As Barak Obama begins his new career, all eyes are watching to see how well he does in his first 100 days in office.

And already there are questions and concerns on what he can really accomplish in a little more than 3 months.

It got me wondering, can anyone accomplish a lot in their first 100 days?

As an entrepreneur who’s starting a business, it can seem like a daunting task at first. But if you follow some of the same steps President Obama has, you will surely make an impact!

• Set objectives and goals. It’s very clear what’s on Obama’s agenda and what he hopes to deal with first.
• Gather a team that will help you. No one can do it alone. Find the help you need, whether they are advisers, staff, or volunteers and interns to get the jobs done.
• Be realistic. You’re not going to get everything done that you want in 100 days. Setting priorities is just as important as the goals you want to achieve.
• Communicate. Share as much information as you can and keep the dialogue open with your team.
• Celebrate. When you achieve a goal, celebrate a little. At least a high-five is in order.

Can you make it work? Yes, you can.

image credit: Haneybabe, on Flickr

Well, the reports are out.

The National Small Business Association is reporting (based on its 2008 Year-End Economic Report) that things are looking pretty bleak for small business owners this year. And those surveyed are pointing to the recession as the reason why their profits and growth will be extremely limited in 2009.

And according to a recent Gallup poll, almost half of small business owners say their revenues decrease last year - and are expexting more of the same by cutting their spending this year.

So so you want to join all these small businesses?

I didn’t think so. And although you need to be realistic in what’s going on out there, I am sure businesses can thrive in a recession.

But you can’t do the same things you did before. They’re just not going to work - and could actually hurt you.

There’s plenty of evidence that businesses which market wisely, compared to those who continue with the same strategies used prior to the recession, will be the ones do well. Penn State’s research, for example, showed that firms who had a strategic marketing plan with an entrepreneurial spirit had a competitive advantage.

So stop with the doom and gloom already - and start creating a great marketing plan.

Image credit:  gothicburg, on Flickr

If you’re a women founder or co-founder of a startup, you have a chance to win an amazing prize package, if you can create the perfect pitch to potental funders.

It’s Women 2.0’s 3rd Annual Pitch 2009: Startup Competition, and five emerging businesses will be chosen to pitch live on May 7.

Prizes include:

• One-on-one meeting with Michael Moritz
• 3 months of office space and mentoring
• Marketing strategy
• PR strategy
• Legal support

Now there is an entry fee of $25. And you may think you’re leaping through hoops to apply. (I think it’s fun stuff, but others  may differ). Youll need a business plan, a paper napkin idea presentation & a video.

For more information go to http://www.women2.org/pitch2009/

Whether you’re starting a business, or just planning new goals for the new year, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start, especially if you are a visual person.

Many folks recommend mindmapping as the way to get those goals or visions on paper.

Mind mapping is a technique popularized by Tony Buzan in the 1960s. Noticing that the humans respond better to images, keywords and direct associations, he developed many of the mind mapping techniques that we see today. And before Buzan formalized it, thousands had used the techniques including journals  Leonardo da Vinci, and Albert Einstein.

Here’s the basics:

1) Set your topic (what you want to brainstorm/mind map) on the center of the page, such as ‘2009 goals’ ‘Business Idea’ etc

2) Create pitcures or words that are themes that relate to the topic. For example. if your topic is ‘Goals 2009′, you might want “Personal Goals”  and “Professional Goals”

3) Continue breaking down the themes until you’re brain can’t work any more.

Do you use mind mapping?  Frankly, I’m more of a list girl. But am willing to try it if many of you think it has merit. Has it helped you?

For more inspiration, here’s Tony Buzan explaining mind mapping.

Image credit: creativeinspiration, on Flickr

Thanks so much for being a reader here at Startup Spark. It’s time to celebrate, and one of the ways I do it is to give you a couple PR gifts as well:

So whether your question is on how to write a release, or even helping you find a newsworthy idea to pitch to the media, I’ll be helping you for free… if you make the call.

To register for the NOON call, go to https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=103rcboobfagy

To register for the 8 PM call, go to https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=xf6qjr5f3s1z

And for an extra PR boost, don’t forget to download a free press release. Please visit http://www.beheardsolutions.com/holidaygifts20081TO.htm

Image credit: bpitzer20, on Flickr

There’s been a lot of talk about if social media can really convert tweeple into paying customers.

Well, it can be done.

According to Dell, they’ve made more than $1 million in the past year and a half they been twittering. People who sign up to follow Dell on Twitter receive messages when discounted products are available the company’s Home Outlet Store. They can click over to purchase the product or forward the information to others.

Imagine what it can mean for your business.

But be cautious. Remember, Twitter a communication tool, not the be all and end all of the way you reach your target market.

For me, I’ve decided to do some testing in the new year and see what happens.  Int he new year, I’m going to post some Twitter-Specific special coupon codes for discounts on products and services. We’ll see what happens.

Image credit: Fr3d.org, on Flickr

It’s hard to be livin’ the life of a startup. Take pity on your entrepreneurial friend or loved one and give them a holiday gift this year that really makes him or her remember there’s more to life than a new business.

Here are some of my suggestions:

• Coffee. The price of coffee, especially when you drink tons because you’re up all the time working,  is a lot. And going to grab a latte in these economic times is not one of the best ideas.  (Except for me… I drink tea, ok?)
• ITunes gift cards. Many entrepreneurs I know listen to music on their mp3 players or computers while working. (I know I do.) Others, may use the music as a chance to unwind. Either way, this is a sure bet.
• A wireless printer. This is one of the things on my list this year. To paraphrase a famous movie, “No more wired printers! No more wired printers!” Once you have one, it doesn’t matter where you work in your space!
• Memberships. It can be costly to join a lot of groups, like chambers and trade associations. It can make a huge impact if he or she makes even just one connection!
• Bluetooth laser keyboard. (I really want this!)If your entrepreneur is using a smartphone, this laser keyboard will help them not only be more productive, but look very cool doing so.

I know there are many more gift ideas out there. Got one to share? Put it in the comments section!

Image credit: DanielleT, on Flickr

PR has changed. Why? Because journalists are doing their job differently than they ever did before. Yet one thing remains the same.  Find out all about it by listening to this week’s Monday Media Marketing Minute.

And if you want to know more about the new face of PR, check out Common Sense PR and The Power Publicist.

Image credit: Shannon Cherry of Be Heard Solutions

Looks like its not all doom and gloom as Network Solutions announced its e-commerce customers saw a 10% increase in business on CyberMonday compared to last year.

If Network Solutions figures are accurate, it means that more and more people are turning to shopping online, instead of going to brick and mortar stores.

I can say it’s true for me personally and professionally. I did most of my holiday shopping online (and have done so for several years now). And I also so a spike in traffic and sales this month.

The bottom line here is that is you have a company that sells ANYTHING, you need to have an online presence.  And it still surprises me when I meet someone who’s in business who doesn’t have one.

Do you think it’s essential to have a website in today’s marketplace?

Image credit: einvents at flickr

Google is king when it comes to applications that a small business can use to help productivity while keeping costs low.  Here are my top applications you should consider using:

1) Google Analytics. Tracking the performance of your website couldn’t be any easier (and free!) with Google Analytics.  If you want to find out what keeps potential customers on your site, then this is a perfect app.

2) Google Docs. No matter what platforms your staff are working on, Google Docs allows you (and them) presentation, word processing and spreadsheet programs that you can use from any computer no matter where you are. Plus, you can easily share your documents securely.

3) Gmail.  If you need to access you email from any computer, any time, Gmail is the tool of choice. Recently, Google added Gmail Voice and Video Chat functionality to Gmail allowing users to speak to each other directly through voice or video.

4) Google Calendar. It keeps all your appointments and tasks in one place, and you can allow others to add things securely.