Maya David is a licensed New Jersey teacher who gives private Math and Reading lessons to students (grades K-8) who may need more personal attention than is provided during the regular school day. Maya is also a licensed Spanish teacher who has taught the Spanish language to adults and children, both in the classroom and privately. Here she highlights the joys and challenges of running her tutoring business.

Mindspring Design: What made you start up your tutoring business?

Primero Tutoring (Maya David): I used to tutor in college, and I enjoyed the personal attention and time I got to spend with each student. After I got laid off [from teaching in elementary school], I decided to give it a try on my own. I worked with a tutoring agency for one summer, and I realized I could make more money and get more contacts on my own. So I went off to do it on my own.

How did you develop the concept for Primero Tutoring?

Since I majored in Spanish [in college], I was going to focus on Spanish and also elementary math and reading. I thought that the name [Primero Tutoring] was a good combination of both themes – it encompasses Spanish along with general tutoring. And “primero” means number one!

What do you enjoy most about your business?

I like being able to really see students make progress on an individual level. Because when you teach in a classroom, you don’t get to give enough attention to each student to work on his or her specific needs. And I feel like I can accomplish a lot. I also enjoy the fact that I get to be a support to the family, not only educationally but also emotionally. I feel like I have a more personal connection with the families I’m involved with, and I like that a lot better than teaching in a classroom. I could teach like this all day long!

What are your biggest business challenges?

Finding enough time to find business and staying organized. Also keeping up with developing my professional skills.

Do you have any advice for other small startups?

If you don’t succeed the first time, try again. I tried this a couple of years ago and it didn’t go very far. The second time I did more reading and research and it went better. Keep trying, studying and researching, and that will help improve your chances.

Check out Maya David’s website and blog at www.primerotutoring.com.

These days it seems everybody and their mom has a blog. Rock stars, politicians, and 13 year old millionaires have blogs. Does your company need one? We’ll discuss what blogs can do, the benefits, and the risks.

What on earth is a blog anyway?

For those who don’t know, “blog” is a term that combines the words “Web” and “log.” So it logs (or lists) entries (often called “posts”) containing text, graphics, or video content created by somebody. Learn about blog types and history here.

You are reading Mindspring Design’s Blog right now. Take a minute and look around! Many blogs follow this format. You are reading a post. You can read other posts by searching the categories and other links in the sidebar. At the end of each post, or entry, you can view or add your own comments.

Why would somebody blog?

• It helps you get found by search engines.
• Posting regularly adds valuable, searchable information to your website.
• A blog helps you to reach a wider audience.
• It’s beneficial as a marketing tool for brand awareness and education.
• You can use a blog to open up a dialogue with your readers/consumers and get valuable feedback.
• Using a blog to design your whole website gives you an easy content management system.
• Think of some more benefits? Let me know!

How do I get a blog?

There are many free online tools you can use to start your own blog. Blogger and WordPress are both free and popular. Blogger can be hosted on their website, WordPress is hosted on your own server. I am using WordPress for this website, for example. I downloaded their free blogging software and easily installed it onto my own server. (You will need access to a database to do this yourself.  The WordPress website offers lots of help though. And several hosting providers, like Superb.net, offer a blog for free with set-up already done for you.)

Are there risks involved in a company blog?

• Offensive content
• Legal issues — giving out sensitive company information
• Copyright infringement
• Angry, dissatisfied posts by customers (you do have control over this through an admin panel; you could potentially turn this into a positive by addressing the issue and improving your product or service)
• Any I missed? Let me know.

My personal experience with blogging has been positive. I appreciate any and all comments. I find that I must keep up with what small-businesses are interested in, and the graphics industry. And the added website content helps to attract more people to my site.

Some of the latest WordPress Templates:

I recently searched through 100 businesses in Burlington County, NJ, and 30 of them had no website. While these 30 companies were mentioned on the web in various directory listings, they have yet to establish their own unique online presence.

Does your company have a website? If not, does it need a website? The answer is YES! Whether you’ve just started as a sole-proprietor, or you’ve got dozens of employees, you need a website. Even if your product or service isn’t meant to be sold online, you can still profit from having a website. Why?

A well-designed website can:

• provide information about your company
• give details about your products or services
• attract new clients
• educate consumers
• create an online forum for communication and learning
• be an online marketplace
• reach a wider regional or international market
• be a portal
• entertain
• create awareness
• provide testimonials
• offer discounts and specials
• receive, process and organize information
• take online appointments
• give a first impression
• convey your company’s personality and core values
• give you an edge over your competition

Can you think of any more? Leave a comment if you can think of more benefits to having a website. And spread the word with all the small business owners you meet! If you just started your business, it’s high time you began marketing your small business now.

Earlier Post in the Starting a Small Business Series

As more and more people are affected by the economic downturn, many are looking to cash in on their talents to make extra cash on the side. Others are diving in headfirst to start up their very own small business. And one key strategy to help jumpstart your business and maintain its growth is networking. Everyone doing business has to get their name and information about their product or services out there. A great way to do this is to have creative, effective business cards to leave with people you meet.

Creative, eye-catching business cards can be printed relatively cheaply. They are transferable, meaning that people tend to pass them on to others who might need your services. And, they make you directly accessible even if you haven’t setup a website yet or created printed marketing materials. We will discuss how to visually enhance your business cards so that they do their jobs.

Do’s and Don’ts for effective, creative business cards:

DO:

1. Use your well-designed logo and display it prominently.

2. Make sure your company info is correct. Check and double check your name, position, company, phone and fax numbers, website, blog, tagline etc.

3. Tell people what you do. The card should describe your business and specify why they should do business with you, instead of your competition. Use both sides if you can afford it, so that you are not cramped for space. Plus, that’s more prime real estate for marketing your services.

4. Design it. (Using a stock/template card will look just like everyone else’s card.) You can easily do this yourself. Companies like Vistaprint allow you to upload your own design.

5. Better yet, hire a professional who will make sure the card is visually balanced and typographically pleasing.

6. Your card should reflect you. When appropriate, let your personality shine through, or give people visual cues about your skills.

7. If you want to splurge, here’s a great resource that gives some great ideas which include embossing, metallic, quirky, cutouts, odd shapes and sizes, translucent, popups, textured and more. Of course be careful as some of these wouldn’t fit in standard business card holders. But if most in your industry keep their contacts in a digital format or online, then go for it!

DON’T:

1. Use cheap paper. Buy the best you can afford.

2. Get free cards with a sponsor printed on the back.

3. Make type too big or too small or plaster it over a busy photo, rendering it completely illegible.

4. Place type too close to edge of the card. This screams amateur.

Follow these tips and you will be able to network effectively and leave a good, professional first impression wherever you go. Stay tuned for more posts in the Starting a Small Business Series for web and print marketing and design tips.

Check out these business logos: