, I should have wrote this down, but I got to talk about this.
Challenges and Rules for Business Owners
00:14:40
Speaker
Freebies. Guys,
00:14:44
Speaker
I'm laughing because I cannot tell you how many inboxes I get on a daily basis about, can you sponsor my event? Would you be willing to send me free products? Can I do this? Could you send me this? Oh, I think this should be free. Could you do this kind of thing? It's a reason why we're in business.
00:15:06
Speaker
I mean, like I'm trying to figure out the words to say without sounding harsh, but it's a reason why we are in business. It's a reason why we charge the prices that we do. If I can give it to you for free, I would, but I cannot or else I wouldn't be in business.
00:15:24
Speaker
And I feel like when people approach small businesses, especially new businesses, and ask them, could you sponsor my event? I think that is incredibly inconsiderate, considering the fact that these people are really trying to get on their feet.
00:15:43
Speaker
And it is a sizable amount to ask people to, you know, I've had somebody ask me, could you give, give my company in between 250 and 500 samples?
00:15:57
Speaker
I'm like, really? Do you know how much time and energy that would take for me to create in between 250 and 500 small samples? Package it. Find the right packaging. Get all of the raw material. Put the time and energy into creating it. Ship it to you. All of that time and energy for free.
00:16:21
Speaker
I am a small business. You know, I'm not like a large company. So for me to do that would cost me so much time and so much energy. And people really get upset, like people for real get upset with you when you tell them no.
00:16:37
Speaker
And they're like, well, we just trying to put your business on. If you were really trying to put my business on, you would purchase. So don't get upset when my answer is no, I cannot sponsor your event. And as consumers and other business owners, you guys should respect that. That if the answer is no, it's just no. And everybody can't afford to sponsor your event.
00:17:04
Speaker
Approach bigger companies that that would be willing to sponsor your event and some and like another thing that people really should Take into consideration is me sponsoring your event is not like a honor for me It's not a like oh my gosh. I get to sponsor your event
00:17:22
Speaker
I'm doing you a favor as a business owner. And from business owner to business owner, there should be some respect somewhere in the lines between there. Like I understand you just trying to come up like I'm trying to come up. So let me put some respect on your business. So that is the consumer end of it.
00:17:42
Speaker
Now from the business owner end, we have responsibility too. So I don't know if anybody out there is listening as a business owner or you're considering business only or entrepreneurship. Let me tell you what you need to do. You need to establish order. You need to have rules and regulations that's easy and simple to follow that you can communicate in seconds.
00:18:05
Speaker
I don't do face-to-face ordering because I'm not going to remember. I'm a human being just like you and I'm simply just not going to remember. If you want to purchase, please go to my website. I personally have spent a lot of money and a lot of time and energy into developing the website that I have.
00:18:27
Speaker
And I need to see a return on that website for the energy and the time that was put into it. So yes, I'm sending you to the website because I pay money every single month for that website to exist. And for anything, if nothing else, it ensures and guarantees me quality, guarantees you quality. Sidebar, let's talk about shipping. Because that's something else that pops up. People are like, well, I don't want to pay for shipping. I see you every week.
00:18:57
Speaker
It's a part of the protocol. If you were ordering from a bigger company, you would not fight over their shipping prices, or you wouldn't fight over their rules and regulations concerning shipping. You would just oblige. Respect me. Just because you see me or know me does not mean that you are exempt.
00:19:15
Speaker
from what everybody else has to experience. All right, so business owners establish rules and regulations, establish order. Do not compromise for anybody. If you need to show somebody how to use the website, show them. If you have to place the order for that person, do it. But do not compromise on your rules and regulations. Be excellent.
00:19:44
Speaker
Don't have people jumping through hoops and loops to order your product or get your services and you not be excellent. It's a slap in the face. It's an insult. Make sure that you're shipping people products out on time, that you have what they need in stock. The reason, you know, go back to the reasons why I said it. You need to know what your inventory is and all of that other stuff.
00:20:09
Speaker
Be excellent make sure that you can offer the service that you promise the person Okay, and make it easy Don't be all complicated and wins the cool and all of that Make it very easy for people to follow so that they that they'll be like, oh I could just do that I can just click click click or I could just do this and whatever it is that you're doing Make it easy for people don't make it hard or else they will not follow through So those are my tips to business owners
Respect for Small Businesses
00:20:41
Speaker
Yeah, so that's the podcast guys. We have, I just want to say that like in the year 2019, if you are a business owner or a consumer, just put some respect on business owners. It takes so much energy and so much effort to get
00:20:59
Speaker
get things out to get the business to be profitable, to make sure that it's excellent, to make sure that it's great and it's presentable to you. Now, that's a burden that we have to carry as entrepreneurs, but we want to make sure that we bring you the absolute best. Sometimes, following our rules and regulations is the way that we get to do that.
00:21:23
Speaker
So I just want you all to consider, the reason, the point of this podcast is just to consider and learn some more things about how business works and why we have certain things in place. And I hope you enjoyed it. Share this with your friends and followers. You know, get this information out there to the world. We have to put an emphasis on respecting businesses of all kinds. Don't just respect the big businesses and follow their protocols and thumb your nose up as small businesses.
00:21:51
Speaker
We're working too. We're trying to make the world better as well. So respect my business. If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at aliananitashow at gmail.com.
00:22:08
Speaker
If you want to follow me on social media, I am Alion, Anita on all of the things so you can find me there, follow me there. I would love to chitchat with you. And if you guys have any comments about this, listen, I am one comment away. You can always reach out to me. I'm always eager to talk about things, but until then, I will see you guys next week with a fresh new podcast. I love you so much. Be blessed and stay relevant.
00:22:59
Speaker
Thanks for watching!