CEO Joe Soltis runs a purpose-driven, faith-based business as the founder of Cleveland marketing agency ChoiceLocal. Since he pairs doing good with every project he takes on, it should be no surprise that his team recently completed a new project with Habitat for Humanity.

The Hulda Avenue house they built was dedicated to a local family on May 14. The ChoiceLocal team was there to celebrate, take pictures, and enjoy the day with the recipient family, who they had gotten to know over months when they built the house together.

“The ceremony was on a Saturday morning, and it was a fun and moving time for our team. We got to see all of the hard work pay off, admire the finished home, and celebrate with Bri’s family as we dedicated their new house to them,” said Soltis.

Projects such as partnering with the international aid organization are natural for Soltis and ChoiceLocal. The CEO believes that you can’t call yourself a true success if you are not giving back and making the world a better place while also making profits.

Building Something Meaningful

The team broke ground on the property nine months ago, beginning on the day that the recipients and the ChoiceLocal staff completed a house blessing on the lot and started planning volunteer schedules that would take them through the summer.

At the dedication event, the team looked back on the building period as a time that brought them closer. The colleagues worked side-by-side, learned new skills, and proved that they could build something meaningful while laughing and sweating together.

And that was the actual point of the project. It was designed to serve the community while strengthening their own bonds.

A documentary was made of the entire process which showed from the day of the ground breaking to the day of the house dedication for Bri and he 3 beautiful boys.  This documentary can be watched on the Mission and Culture page of the ChoiceLocal website.

As Soltis states about the amazing team at ChoiceLocal that made this possible, ““It’s long been a dream of Becky and me to give a home to a family that needs one.  This was one of our dreams when we founded ChoiceLocal and our great company was nothing more than an idea. Today, we are so appreciative of the ChoiceLocal family for creating the economic success of Choicelocal that enabled us to make this dream come true to Bri and her 3 awesome boys, as well as Becky and myself.  Once again our team has proven that out of pain can come great purpose in making lives dramatically better.  It feels to great to live with purpose and see dreams become a reality. The ChoiceLocal family is so amazing!”

An Ongoing Partnership For Good

After all, doing good in the community is at the core of what Soltis and the ChoiceLocal team does. His company also sponsors local families at Christmas each year, providing holiday gifts, and cheerful decorations that ensure the families can make excellent memories.

Since Soltis and his wife lost a child of their own, they are also active in providing bereavement assistance to children who have had a family member pass away. ChoiceLocal also regularly raises money for summer camp scholarships, pays for school meal programs for underprivileged students, and helps families with members suffering from cancer.

Purpose-driven for Growth

While it’s easy to see how being purpose-driven plays into ChoiceLocal’s charity work, its tie to business success and profit-making may seem less clear. But not toSoltis. In his mind, being purpose-driven is what drives the exponential growth that ChoiceLocal has enjoyed since opening its doors in 2014.

Providing the top performing franchise growth engine to franchise systems, through marketing, franchise development, recruiting, web development, and sales enablement, is only half of the company’s mission. The rest is tied up in philanthropy — the company assists 10,000 children each year and funnels approximately 10 percent of profits into charitable contributions.

Instead of seeing the drive toward making profits and the desire to give back as separate, Soltis sees them as a uniquely intertwined model for exponential growth. “At the end of the day, monetary profits are only so enticing, but doing good for others never loses its motivating factor. People always need your help, and their stories always compel me to carry on doing good, faith-based work,” he said.

Soltis sees this with his clients too, choosing to take on only customers with similar values as his team. “Integrity in everything we do and a mission built on helping others is what truly drives us forward,” he said.

A business model where success and good deeds go hand-in-hand is worthwhile and a model that many businesses can learn from.

About ChoiceLocal

ChoiceLocal is a purpose-driven and results-focused franchise marketing agency that only serves franchisors and franchisees. They are the 1st and only franchise marketing agency to offer a money-back guarantee. They are a member of IFA (International Franchise Association), named on the Inc. 5000 list, and rated as a Top Workplace for the last five years. To find out more about their franchise growth engine, please visit https://choicelocal.com/

When it comes to creating, establishing and launching an ecommerce business as a means to generate passive income and actually profit from the store, Enopoly is the leading automation choice for most. The company guides clients along what platforms might be best-suited for their goals, as well as what business model, either wholesale or dropshipping, might work best.

Two of the more popular platforms in which budding ecommerce sellers are utilizing are Amazon and Walmart. Both still utilize two business models in dropshipping and wholesaling. There are certainly benefits as well as negatives to using both. Enopoly CEO Vlad Varizhuk dishes on the ins-and-outs of the two platforms and business model practices.

“For new ecommerce store owners, dropshipping will probably sound like the better option, but there are both pros and cons to each of the business models,” mused Varizhuk. “Quite frankly, with dropshipping, you can make money and scale faster. At this point, you may be thinking that you do want to do the dropshipping model, but first a quick dive into each model.”

Wholesale

There is more upfront risk in utilizing this traditional business model, which requires more skill and can be time-consuming. This method typically requires storeowners to purchase inventory and basically sit on it.

“With wholesaling, you have to actually buy the products upfront,” Varizhuk stated. “This requires you to do the research on the items you want to sell and then buy the inventory to meet demands, which will typically be in bulk. You then will send your items to either Amazon or Walmart so that they can fulfill your orders.”

If you are not entirely sure you can move all the products, making up for the costs of products, services, etc., can be an uphill battle. If executed correctly, this model will always be welcomed across the platforms because of its ability to stay within policy guidelines.

“This method ultimately requires ecommerce store owners to put in 10 times the research as the products are going to be purchased upfront. With wholesale, it can sometimes take 2-3 times more effort to turn a profit and scale, than with dropshipping.”

Dropshipping

This business model is actually quite popular on both Amazon and Walmart, but is being phased out for two reasons. First, there is no quality control being practiced. The second, boxes are arriving with competitor logos on them. Many stores are still using these methods, along both platforms, however, they are beginning to go away from this practice.

“This model requires you to find suppliers and items you want to sell, take your pictures, write descriptions and upload them to your Amazon or Walmart store dashboards,” said Varizhuk. “From there, when a customer makes a purchase, you will get a notification and then you can go and reach out to the supplier who will ultimately ship the item directly to the customer.”

“Dropshipping requires no inventory purchases upfront and that certainly presents less risk when it comes to your inventory, because you can upload hundreds of products each day and the ones that don’t sell, it doesn’t matter as you didn’t put any money into them already. The ones that do sell, obviously make you money at the end of the day.”

“Many people are guilty of breaking policies when it comes to how shoppers receive their products. If the items arrive at their home and it isn’t branded with the Amazon or Walmart logos, or just simply in a blank box, it violates both platforms in regards to procedure. When dropshipping, boxes can be branded with individual store and company logos. If you are caught by the platforms, they will suspend your account and hold your funds. Trying to come back from that is usually quite difficult. They can be locked up for sometimes up to many months.”

Moral of the story, if one wants to continue using the dropshipping business model, they are encouraged to sell on platforms like Facebook or Shopify. Both Amazon and Walmart are regularly attempting to go away from this model. When you wholesale, you are abiding by all the regulations and procedures by the latter two while ultimately playing it safer.

About Enopoly

Enopoly was founded by CEO Vlad Varizhuk. The company prides itself on serving as the e-commerce industry automation leader, while doing the ‘heavy lifting’ for its clients. Enopoly grants clients the opportunity to invest in an automated e-commerce business of their own, while its employees have a collective decades of experience and millions in sales. For more information, please visit https://www.enopolyautomation.com/

Direct Response Launch is an advanced online business course for serious women looking to step up their entrepreneurial game. Tarla Makaeff, the Copy Queen, published author, and Founder of multiple business courses, worked at marketing agencies and as a freelancer for over 13 years, writing for some of the biggest brands in the world.

“I created this course to support women in transforming from ‘female content creators’ to ‘female entrepreneurs,’” Makaeff explained. “These are higher-level thoughts that most women only figure out after years of being online. I cultivated these behind-the-scenes concepts from my combined 17 years as a direct response copywriter and online entrepreneur and tailored them to suit an educational format.”

Makaeff’s Heart-Centered Mission

Makaeff has a long resume in the marketing, advertising, and copywriting spheres. Her calling now is to empower other women as she has come a long way and has much to share.

Her ‘Big Why’ is that life is short. Makaeff had an extensive career, but she worked so hard that she felt depleted. Makaeff didn’t want to spend all her time working. She wanted the time and lifestyle freedom to do something that mattered and made a difference in others’ lives.

“My mission is to support creative women who want to sell their heart-centered products and services with confidence,” said Makaeff. “The intention behind my courses is to give women the game-changing gift of not only living out their fullest, truest potential but also becoming untouchable to the economic shifts that happen at least four times throughout the life of their careers,” Makaeff continued. “You do that with a product or service that solves a problem for people and the marketing strategy and copy to back it to predictably make income.”

About The Course

The Direct Response Launch course supplements Makaeff’s Social Star course with marketing and advertising strategies that go beyond the foundational work she teaches in Social Star. Direct Response Launch is a series of advanced audio trainings that cover modern marketing strategies using direct response, a form of marketing that prompts an instant response by inspiring those prospects to take a specific action.

“My program is unique because it is based on timeless principles with insider knowledge from my years of personal experience writing for household names,” said Makaeff. “This takes direct mail concepts and applies it to the online world.”

If you are wondering whether this course is one size fits all, it is an advanced marketing and advertising blueprint that you can tailor to your unique needs.

Suppose you are used to being mediocre on social media, not bad, but know there’s more available to you. In that case, this course provides you with advanced methods for more substantial influence, impact, and profits — positioning you to become the number one authority in your niche.

“We will go over developing a manifesting mindset, growing a massive fan base, getting as many customers as you can dream of, and writing words that sell,” Makaeff shared. “Then, we’ll continue with building a profitable business with product and service launches, taking your business to the next level with funnels, and exploding your brand with social media ads.”

Her experience and knowledge bring clients to Makaeff, but her exuberant passion for her craft keeps them coming back for more.

About Tarla Makaeff

Tarla Makaeff, The Copy Queen and Founder of the Iconic Copy Course is bringing her vast experience as a 7-figure copywriter to help others learn how to craft their strategy and messaging for ultimate growth. Leveraging her decade plus of agency and freelance copywriting experience, Makaeff is helping hundreds of creative, heart centered female entrepreneurs start their purpose-filled businesses online and grow their brands with copy that converts. To learn more, visit www.tarlamakaeff.com.

Stephanie Tran, Founder and CEO of Tutor Route, is hailed as the ‘Edupreneur’ and is the creator of her 6-Figure Tutor Masterclass: Create and Launch Your Tutoring Business Profitability in 30 Days! Skeptical? The course works because she did it first and now helps others to do it, too. This is her story.

“My mission is to impact lives and empower teachers to cash in on changing the world,” said Tran. “Teachers are entrepreneurs at heart and run classrooms like they mean business. While teachers are suppliers of knowledge, their salaries don’t typically meet the demands of their lifestyle nor their level of effort and impact. I want to show teachers they can do what they love and give themselves a raise with skill sets they already possess.”

About the Course

Most tutors make peanuts, but it isn’t because they are not talented. They are in fact talented educators and fantastic tutors beloved by their students. But they lack the branding and knowledge to structure their tutoring in a way that can make a life-changing profit. Tran’s course teaches educators how to get to that point; how to go from a side hustle to a business — without the sweat and tears that come to mind when we think of second jobs.

The course includes many base level and advanced skills curated to help aspiring educational business owners create something that will earn them money and last. Students learn how to create an MVB (Minimum Viable Brand), attract and tailor to their markets, consult confidently and close deals, manage business administration work comfortably, produce content like a boss, and more!

6-Figure Tutor Masterclass includes the course itself, resources, community support, and live mentorship opportunities. Students receive the exact blueprints Tran used to make 6 figures part-time while working a full-time job! They also have access to an accountability buddy, cross-marketing partnerships, internships, and a collaborative working relationship with mentors and alumni.

Additionally, people who join the masterclass are granted lifetime access to 30 lessons, challenges, and workbooks in her Tutor Route App.

Why it Works

Tran’s unique business model teaches her students how to follow her proven framework to create a successful tutoring business. Her model is scalable and profitable virtually, at home, and even across school districts as Tran secured semester deals up to $45,000. She’s even taught other certified educators and licensed counselors how to do it. Josalynn, one of Tran’s masterclass students, coaches students through therapy to support their mental health with her business, Sol Shines On. That’s the beauty of this course: its reach spans much wider than just basic subjects and encompasses any subject experts want to teach.

The daughter of Vietnamese refugee parents who sacrificed much to get their entire family a secure and comfortable status in the American world, Tran comes from a home that is rightfully risk-averse and pragmatic. On the other hand, Tran sees the land of opportunity for what it really is: a place where a certain level of calculated risk is rewarded.

Tran obtained her degree from The University of Texas (UT) and stayed quite busy during her enrollment with such feats as winning speaking contests and working as a transcriber. Through her efforts, Tran published an article in an academic journal that is still used in upper-level class curriculum today.

Additionally, she began tutoring and mentoring students in disadvantaged communities for economical rates. Tran realized she could make money while making a difference if she structured her tutoring sessions accordingly — a skill she teaches in her 6-Figure Tutor Masterclass.

This toe-dip into tutoring afforded Tran’s master’s degree at John Hopkins University, trips abroad, and the ability to support underprivileged children in her classroom, sometimes offering more than tutoring, including shelter and food.

Through the pressures of her childhood upbringing (with reasoning she more than respects and understands) she became her own person and worked very hard to get where she is today. The amount of work she put in on the front end is astounding, and her masterclass students reap the benefits for a fraction of the hours Tran put in.

“We’re adamant about respecting elders in our culture. While I do appreciate my parents’ wisdom, we debated over priorities because we grew up in different worlds. I value my dream; they value security,” said Tran. “My parents fled the Viet Nam War and sacrificed their passions for stable jobs so that I could even have the luxury of chasing my dream. I feel like I owe it to my parents to take the opportunity and give the American Dream my best shot.”

That she did — and hit her target with a bullseye.

About Stephanie Tran

Stephanie Tran, Edupreneur, Founder, and CEO, mentors educators to become successful Tutorpreneurs with her masterclass by creating, launching, and growing their education businesses. Tutor Route’s goal is to support lifelong learners every step of their journey. For more information about Tran’s 6-Figure Tutor Masterclass, please visit https://6figtutormasterclass.localtutorroute.com/6-figure-tutor-masterclass or download the Tutor Route App on Apple or Android

Every entrepreneur is also a leader, especially when managing a team of employees. In this article, Corey Shader shares tips you can use to become a more effective leader.

Set Clear Expectations

How do you measure success? Your employees need to know the answer to that question just as much as you do.

Whether it’s working on a project or simply setting standards for the workplace, it’s important to communicate clearly—and regularly—exactly what you expect from your team.

Set “SMART” goals. SMART goals are those that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Communicating your expectations and goals will make it easier for you to check in on your team and monitor the progress of their projects.

Listen Well 

Make it a priority to listen to your team. For example, at the end of every conversation, simply ask: “Is there anything else?” This opens the door for your employees to share any questions or concerns they’re experiencing in the workplace.

That doesn’t mean you’re responsible for resolving every issue. But at the very least, taking time to let your employees feel heard can go a long way toward employee morale, and it can deepen trust between you and your team.

Share the Glory

When your company achieves a goal, don’t just pat yourself on the back. Pay it forward by thanking team members that made significant contributions.

Even a simple acknowledgment in a team meeting can make workers feel valued and respected, which creates loyalty to your company. Some managers even offer their praise in public by highlighting star employees on their website or social media page.

Develop Other Leaders

Today’s workforce doesn’t just need managers but mentors. Great leaders find those around them who show promise and invest in them, molding them into leaders within their respective departments.

You can achieve this by mentoring rising stars one-on-one, giving them additional responsibility over time, or even inviting them to attend business conferences or webinars.

This can have practical benefits as your team grows since you’ll be able to delegate more and more of your responsibilities to your trusted team members. You may even discover that you’ve hired team members that are better at certain tasks than you are. That may be humbling, but it also means that your company is stronger as a result.

Stay Flexible

If we’ve learned anything in recent years, it’s that nothing is certain. The best leaders adapt to change, and their positive attitude can serve as an example for the entire team.

Practically, this might mean welcoming new ideas and approaches. Become a lifelong learner by reading the latest books and listening to cutting-edge podcasts, and find ways to integrate these lessons into your team meetings and day-to-day routine.

About Corey Shader

Over the years, Corey Shader has served as a consultant and investor and has even founded several companies, including Insurance Pipeline. Today, Corey uses his entrepreneurial experience to help young businesses reach their full potential. His life experiences continue to inspire others to be their very best, both in and out of the business world.