Crave Company
Founder: Melody Biringer
Website: http://www.theCRAVEcompany.com
Facebook | Twitter: @CRAVEcompany
Melody Biringer, founder of the CRAVE company appeared on the Small Businesses Do It Better Show, episode 3 (watch the show on Ovaleye.tv) on Connecting with Other Businesses to Grow Your Own.
Q) We love your story about how you test out your new business ideas – could you share this?
I made some amazing lemon cookies and thought of starting a cookie business named “WOW cookies”. I had some business cards made up and went to a trade show, what I quickly realized is that there are few cookies that really make you say WOW when you bite into them. In one weekend I learned that this business could not be what I wanted it to be so I did not continue. The moral, “fail fast” don’t waste time and money on a business in it’s early stages, by failing fast you haven’t wasted any valuable resources and can continue on to something else.
Q) We also love your concept of “flip it” – could you share this and how you’ve implemented it in the past?
Someone once told me that everything I do in business I completely flip it and do the opposite of what I started from. This is a great concept for any business to use when something is not working. Take whatever you have and are doing and completely flip it 180 degrees and do the total opposite!
Q) Crave is all about connections, tell us why this is so important to any business, especially a small business.
Our CRAVE chats bring like minded entreprenesses together, when we get together we talk and come up with great ideas. Talking about business with others holds you true to your mission too. Every business needs connections to collaborate with, expand on ideas with to work on your dreams and goals together to create a bigger concept.
Q) I am sure you have seen many businesses (who are in your crave book) blossom from being a part of this massive networking group – can you share some examples of business growth from networking?
One woman who attended a CRAVE buzz party told everyone about her business, at that event she gained two wholesale buyers, which led to the news doing a story on her business on the morning news the next day! Another attendee met a similar business, located close to her own, who decided to help each other to gain business. Because they met at this event, they found they got along so well that it would better benefit their businesses to help each other rather than being competitive.
Q) Your business has gone from one city to 35 cities in 3 countries – What advice do you have for a business owner who wants to go big?
Know yourself to know how you want to run your business and decide what to delegate. If you don’t want to or aren’t good at something in your business, then have someone else do it. Planning this out beforehand will allow much smoother and more sustainable growth.
Q) You also have a book, “Craving Success” which is a must read for any business owner and you give the inside scoop on running 21 different businesses and a ton of entrepreneur tips. Can you tell us a little more about your book.
This book is about all of the mistakes I’ve made in business, “132 lessons learned”. I sat down and wrote all of my stories from a 30 year time span. Each chapter tells each businesses story, what I learned, good and bad and how I changed my ways going into the next business.
Watch the full episode of “Grow Your Business by Connecting with Other Businesses” on the Small Businesses Do It Better Show, including all of the links and resources mentioned, at watch the show here on Ovaleye.tv
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