Getting help for your business

This is especially true when you consider that there are so many competitive options in the world today. There was a time when just having a web presence was a "big deal." Now, it is pretty much standard procedure.

If every business today is expected to have a web presence, how can any one small business expect to stand out? How can any small business successfully compete in today's crowded marketplace? After all, a small business obviously lacks both the capital and the infrastructure of a major corporation.

Think about this - David beat Goliah. He did it despite the fact the odds were overwhelmingly against him. If you remember the Bible story, David was pretty cocky in his optimism. However, it is important to point out that David not only knew how to use his tools, he knew how to use the tools of his adversary, Goliah. In fact, he used Goliath's own weapons to defeat him.

Does that sort of thing still happen today? Well, two men decided to take on Wal-Mart. They formed a small business and began to compete against Wal-Mart on specific retail items by employing Wal-Mart's own strategy but without needing a box store. Believe it or not, this business that was started by two men is now beating Wal-Mart in segmented retail markets. The company's name is Alice.com. The size and massiveness of Wal-Mart did not deter those two men from taking it on.

If David and Alice.com can do it, is there not hope for any small business that knows how to use its tools? You just need what David and Alice.com had. You need to know how to cleverly user your own tools (and possibly the tools of the competition). How does that happen? You need to get organized and seek proper guidance. Don' t go it alone. The purpose of this lens is to three-fold:

1) To introduce you a tool for maintaining an organized business life

2) To suggest ways to successfully network

3) To encourage business mentorship and personal infrastructure building.

Let's get started.