Small Business View

We had the opportunity to speak with Matt Aronson (left in photo above), CEO of North by South, about his innovative clothing business, which aims to add a special something else to your wardrobe.

Small Business View: Can you tell us about your business?

Matt Aronson: North by South (NxS) is a clothing company that offers customizable t-shirts with necktie pockets, mixing formal and casual wear to provide customers with a unique style opportunity. I started NxS in November 2014 while I was in my senior year at Georgetown University, after about a year of business development planning. Having been in college at the time, I came up with the idea and built the business as a product of my environment. Our tees appeal to many types of people but the college market has been a key target for us. As the CEO of the company, I work with our network of business partners to carry out marketing initiatives and manufacturing processes, as well as manage an extensive group of campus reps to grow our brand on site. I’m very fortunate to be able to work with great people in building NxS so that we can offer these tees to customers, allowing them to express their individual styles and feel great while doing it.

SBV: Have you always wanted to be in business? Why or why not?

MA: I never really thought about being in business until I came up with the idea for NxS. During my first couple years at Georgetown, I took many classes and explored different professions, until I really committed myself to launching NxS and learned to love business through first-hand experience. However, business has such a wide variety of meanings that it can take on. As I’ve run the business, I’ve further developed my professional interests so I’m grateful for the experience that entrepreneurship has given me.

SBV: What is your ultimate vision for the brand?

MA: The NxS brand is simply about expressing your individual style in a classy way and providing that feel-good confidence of getting dressed up with a more formal look while in everyday clothes. We’re still in our first year of business so the priority at the moment is to grow and develop our core around these necktie pocket tees. Beyond this current focus, we hope to be able to partner with larger companies to offer even more unique options and expand our product offering into adjacent categories in the future.

SBV: Looking back to when you started your business, what did you see in its future?

MA: I wanted to give my idea a shot and have fun exploring my interests with a brand and product that I felt passionate about. Too many times people have a great idea and just leave it at that. It’s an intimidating thing to start a company with no prior experience, but I promised myself that I would see my idea to fruition. I understood that building a company from the ground up would be a long-term process so I just take it month by month, and I still hold that mindset as I run the company today.

SBV: What is your biggest takeaway, your biggest reward from what you do?

MA: Without a doubt the biggest reward in running NxS for me is when a customer lets us know how much they love the shirt(s) that he/she purchased. When someone else can find the same passion in your product that you had when envisioning your product and starting your business, that’s really special.

SBV: What’s the most challenging thing you do?

MA: I’m sure other entrepreneurs would agree with me when I say that the most challenging thing in running a startup is the uncertainty and the balancing act you have to deal with in life. From the outside, a company can look like it has seamless operations. However, there are so many unexpected issues that arise internally that must be dealt with on a daily basis. But that’s the excitement of entrepreneurship and what makes it so enjoyable—overcoming these issues, learning as you go, and committing yourself to your brand and product.

SBV: What do you do to kick back after a long day?

MA: I love hanging out with close friends and family to unwind from a long day—going to a movie, dinner, or anything else. I’m a big fitness and sports fan as well, so a good workout or game to watch is always really nice.

SBV: Are you involved with any other organizations right now?

MA: I currently work for a company called Navigant as a consultant dealing with government healthcare solutions. I operate NxS during my off time from Navigant in the early morning, at night, and on weekends. The people at Navigant are fantastic and my work there is very dynamic and interesting, so I consider myself lucky to be able to work at a great company and explore my entrepreneurial interests at the same time.

SBV: Any advice for someone just starting out?

MA: My number one piece of advice for people just starting out would be to just go for it. It sounds simple but it far too often goes overlooked. The beauty of entrepreneurship and small business is that you learn as you go, make mistakes, surround yourself with good people, and gain invaluable experience along the way. If you have a good idea and you are passionate about the idea, then do your research and give it a shot. Whether your idea turns into a very successful company or it falls flat after a year or two of business, you will be glad that you at least saw it through. Don’t be afraid to fail and hear “no” a lot, because moving from failure to failure while remaining passionate about your brand is what is necessary to see the success you want.

SBV: Anything else you want the readers to know?

MA: I believe that confidence is key. That is what entrepreneurship is about, and that is also what the NxS brand represents with our shirts. You get an emotional connection and special feeling when you wear something that is unique and good looking. If you feel good about yourself, then you’ll be more confident and happier in life. That isn’t to say that difficulties won’t come your way, but rather it is an empowering mindset that focuses on the good things in life. Be confident in yourself and just go after your goals. You won’t regret trying.

We had the opportunity to interview Joseph Medina about his business, Medina College Consulting. Located in Southern California, he provides highly sought college guidance to high school students.

Small Business View: Can you tell us about your business?

JM: Medina College Consulting is an independent college counseling practice located in Camarillo, CA. I started MCC in 2014 because I have a passion for helping students get into college. As an Independent College Counselor, I work with students on a one-on-one basis in all aspects of the college admissions process from assisting students in selecting classes to applying to colleges. Within my business, I also have a mentor group called the A-Team, which is a leadership development and volunteer service program where students organize and lead various community projects throughout the year.

SBV: Have you always wanted to be in business? Why or why not?

JM: No, I hated every part of business. At a young age and up into college, I never thought I would be doing something in business let alone be a small business owner. I even changed my Accounting major while in college because I could not see myself working in an office behind a desk and on a computer. It was not until I applied for a job after college that I considered starting a business. Sitting in the interview, I knew I did not want the job, but I was intrigued by what the company was offering which had been teaching their employees how to run a business. The light bulb went off in my head. I told my parents that I wanted to start a business later that day. Even though I did not get the job, I knew I could start a business and learn the same skills on my own that the company taught their employees.

SBV: What is your ultimate vision for the brand?

JM: My vision for my company is to serve as many families and students as I can in my community. My goal is to help every student get into college. My students make my company what it is and have helped me grow as a person. To me, it is more than about applying to college. It is about developing community leaders and providing students the resources and opportunities to be successful in high school, college, a career, and life.

SBV: Looking back to when you started your business, what did you see in its future?

JM: Students are not being given the necessary guidance when it comes to college counseling whether it is at a private or public school. Not getting the counseling I needed to apply to college and to be successful in college, I did not want other students to struggle as I did. Many students are still in the same position as I was in high school. As a result, students fall through the cracks and are not given the opportunity to realize their full potential. I saw a business that could help every student in Ventura County prepare for college especially Black and Latino students that are underrepresented on college campuses. It is important for students to be exposed to a college campus as early as possible and our community must expect college to be the number one option for all our youth.

SBV: What is your biggest takeaway, your biggest reward from what you do?

JM: I want the best for each of my students. Seeing my students graduate from high school, growing as a human being and a leader, and heading off to college are the biggest rewards.

SBV: What’s the most challenging thing you do?

JM: Like many small businesses, money management and increasing profits are the biggest challenges for my business. I have found some important resources to help me with both these challenges and I look forward to a very big year.

SBV: What do you do to kick back after a long day?

JM: I enjoy playing basketball and running. I also love to read. I want to be the best at what I do. I read a variety of books on leadership, business, and college admissions. In addition, I read a number of autobiographies. I try to read one to two hours every day to better my skills.

SBV: Are you involved with any other organizations right now?

JM: Yes. I am an advisor to a new nonprofit organization named Aspiring Minority Doctors (A.M.D.) which two of my students founded. The organization educates high school students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for medical school and the medical field by providing resources, mentoring, medical professional panels, and global and local health projects. I am also on the CAMPO Advisory Committee. CAMPO is a program that does career mentoring for students interested in the medical field.

SBV: Any advice for someone just starting out?

JM: If you get stuck at one point, take some time for yourself to clear your mind by doing something that you enjoy. Some great ideas come when you take some time for yourself. Also, talk to people about your ideas or projects. You can learn a lot by having a good conversation.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You are going to make mistakes. There are always lessons to be learned though. Starting a business means you are in the business of taking risks so don’t be afraid to fail. Put yourself out there and good things will come. You may get a lot of “no’s” at first. Just keep going and push forward.

SBV: Anything else you want the readers to know?

JM: Follow your dreams. Follow your heart. It is up to you to accomplish your dreams. The only person that can hold you back is you. Be who you are. Believe in yourself and what you are doing; everything else will work itself out.

Impulse, the Latest in Social Media

We recently sat down with Nathaniel Medina, one of the founders of Impulse Labs. Located in Berkeley, CA, Medina’s company is a social media startup designed to redefine the purpose of social media. We had the pleasure of speaking with Medina about the first of many great products–the Impulse app.

Small Business View: Can you tell us about your business?

Nathaniel Medina: I am the co-founder of Impulse Labs, a company that is currently making its first product – Impulse. Impulse is a free app for Android and iOS that makes it easy to meet up with friends and people nearby based on your desired activity. We offer five categories to pick from, including Fitness, Foodie, Academic, Entertainment and Random. Example activities could be: “I want to hike. Anyone wanna join? #fitness #hike”, or “Let’s chat while we grub on some pizza #foodie #pizza” etc).  We really want our users to have freedom in deciding what it is they want to do. We are currently in the beta testing phase at UC Berkeley, where I attend college.

SBV: Have you always wanted to be in business?

NM: I think I have always wanted to create and own something, and–as cliché as it sounds–to follow my own dreams instead of working for someone else’s. I realize that building your own business is incredibly risky, but I find excitement out of it. My technical co-founder, Alec Garcia, shares a similar vision and we are committed to building something that our market wants.

SBV: What is your ultimate vision for the brand?

NM: We hope to be the ultimate hub that people use to do things with other people. Imagine being a freshman at a huge college campus. Given everyone’s schedules, it can be very hard to find others to do things with, even simple things like wanting to eat with someone at the cafeteria.  We want people to know that someone is always out there waiting for them on Impulse. Last year, 32% of college students reported being too depressed to function at some point (American College Health Association). As a result, we hope that Impulse can help decrease depression, some of which is from loneliness.

Also, in other matching apps, which tend to be focused on dating, the user is more interested in other people’s appearance. With Impulse, we are making the event the center of attention so it’s not as superficial.

SBV: Looking back to when you started your business, what did you see in its future?

NM: I can honestly say that we are so small right now that getting 1,000 users would be huge. Of course, however, we are motivated to see how big we can become. Once we achieve product/market fit from user testing and feedback, we plan to scale. Also, we are discussing ways of monetizing the app once we grow our user base.

SBV: What is your biggest reward from what you do?

NM: I think it’s the learning process of starting a company and seeing how our product affects people. It’s difficult but so rewarding.

SBV: What’s the most challenging thing you do?

NM: Right now it’s achieving product/market fit. Alec and I are following the lean startup methodology. We are implementing features quickly, testing and getting feedback from users. If users like it, then the feature stays. If not, then we need to rethink.

SBV: What do you do to kick back after a long day?

NM: I’m a huge film guy. So when I have the time I’ll go and watch a movie at the theater. I’m also very serious about self-help learning so I’ll read a motivational book or watch an insightful YouTube video. Some of my favorite books on self-help are The Power of Now (Tolle), The Greatest Salesman in the World (Mandino) and How to Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie).

SBV: Are you involved with any other organizations right now?

NM: I am the Public Relations Chair of a non-profit called Hermanos Unidos. We help the community through service and fundraising.

SBV: Any advice for someone just starting out?

NM: Start now, and keep doing. You've spent enough time thinking. Stop thinking and do, do, do. Good luck to all small businesses out there!

You can learn more about the founders of Impulse Labs at http://www.impulse.life.

What Can ABC’s Scandal Teach Us About Favors?

ABC’s Scandal is one of the most popular shows on television right now. It tries to paint a picture of what goes on among the movers-and-shakers in Washington, D.C.

Don’t worry if you haven’t watched the latest season of Scandal yet. You don’t need your umbrella, because it won’t be raining spoilers today. Brace yourself, though, because we’re about to drop some knowledge.

Most of us have heard of the rule of reciprocity. In business, it is a powerful tool. If you know somebody and help them out, they can help you out in the future. We can call in favors with the rule, or lose out on it if we don’t answer someone else’s call. Yet, it’s not always clear when we might be using it the wrong way. This rule does not work if others think we’re using it dishonestly, or if we let others take advantage of us with it. Therefore, we have to know when to call in favors without coming off as manipulative.

What better place to test this than the rough-and-tumble world of Washington, D.C., especially in everyone’s favorite show Scandal? Let’s look to Olivia Pope and Associates (and Associates) to see what to do and what not to do.  

With hundreds of reliable contacts across the world, Olivia has obviously mastered the rule of reciprocity. Someone wants to be rescued from a dictator? Done, but they owe her. She wants help finding evidence for a case? Done. But is one favor in return for something like that really too much to ask? Olivia Pope fixes people’s problems and helps them grow personally. They save her from certain danger.

This is the key.

The favor we’re asking for has to be no more than equal to the favor we gave, and vice versa.

Take the example of Olivia’s dad Rowan, though. Here is what not to do. He builds people up so that they work for him, and can get a new identity. Yet, when they try to leave, he pressures them into staying, making them feel like they have no other choice. He gives other people skills, then uses it to make them do multiple things they normally would never have done. There is a disconnect between the favors that were done and the favors that were returned. Also, a favor was used as leverage. Helping someone out should not be a chess move. It should be an act that has the potential to help each person grow in the long run.

That being said, we shouldn’t be like David Rosen and let others take advantage of your generosity. Time and time again, he has to stop what he’s doing and help Olivia, or Jake, or Abby, someone. Then, even he’s noticed that he’s had to sacrifice his career as an attorney, his credibility, and even his safety by sweeping something under the rug, or launching an investigation into dangerous people. It is good to make ourselves available to others, but we need to make sure we state that both sides are helping the other grow.

To all of the former employees at Zirtual, we are deeply saddened to hear the news and sympathize with your situation.

If you would like to continue working to help people succeed and reach their full potential, we encourage you to consider becoming a Business Consultant for World Advisory​.

It's highly rewarding work that allows you to work from home and make your own hours. We also have other positions available.

We all know the business world is very difficult, and presents many challenges each day. We put in so much time and effort, but many times, we feel drained, like giving up.

Many times also, though, we just need a little pick-me-up that can help us stay focused. Here are some great quotes that do that.

1. “Our time here is magic! It's the only space you have to realize whatever it is that is beautiful, whatever is true, whatever is great, whatever is potential, whatever is rare, whatever is unique. It's the only space.”

              - Ben Okri, Author

2. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

              - Confucius

3. “Just because you are CEO, don’t think you have landed. You must continually increase your learning, the way you think and the way you approach the organization. I’ve never forgotten that.”

              - Indra Nooyi, CEO, Pepsi

4. “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”

              - Julie Andrews, Actress

5. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

              - Thomas Edison, Inventor

6. “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”

             - Jesse Owens, Athlete

7. “Define success in your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.”

             - Anne Sweeney, Former Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks

8. “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

             - Thomas Paine, Author

9. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.”

             - Maya Angelou

10. "If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it."

             - Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla Motors

11. “The chief condition on which life, health, and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains fulfillment of its destiny.”

             - Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.), Former U.S. Secretary of State

12. “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.”

             - Oprah Winfrey, CEO, Harpo Studios

13. “If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.”

             - John Rockefeller, Entrepreneur

14. “They can conquer who believe they can.”

             - Virgil, Roman poet

15. “If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”

             - President Barack Obama

16. “Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion."

             - Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos

17. “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow. When there's that moment of 'Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moments, that's when you have a breakthrough.”

             - Marissa Meyer, CEO, Yahoo

18. “It always seems impossible, until it’s done.”

             - Nelson Mandela

19. “We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes—understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”

             - Arianna Huffington, Founder, Huffington Post

20. “The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."

             - President Barack Obama

21. “I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.”

             - Og Mandino, Author

Bonus quote (excuse this one for being a little bit meta):

“I believe the last thing I read at night will likely manifest when I'm sleeping. You become what you think about the most.”

             - Daymond John, CEO, FUBU

Welcome to the Small Business View Tumblr webpage!

We are a magazine that is a third-party subsidiary of the World Advisory Company, which provides consulting services for small business owners looking to grow their businesses. We started in 2011, a year after World Advisory, with a goal of broadcasting and portraying the experience of entrepreneurs and all things affecting them. From operations to management to NGOs, we will cover it!

We realized that there weren’t that many magazines out there talking specifically about our struggles and our triumphs as entrepreneurs in life and business. This is our place. This is our time.

This is the first blog of the rest of your life. Just kidding. This is not going to be some gimmicky magazine meant to pump traffic. This is going to be a road guide for a journey that will help you to whatever destination you desire.

We will include the latest tips and news, with a touch of pop culture also, but we also want to make this a very personal experience. We will do profile pieces of you, people in our audience, so that you can promote yourself and your ideas.

Whether it be the person who started as an intern and is now trying to make it out on their own, the family that lives and does business together, or someone who is a complete novice and taking big risks to succeed, we will cover it.

Small Business View will become the premier news source on the small business experience, with your support and your involvement. With you on board, we can both grow and succeed on this journey together.

Enjoy the reading!