Every business should solve a problem. And Laurie Davis had a great one to solve: Online dating. Find out how the CEO and Founder of eFlirt started her online dating concierge service to help her clients find great relationships, minus the part where you trudge through a lot of garbage and get depressed—and gotten major press in the process. Plus: Why introducing a bit of seduction into your business goals is key to landing them.

You should never pick your identity out of a book—that goes for logos, business cards, and tattoos, as a matter of fact. It should be yours and yours alone. In this episode, Terri speaks with designer and branding expert Jenny Poff, owner of Presque Isle Designs, who works with female entrepreneurs to help capture who they are in visual branding and convey it across all brand touch points. Here, her advice on how to not only rethink your brand identity, but how to work with a designer to...

You know how commercial artist Nick Longo gets work? He keeps showing up for it. He’s not over here in a corner wondering why no one wants his “art.” He’s in business, and so he makes sure people know it—even if they don’t respond to his emails at first. Or, for months on end. When you’re a creative professional, it’s easy to be tempted to get caught up in your “work” and be mad at people for not appreciating or adoring it enough. Well, Nick says, get over that. He did—and he has the clients...

Kim Spadaro didn’t know from the beginning what business she’d create. She had no idea she was even going to launch one. She was too busy working, raising kids, living her life. And then she caught the scent of something she had to follow, and that’s how Spadaro Luxury Fragrances was founded. Today, Kim Spadaro is the visionary and alchemist behind the successful business—which she launched at 45. You’ll find out how she did it, and how the only decision better than taking on her biggest...

Maybe it’s been an age since you interned somewhere, if you did it all. But fact is, everyone starts as an “intern” per se. All job training is on the job training, and if you’re able to make a strong impression, ask the right questions, and make powerful contributions, you can grow your career at every level. So this week, we talk with Sydney Fulkerson, who mastered the internship process, wrote a book about it called The Coffee Run and talks about how she has applied what she learned doing...

Rachel Hofstetter, former Oprah editor and author of Cooking Up a Business, had a great idea for her own wedding: Create a unique publication so that her guests at the wedding would know who everyone else was. It was a hit—and she started doing it as a gift for friends’ weddings. And then someone she didn’t know asked, “How much?” Since then she’s scaled her great idea into Guesterly, a service that creates a customized guide to who’s who at your wedding or event. Find out how she did it,...

Debra Fine knows all too well the dread of striking up conversation with strangers. But she also knew that once she could master the skills of connection, her business and life would change—and she was right. A well-known keynote speaker and author of The Fine Art of Small Talk, among other books, Debra shows you how she got past her fear and built a brand being an expert in the one thing she dreaded most. Plus: Why you’re going to the wrong events, and how to sell if you want to 10x your...

The age of the generalist is over. In order to be competitive, you not only have to be good at what you do; you have to give people a reason to choose you. Enter: Your niche. The fear is that you’ll “limit” prospects. Wrong. The more specific you get, and the more targeted your approach, the more you have to offer, and the less time you waste on the jobs and clients who aren’t a fit. Marketing Mentor Ilise Benun shows you how and why it’s time to pick a niche.

Most people would sooner die than get up in front of other people and start talking. And yet—speaking is a great way to get the word out about your business and raise your own profile in the industry. Public speaking coach Julia Wojnar, founder of Unleash Your Presence, joins Terri at Voila Chocolat on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to show you how to bust through your mental blocks and butterflies and make an impression on stage.

You don’t know where your next opportunity is coming from—and it may not be coming from above, but from below, or even from left field. Are you ready for it? Caroline Ceniza-Levine is a career expert and cofounder of SixFigureStart, which helps ambitious professionals find their competitive edge. As a former executive recruiter, she knows what the decision makers are looking for and how they think—which you can apply regardless of your business. Get fresh insights into how to network,...

When Emmi Sorokin worked in IT, it was all she could do not to forcibly make over her nerdy colleagues. She knew they could look, and feel, so much more confident, if they only knew how. In this men-friendly episode, the author of The Business Casual Survival Guide gives you dudes some strategies for stepping things up a notch—and getting more respect (and more dates) in the process. Plus: Why even if you work from home, you gotta get dressed, unless you only want to do pajama-level work.

Public relations has to two objective: Two promote you, or protect you. Either way, you’ve got to own the spin and maintain your brand’s image through careful use of PR. And Lisa Nickerson is just the woman to do it. This episode, the #brandboss herself gives you a crash course in PR, following up, and how to get the right kind of attention. Shot aboard the Seabourn Odyssey.

One of the biggest perks of working for yourself? Unlimited vacation days. And yet—chances are you’re even MORE afraid to take time off, because you think the whole operation will fall apart in a few days. (It won’t.) This week: How to handle email when you’re away, how to use time off as the chance to shake up your perspective on your business and your life, and share a cocktail with Terri and her friend Lisa Nickerson, host of BrandBoss, also on this very network. Shot on location aboard...

Amy Peloso knew she loved coaching when she’d happily push her work aside anytime someone came crying into her office (as they often did). When it was time to go out on her own, she wanted to figure out what her “thing” was—so she did a deep dive into her work and life history to find her through line. If you work for yourself, you need to know the what and why, and you don’t have to guess at it. In this episode, Amy walks you through the steps of finding the through line of your life and...

Sam Hysell doesn’t believe in business plans, or a lot of other stuff that entrepreneurs waste time on. Why do so many startups fail? They spend time on the stuff that doesn’t matter, and only see what they want to. His job is to poke holes in assumptions (and people pay him to do this). Find out how the kids are doing business now. Also: A good lesson in what makes one company not just cooler, but better, at customer service, thanks to a lesson Terri learned the hard way.

Think you need to choose between a 9-5 and building your own business? Think again. Maggie Mistal moonlighted as a career coach while working as a corporate HR executive. Before she took the leap to go solo, she took every opportunity to use her coaching skills at her day job, which grew her skillset and later contributed to the success of her business. And it even helped her fulfill a dream with her current employer: Hosting her very own career-themed radio show. Find out how it’s possible...

The way you represent yourself and your work online is a critical first step for solopreneurs (and everyone else). Truth is, most of us are bad at talking about ourselves—which is why Erica Breuer can make her living helping you do it right. The founder of CakeResumes.com says that, believe it or not, your LinkedIn profile should not read like a resume; it should speak to your story, not just amass a bunch of 50-cent words. Find out how to change yours up to stand out online, and inject your...

The biggest mistake you can make as a business owner is to think, “I’m in charge.” You’re not, says Daniel DiGriz; the economy is. DiGriz, author of All Marketing Is Dead, has no aspirations to be “the boss” either: He doesn’t hire employees; he hires business owners, because it’s not the size of a company that determines your success; it’s the volume of business you do. DiGriz’s entirely un-self-centered approach to business isn’t just charming; it’s smart as hell. Because while anyone can...

When Taylor Simonson and Lisa Esterhuizen were colleagues in event production in New York City, they worked on national campaigns for big clients…and then realized they could very conceivably go out on their own, and together, do big things for smaller brands. So they got business-married and had a brand baby: Gold Key Events. Taylor and Lisa share the keys to a successful business partnership. Plus: Why you should try Periscope (for reals).

When Judi Rosenthal was a financial advisor at Ameriprise, let’s just say she and her female colleagues were fairly outnumbered. Given the traditionally male-dominated world that finance is, Judi saw an opportunity to support women in her industry. So she launched Bloom, a national network of support, advice, and trainings for the women within her company. Now, she’s out on her own, and says key to success is having an ask—no matter who you’re talking to. Plus, why saying you’re bad at...

The day Farnoosh Torabi got laid off from her job as a journalist was in many ways the day her real career began. Instead of going the safe route and finding another job, Farnoosh ran with her big idea—and it changed the course of her career. In this episode, the author and host of the So Money podcast shares how living with uncertainty is the key to entrepreneurship, and how to survive a layoff and come out the other side thriving.

Gary Coxe never takes no for an answer—and he says that kind of dogged persistence is the single most important quality for success in business. It separates those who get what they want from those who don’t, and it’s the reason he’s made millions. Gary explains how your own head games are getting in the way of you making the sale or landing the client, why false hope is causing you to pump the brakes when you should be hitting the gas, and why persistence and follow-up are the two key...

This week, Terri has the opportunity to meet with influential business and publicity strategist, Selena Soo, and the members of her S2 Publicity Mastermind in New York City. The mission: Distill their message and sharpen their presentation skills. In this speed round of interviews, learn how each of these lady business owners is growing their influence and their reach.

Carson Tate was working in sales when she realized there was a direct correlation between how organized she was and how much revenue she brought in. When her colleagues adopted her system and started earning more, she knew she was onto something. Today, she teaches others professionals of all stripes to take back their time and grow their bottom line. Find out where you’re wasting your time and start optimizing it.