The owner of Natural Solutions, Erica Spencer, M.S. L.Ac.,  is a very motivated, hard working, and uniquely qualified entrepreneur.

A graduate of Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture at NYCC, Erica received a Master’s Degree in Science and Acupuncture (MSA). She is a Licensed Acupuncturist certified by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), and Erica is also a United States Marine Corps (USMC) Veteran with over four years of experience working in the Mental Health and Chemical Dependency fields.

The  holidays  are  over,  and  as  we reflect  on  the  weight  gain, credit card  debt, and  family  get togethers, one thing may be sticking   out   in   your  head.  At  least everyone  loved  my  recipe for  “fill  in  the  blank.”

Maybe  you  are  thinking   that   you   should  take your recipe that  your  family  and friends adored so much  and  do  something with it, like turn it  into  a  business  or  a side hustle right?

Well, let’s take a closer look at all that is involved to take your idea for a food business and make it a reality.

Sometimes start-ups take some time to pull together both technically and mentally, as was the case with Sarah Curtis who is now operating Syracuse Mom’s Blog, LLC as a home-based business. 

In Sarah’s own words from the website at https://syracuse.citymomsblog.com/ – “Syracuse Moms Blog is a collaborative blog, parenting resource and community that strives to inform, empower and connect families in Central New York.”

So much these days is written about entrepreneurship, but perhaps too little is written about the entrepreneur. What is an entrepreneur exactly?

In fact the word itself has seen dramatically increasing popularity in recent years, probably due, in large part, to colleges adopting entrepreneurship programs of study.  But how do we define entrepreneur in dictionary terms?

The 2018 Cayuga County Competition took place on October 25, November 1, November 8 (for 2 hours each night) with the final Competition held on November 15, where the following winners were announced.

Left to right: E.J. Onori, Brian Chappell, and Melody Johnson.

The 2018 Cortland County Competition took place on October 23, October 30, November 6 (for 2 hours each night) with the final Competition held on November 13 where the following winners were announced.

Left to right: Michael Sampson, Tina Minervini, Tammie Whitson, Jonathan Milton, Paul Brooks (judge), and Michael Rosanio (instructor).

Have you ever been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, dreamed of being your own boss, have a business you'd like to buy or start --- but don't know where to begin?  The Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is the place to go.

The Onondaga SBDC is a group of seasoned business professionals based in Central New York that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with high - quality business consultants and workshops. Their services include offering help with choosing the correct legal structure (entity), preforming market research, developing a business plan, creating a financial plan, seeking financing, crafting a marketing plan, hiring employees, setting prices, and conducting business operations. The SBDC provides these services to both start-up and existing businesses at NO COST in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego, and Seneca counties.

Eva Zaczynski had absolutely no experience running a restaurant when she first opened Eva’s European Sweets in in 1997.  She picked a red brick building on Milton Avenue, just west of Syracuse, because she could afford the rent.  As word got out in those pre-internet days, the staff kept written directions by the phone to help lost diners when they called.

Marketing is ideally suited for cooperative implementation among small businesses. Cost and time required are the two most obvious reasons that might make it harder for business owners to perform, hire, or contract for these tasks individually.

In fact, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports, according to a study by Marketo, that only 56 percent of small businesses (with fewer than 50 employees) have a marketing plan.

Entrepreneurs are innovative, self-starters and motivated beyond  belief. We, in economic development, marvel at your tenacity and sheer will-power.

When starting a business, you have created a step-by-step plan on how to begin, when and where to start, detailed your business plan with extensive projections, and forecast the possible highs and lows of your new venture. You have detailed every phase of your project, and what needs to be done to make the next phase a success. This commitment to success is awe-inspiring. Often, you spend so much time and energy planning and cultivating your “baby,” but most times very little effort at planning for your exit.

The best days that Central New York has to offer us weather-wise are upon us.  Now is the time to get out, soak up the sun, and step away from the daily grind.

No matter what stage of entrepreneurship you are in, it is far too easy to get sucked into wearing many different hats, working too many hours each day, and never allowing yourself time to recharge.  After all, isn’t this the reason you chose to become an entrepreneur? —to make your own schedule, allow inspiration and creativity, and spend more time with your families and friends.