In my pursuit of sharing #14daysofbusinesslove here in France and shining some well deserved light for fellow business owners, day seven is about Adam Lack and Adams Handyman Services. I met Adam through a local a friend and fellow auto entrepreneur in the autumn of last year. I invited him to do a small job at home.  Adam is such a jolly and amiable man with great authenticity that you cannot help but like him.  A great skill for those in the trades to have, as customers need to feel confident and have an ability to trust you from the outset.  Having set up his business in 2016, Adam has been through the revised registration of setting up as a micro enterprise here in France, which has changed drastically since mine or my husbands registration days.  Since then Adam has been extremely busy and I see no reason why he will not have a bright and successful future here in France.  

What's your #1 tip when dealing with clients?
Listen carefully to their needs.

What is your most memorable experience as a business owner in France?
My most memorable experience as a business was doing a house clearance, we found out the house had been broken in to, nothing was really taken but we had to let the Gendarmerie know, we screwed  the broken window up, and waited for them to arrive.  On there arrival they look bemused as my transit tipper was full of furniture from the house and we were not supposed to touch anything but we had all our handprints on everything! 

What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I really enjoy meeting people and seeing parts of the region I might not have ever gone to.

What do you do to switch off from your business?
To switch off from work, I do like my nights in, light the fire, good bottle of red wine and a film, but depending on how I feel, I do like to socialise at the bar too!

What advice would you give to someone starting out in business in France?
My advice to anyone setting up a business in France is do your homework, and expect to put lots of hours in (the more you put in, the more your get out ) and try to learn a little of the language.

What's the best book you have ever read?
The best book I've read is my daughters school book.

A penguin walks through your front door wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
The penguin says "apparently you are a real genuine top bloke, great sense of humour and throw a great party !! So you don't mind if i get into bed with you?"

Facebook - Adams Handyman Services

Yours socially
Micala

In my pursuit of sharing #14daysofbusinesslove here in France and shining some well deserved light for fellow business owners, day four is about Tracy Leonetti - Your Paperwork Specialists in France. Tracy lives and works in a beautiful part of France and I have had the pleasure of her support for various questions about life in France.  For me, Tracy and her business are aspirational. As someone who is just notching up 5 years in France versus Tracy's 20+ years, talking to Tracy encourages me and no doubt her clients that living and working the French dream is as real as you want to make it.

What's your #1 tip when dealing with clients?
Always deliver on what you say and always ask the question ‘How can I help”? because the chances are there are more products or services they need from you.
What is your most memorable experience as a business owner in France?
Gosh there are quite a few but being finalist for the Riviera Business Club Business Person of the Year 2016 has to be the most recent. The nominations event in Cannes and then as I was a finalist there was a wonderful gala dinner for the awards ceremony.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
The diversity. Being able to help people with so many different problems is amazing. Also every single day I learn something new as the processes in France change often and especially from one region to another, so it’s a continual learning curve, love it !
What do you do to switch off from your business?
I play with my 9 year old son. Nothing like your son making you play football to take your mind off the Chambre de Metier or suchlike – there is simply no head space when trying to get past my little man with a ball !
What advice would you give to someone starting out in business in France?
It’s worth investing some time or money to understand the different structures open to you as this is crucial to the success of any business. Write down your business objectives, both financial and business, even if they are small. Then, ensure you have your WHY list written down. If your why is big enough, you will meet those objectives.
What's the best book you have ever read?
Gosh there are so many but the most recent one that I have read is Life Leverage by Rob Moore. It really helps you get perspective on your life and business.
A penguin walks through your front door wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
He says he’s just moved over from old Sombrero land and he says ‘Hi Tracy, I hear you are the go to person for moving, living and business in France’, is this true? And I respond by saying ‘Yes I am, how can I help you?’
  
Website: www.lbsinfrance.com
www.lbsinfrance.com/relocation
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Tracy-Leonetti-Business-Services-164269757031167/
Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-leonetti-09b6a032?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Yours socially 
Micala 

In my pursuit of sharing #14daysofbusinesslove here in France and shining some well deserved light for fellow business owners, day three is about Shelby Hill. Shelby is a native American and lives and leads a busy and full life in France. I had the pleasure of meeting Shelby virtually in 2016 as she had approached me for a skype training session.  I think it fair to say, that I got as much out of the interaction with Shelby as she did with the training.  A truly compassionate and caring individual who cares about her interactions with all who come in contact with her. 

What's your #1 tip when dealing with clients?
Listen to what they're saying. If they know you care, they will trust you. If they trust you, they will refer people to you. If they refer people to you, your business will grow organically. 

What is your most memorable experience as a business owner in France?
At one point I was running two businesses. I commercialized Murano glass jewelry before working seriously in business development in nutrition. One of my customers had a daughter with celiac disease. The day she bought a pair of earrings for her daughter to cheer her up was the day I quit. I knew a pair of earrings wouldn't truly help her daughter. Nutrition could. It was a no brainer to me.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?
The best thing about my job is the people. I meet so many and from all walks of life. Everyone has their own story. Most come to me because they have tried a lot of other things to feel better or to find another way to work. When I can help someone with MS or cancer or a sports person feel and live better,it is priceless. One woman came to me to help her work from home because she had a very ill child. She had given her whole life to her salaried position, which she lost because her child was often sick. Both of them saw huge changes in their well being and the mom learned a new way to work. She had to learn to use an agenda because her whole life was stuck up on her fridge between prescriptions and doctors appointment. This woman now has several partners working with her. It's changed her future. 

What do you do to switch off from your business?
I have 6 kids and 7 grandkids that keep me busy. Changing diapers, playing games and camping help me to unplug especially when there is no network. Oh, I have a dog too. A big one. That needs a lot of walks.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in business in France?
Don't give up. Unless it hurts your family life. 

What's the best book you have ever read?
Endless Referrals by Bob Burg is good for perpetuating your business. 
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyways by Susan Jeffers is changing my life right now. 

A penguin walks through your front door wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
"Where's the guacamole? I wanna chill with my cool friends at the South Pole in style, muchachos!"

To find out more about Shelby Hill visit her about me.com 
Blog: http://shelbyhill.postach.io
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ShelbyHillNutrition
Twitter. https://www.twitter.com/shelbycolehill

Yours socially
Micala 

I recently wrote a blog about some considerations small business owners should make when developing their personal brand. A personal brand is hugely important when starting out, a well nurtured personal brand goes along way to supporting your business brand. I also made a suggestion that during the early days focusing on a logo is not a must do and that at some point your business may warrant one.

Recently I had a great conversation with a fellow business owner in France who wanted some advice on developing his business, which I was more than happy to do. The amazing thing about the world of business, is that you just don't know who knows who and I was having a chat with the nephew of a great friend back in the UK, Jace Peacock-Reid.

Jace lives and works in France and I was already a fan of his Facebook page www.facebook.com/innateformweddings and love his style that flows seamlessly through his photographic work. With website and graphic design now part of his repertoire, these skills certainly complement his photography work - www.facebook.com/innateform

It was during our exploratory conversation that there was a real connection, what you see in Jace's photographic work conveys in conversation too. I felt there was a cosmic alignment that meant it felt right for Jace to explore a logo for my business.

I took this opportunity to look at how my business had developed over the last 4 years since moving to France. My business is about marketing through social media, but there are many other facets of running a business that lend themselves naturally to marketing. I am passionate about helping fellow small business owners in France. Having been self employed in the UK before moving to France and understanding a lot of principles and skills needed to run a business, I am very aware of the frustrations that are part and parcel of setting up a business in France, getting business on board and maintaining awareness.

For me, the glass is always half full or filling up and I see challenges as opportunities, that have silver linings. I have no qualms in sharing what I know with people. It is important that people can work towards success and it is very fulfilling to help shape or contribute to that success. I have my fair share of challenges as a small business owner and have my weaknesses too but I don't let them get in the way of what can be achieved. My motto is always no point worrying about it, where there's a will, there's a way and give the problem the mental energy that is needed to overcome it.

I also love nature. One of the reasons I love living here in France... it's full of trees. I love looking at them. I love driving through miles of countryside seeing acres of trees. I never get bored of them whatever the season. And when my husband and I purchased a house earlier this year, what a lucky lady I was to have so many of them in the garden. Trees are great teachers. When I explored my logo I wanted the oak tree in particular to be part of that process.
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• Just like a the tree a business needs a roots from which to grow.
• Like trees, patience is required. Your business needs to develop and mature at a pace that is right. Not forced or hurried.
• Trees adapt to the seasons. So must a business. Understand the cycles of your business and adapt accordingly.
• The leaves are your leads. The activity that you do in your business should lead to enquiries and income. Not all activity will do this and like life a leaf will fall away.

The process of finalising my logo was completely different to what I had expected. Little did I know that I would be quite finite on little detail. I have to say at this point, I did ask for some help in fine tuning and I am very glad that I asked for that help. The logo is a personal thing when you are a small business owner – you want it to incorporate you, your business, what you stand for, but at the same time, it needs to appeal to your potential audience. When I asked for reactions to my draft, I was amazed at how a lot of the audience got it, but also how many didn't. Seeing something entirely different to what I wanted to convey. Was that because they don't know me? Or was it because that is literally what they saw? You find yourself getting quite territorial about the logo but at the same time you need to let go and be open minded at the reactions of others.

I focused on the points that resonated with me and what I felt my business stood for, you cannot please every one. Everyone has a different perception, everyone has a different feeling when seeing something. Colour was an important aspect for me. With over 400 shades of green, it had to be the right shade of green and pleasing on the eye and congruent with what you would expect of an oak tree. The acorn had to be right. During draft it lacked a little something... more definition but remain subtle at the same time.

I don't enjoy lingering on things for too long, let me have a bit of choice, but not too much. I like to get to a decision quickly. And so I have rested on this logo. Alacim being Micala back to front.  I am my business, my business is me. 

Yours socially
Micala

There's a familiar quote - entrepreneurs are willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week. That most certainly rings true for the self employed in France. It takes a certain kind of mindset to create your own job and financial security in a country that has many challenges not just for non natives, but the French also.

You have successfully navigated the setting up of your business in France. You are full of enthusiasm, you are raring to go. There is more to being self employed than getting stuck into your trade, profession, skill or craft. It is easy to start up a business but it takes dogged determination to manage one! It is vital that a business owner understands the basics of managing a multitude of skills effectively.

There are many functions that will resonate with every business: business & financial planning, sales, marketing and advertising, cash flow and customers, managing of time and stress. How these functions are managed will be different from one business to another. Some of these skills you will bring to your business and others you will have to learn as you go. It is not uncommon for a new business owner to be over awed at the thought of having to sell their products or services. During the course of your week, month, year you will be wearing juggling many plates and at times this can easily become overwhelming.

Where there are knowledge gaps, join Facebook groups that are geared towards either your niche/market or for self employed, freelancers, micro entrepreneurs. Don't be scared to ask questions. Talk to your Chambre de Métiers, or Commerce, many around France offer a variety of support and activities and your involvement will be dependant on your language skills. Network and meet with other small business owners, we have all been through similar phases in our own businesses and many of us are happy to share our knowledge and experience.

Some key functions for managing your business in France

Planning
If you have committed to setting up your business and it is the only source of income you will be wise to create a business plan. Business plans are not just for the big boys or for applying for funds from a bank. A business plan will help you understand your business better and map your future through committed courses of action. It will help you keep an eye on circumstances that could impact your business in the short and long term [think Brexit]. You may have an idea of where you want your business to be in 5 years time, but how are you going to get there. In the same way you wouldn't embark on a road trip from one end of France to the other without a plan.

Financials
While for some of us there is no need to keep accounts, we are obliged to keep proper paperwork in the event of a 'controle', or your business needs to change to a new regime. Reviewing your financials regularly helps you see what income comes in and goes out month by month and prepare for financial surprises. It's not the most fun activity, but it is essential. Make sure you have the right processes in dealing with payment collections. There is nothing worse working your socks off, handing out a facture only for an issue to arise with being paid. It's vital that your T&Cs are watertight and that you understand the process in the event of things going wrong. Make sure all of your business related expenses are accounted for in your planning. For example, after 1st year of trading you are liable for business CFE, even though you pay a variety of taxes on your home residence. Are your earnings heading toward some kind of retirement fund? Again another topic that is a minefield and the sooner you get to understand what this means to you as a small business owner in France the better.

Marketing 
You cannot rely on word of mouth or recommendations alone. You need to actively create awareness of your business online and off 365 days of the year and be aware of feast or famine and fill those gaps. Marketing activities will take up a large chunk of your time time particularly digital activities such as social media marketing, which for many small business owners is a huge drain on time. You will need to think about how you are going to reach your audience, what are you going to say and how are you going say it. Some campaigns and activities will work, some won't, you will need to make time to review and adapt. Campaigns and activity that you had planned at the start of the year may not fruition yet opportunity may have knock on your door when you least expected it. So expect the plan to be more fluid than you thought. Have a marketing plan run along side your business plan and you will see how they sit nicely along side your financials. Never ignore marketing activity, no matter how successful your business. There are factors beyond your control that could have a marked effect on your business and having built some kind of awareness will enable you to quickly fill in some earning potential gaps before it becomes too late. Cash flow is like quicksand. You will get to know when the feasts and famines occur. Keep the momentum going so that those famines are short term blips and not something that keeps you awake at night.

Time management
There are 168 hours in the week and we don't want to be using all of them for our business. Being organised in your small business is crucial. Making time to do your admin tasks; prepping your devis, purchasing supplies, getting your income in, and keeping up to date with your basic book keeping records. Making time for marketing and working on your business. Then there is taking time to enjoy why you moved to France. You will begin to see that being self employed is hard work not only doing your trade, craft or profession but also time to manage it and keep things under control. If outsourcing is an option then delegate the tasks you can't do or don't have time to do. Bear in mind that as micro entrepreneur there are no business expenses deducted, you are entitled to 50% allowance on your tax form, therefore these kind of expenses need to be factored into your financial planning. If delegation is not an option, then being a good time manager is a must. While there is no such thing as a 35 hour for a self employed person in France many of us are able to enjoy a better quality of life.

Customers
Our businesses just do not exist without them. While building and growing your business takes time and effort, the flipside is that growing to quickly to soon can also be detrimental. Unfortunately, as a micro entrepreneur in France you cannot employ other people to work for you. So knowing what's going on in your business from end of the day to the other is important. Your communication to customers is vital. There may be times when you will have to push back, manage client expectation or say no you are unable to help. Work overload is not good for you or your customer in the long run. This is where understanding your financials comes into its own. Is your business ready for the next regime? Can it handle a sharp increase in cotisations, can it handle the bureaucracy and financial implication of having additional staff? 

For readers based in France, what have been your experiences?  Is your business where you want it?  Can it be improved upon?  Need help with marketing and improving awareness of your business?  Feel free to contact me for a chat.

Yours socially
Micala 

Summer is winding down and many parts of France have enjoyed an exceptional Summer weather wise. For some that means children enjoy a lengthy time away from school. Some businesses experience a low tide of work and income while others enjoy a higher tide of work and income.

September, we still think that there is plenty of time til the end of the year, but reality is that there are just over 3 months. So are you feeling confident and optimist about your business? Are you on track for sales? When was the last time you visited your business or marketing plan? What can you do now to create a positive impact on sales and profits before the year ends?

With France known for issuing requests for a variety of bills after Summer: tax to impots, household taxes and CFE for businesses due in December. We all want a little left over for the Christmas turkey!!

What you could be doing in September

• Review business and marketing plans. What hasn't worked? What can be eliminated so that you are not wasting any further money on it. What has worked, so you can continue to do more. Have you paid your suppliers/bills? Are you owed money? Have you sent reminders? Do you know what you need to bring in between now and year end to cover all of your household and business expenses?
• What new products or ideas have been whirring around? Can they fruition now? Create new promos, offers, campaigns. Are they ready to promote in newsletters, local events, social media. What worked well last year that can be repeated? What worked well during the year so far that can be repeated? What are your customers wanting from you?
• Have you thought about Christmas campaigns? They need planning and preparation. They need to be ready for website, newsletter and social media.
• Have you contacted your existing customers lately? Can you give them a head start of promos or offers in advance of Christmas? Where will you be? How can they take advantage? Make it easy for them to access.
• Refresh that website. Every website becomes a bit stale. What has been happening/new products or services that visitors should be seeing over the next few months? Are your contact details up to date?
• Have you got plenty of business cards, flyers and brochures til year end?
• Who are you meeting? Where can you network, lunch, socialise that means you are meeting new people?
• Are you attending any events or fayres or markets?  Get this circulated - update your own social media spaces now - don't leave it to the last week. Share info about who, what, where and when.

If you need help, don't panic.. complete this contact form and let's get some time scheduled, sooner rather than later. As a fellow small business owner, I am fully aware of the time leaches that can affect and hinder the ability to move a busines forward.  A creative hour with me will see ideas and plans turned into action.  

Yours socially
Micala 

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“Trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair”

Trust is important when it comes to running a small business, wherever you are in the world. We all need customers and ideally repeat customers who are happy to use our product or service again and again. Trust, when when acted out with the best of intentions for the customer and served with competence provides a great opportunity to build lasting and loyal business relationships.

Here are some tips to help build trust :

Use testimonials. Testimonials help convey to customers, who have not used yet, that you know what you are talking about. We have all met those who have the gift of the gab. Great at sharing how good they are at the job, but very little to substantiate it. If you are good at your job, your existing customers will be only too pleased to tell you. If they tell you, use it to tell others.

Under promise and over deliver. The making of a promise is centuries old. Promises kept help tell the world that we are trustworthy. A broken promise chips away at that trust. There is nothing worse than a customer being promised that you will be there before lunch on Thursday, only to find chase you because you have failed to turn up or failed to make contact. If someone has placed an order with you and you need 5 days, tell the customer that you need 5 days. If on the 3rd day it is done and on it's way to your customer, how happy will they be when you have confirmed the good news.

Be professional at all times. As a business owner, it is easy to forget that you are an ambassador for your business at all times. What you say, and how you behave, creates perception. How you talk to your customers is equally important. Ask questions and listen with both ears. The art of asking, listening and confirming that you understand what they want provides you with ample opportunity to provide them with solutions, without having to wade in with the weight of your words first. 

Appreciate your clients. It goes without saying, customers are the life blood of any business. It takes little effort to 'thank' them and make them feel valued, whether it's an email or a card in the post. If you have customers who are out their singing your praises and it's reaping business for you, go that extra mile.

Yours socially
Micala

This guest post is written by Mandy Petherick of Mooncat Media. Mandy has over 25 years experience in the graphic design and print industry and has worked with many business owners in France and the UK.

With a fresh new year approaching it is a good opportunity to take a long, hard look at your business and identify ways in which your image can be improved.
One of the simplest ways to get your business message across is The Visual – incorporating business cards, logos, flyers, leaflets, letterheads, compliment slips and other advertising material. First impressions count, and if your business looks professional then potential clients will feel that your business will be professional.

So here are a few pointers to help you along the way:

LOGOS
Logos give you a clear business identity and make you instantly recognisable as a brand (think of McDonald’s “M” or Nike’s “tick”). Work carefully with a designer to make sure you have a logo that is right for your business, one that is sharp, relevant and punchy. A good designer will always take the time to work with you until you are 100% happy. This can involve a lot of too-ing and fro-ing of ideas and concepts. Be very honest with your designer, and don’t be afraid to reject designs. Getting it right is a symbiotic process and this takes time. It does help if you have some basic ideas about what you want (or don’t want) in terms of colours and style (Cosy? Modern? Geometric? Traditional? Humourous?). Ideally find some logos that you really like – this helps your designer get a feel for your general preferences.
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Once you have your chosen logo use it prolifically! That logo should be visible at every level of your client contact including your : Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, websites, business stationery, promotional items and in all other advertising media. In this way you are building up brand recognition.

BUSINESS CARDS
Never give out a tatty card containing incomplete or out of date information – it does not give a good impression. Always hand out cards to current and previous clients as these are the very peoplewho will be recommending you to others in future – a great example of direct marketing.

A good business card will be printed on good quality card, and will be clear and concise. At the veryleast it should contain your logo, business name, a brief description of what you do, your siretnumber, contact details (including telephone number and email address), and (preferably) a website address.
Remember, a business card has TWO sides – so make the most of that option. The flip-side canalways contain further information (such as social media links) or, maybe, a clear image of anexample of your work, or you can simply duplicate the information held on the front of the card – never waste a blank space when you can use it to promote your business.

There are various ways of producing business cards including Vista Print templates and similar. This can work well if you do not have your own logo, are looking for a budget option and do not mind that other people may well be using the same images for similar businesses. But please don’t rule out investigating the cost of having a unique design tailor made for your enterprise. If you want to stand out from the crowd then bespoke design is the way to go. A good designer will give you an upfront quotation, and often can source business card (and other) printing at very competitive prices. It is always worth asking and there is no obligation. Also, a designer will understand about colour matching and print “bleeding”. The same process is involved with designing business cards as it is with logos – the proposed design will shuttle back and forth until everyone is happy. The biggest tip I have for anyone producing a business card is to proof read, proof read and then proof read again, especially phone numbers and email addresses.

Always keep a stock of business cards with you, hand them out liberally and actively seek out places where you can display them for free (bars, restaurants, shops, garages etc).

Running a business is hard work. You cannot run a business by the seat of their pants. Remember that failing to plan is planning to fail. You might think that a business plan is for those who want to borrow money from the bank. Wrong. A business plan is your map throughout the working year, it helps shape your future. It helps you prepare for opportunities and the negatives that could strike your business. For example, a lot of auto entrepreneurs have been caught out by the introduction of CFE for businesses, which was introduced to all auto entrepreneurs this year regardless.
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With 2016 hot on our heels, now is a good time to put a plan in to place. So let's call it a Working Plan. It does not have to be pages and pages. Keeping it simple will mean that you can review your plan quarterly. Each review you should be able to see quickly where your efforts are working, where they are not working. Have unexpected opportunities arisen? Are you financially on track – you know your overheads are sales meeting them? A mid year review may mean that you need to network more, advertise more, do a few more markets, communicate to your existing customers and/or upsell.

Essential components for your Working Plan:

Your business
Why have you set up in business? How have you set your business? What is your product or service? Who are your customers? Why would they need your product or service? What is your pricing? What are your goals for the coming year? How do you plan to make your business successful this year?

Customers
Customers are important to your business, without them you have no business. Who are your ideal customers? Where are your customers? Is it a need or a want? What is your USP? Who are your competitors? Where do you need to be seen? Where will your focus be? Where should you be spending money in promoting your business? Are they working? What enquiries/business has been generated?

Financials
​What are your costs? What do you need to run your business? What are your regular outgoings? Insurance, tools, petrol, supplies, business tax? What do you need to live on each month? When you see what your outgoings are you can see what you need to be earning each month. Do you need to prepare for major costs in the future? I.e a new vehicle, or equipment that you need for your business.  

Get your 2016 off to a well planned start and get cracking with those Working Plans as soon as you can.

Yours socially
​Micala

You might also want to visit Business Planning workshop