Eric Guster on Being a Blawger

Sponsor Spotlight: Guster Law Firm, LLC

eric guster
Eric Guster
Being a blawger, a clever term used to describe a lawyer who blogs, can’t be easy. Trying to  explain the law in laymen’s language has to be tough. But Eric L. Welch Guster of Guster Law Firm, LLC, loves to blog nonetheless.
“I enjoy explaining the law and educating people about the law in layman’s terms,” Guster says. “There have been times when I’ve explained a complicated issue and people thank me for removing the veil and making it easier to understand. I believe if you know your craft, there’s nothing wrong with going that extra step to help others understand it.”
Guster’s Birmingham-based firm that concentrates on serious injury and wrongful death cases and criminal defense. Guster started his firm in 2001. Two years ago Guster started blogging about law cases on his firm’s website. In 2012 he became a legal expert for NewsOne and earlier this year he started blogging for NewsOne.com.
Guster Law Firm
If you follow Guster on Twitter @ericguster or on Facebook then you’ve seen his tweets and status updates about the highly controversial George Zimmerman trial. But Guster says he also uses social media to show his personality.
“I’m very personable and I’m dedicated to the people I serve. That personality comes through not only in my work, but also through social media and blogging,” Guster says, “Social media shows my serious and fun sides. I tweet, Facebook and blog about a variety of things. Usually, something I say is going to connect with someone.”
Learn more about Guster Law Firm here.

Join me at the July Alabama Bloggers Meet-up

From Bloggers Who Brunch, hosted last month by See Jane Write Birmingham



Blogging is hard. 

I know some people might disagree. Some people might believe that blogging can’t be too difficult since everyone and their cat (literally) seems to have one these days. 

But I believe that being a good blogger is no easy task. It takes creativity, consistency, and commitment.  And I believe it also takes community. 

In her book Writing Down the Bones Natalie Goldberg writes: “Writing is a communal act…Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not a Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire.”

Writers need community. This is why I started See Jane Write Birmingham and See Jane Write Magazine. And this is why I love groups like Alabama Bloggers. 

Birmingham resident Rachel Callahan started Alabama Bloggers in May of 2009 because she wanted to connect with more bloggers in her hometown. Rachel had made connections with writers all over the world, thanks to her popular blog Grasping for Objectivity, but she wanted to get to know the bloggers in her own backyard. Rachel first launched the group as an online community then took these connections offline with monthly lunch meet-ups. 

I’ll be hosting this month’s meet-up which is set for 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Friday, July 12 at Mix Bakery, 1819 5th Avenue North. Please RSVP by July 10. If you’re a member of the Alabama Bloggers Facebook group you can click here to RSVP. If not,  you can just RSVP in the comments section of this post. 

The hashtag for this and all Alabama Bloggers luncheons is #AlaBlogMeet. 

I leave you with more wise words from Natalie Goldberg. In Writing Down the Bones she also says: 


“It’s good to know some local people who are writing and whom you can get together with for mutual support…Kill the idea of the lone, suffering artist. We suffer anyway as human beings. Don’t make it any harder on yourself.”

Hope to see you July 12.

See Jane Write Magazine has launched!


The big day is finally here! See Jane Write Magazine has launched. 

Writing, wellness, and women’s empowerment — that’s this magazine is all about. 
See Jane Write Magazine is a website for women writers, bloggers, and journalists. This online magazine is targeted toward women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who not only write and/or blog, but who also strive to have healthy, well-rounded lives and who are actively engaged in improving the communities in which they live.

Inspired by online magazines like Rookie, Clutch Magazine, and xoJane.com, See Write Magazine is a blog-style website and will be updated every Monday.

See Jane Write Magazine will feature informative articles meant to help women advance in their writing careers. The website also will feature profiles and book reviews, and articles to help readers eat right and get fit on a writer’s budget and with a writer’s busy schedule.

Here are some of the articles you’ll find on the site this week: 

a profile of a children’s author who draws her inspiration from college mascots

tips on guest blogging

And much, much more!

5 Steps to Consider When Starting a New Business

Sponsor Spotlight: Hamer Law Group, LLC


Editor’s Note: The following post is by the attorneys at Hamer Law Group, the presenting sponsor of our See Jane Write Magazine Launch Party! So many women involved in See Jane Write are aspiring entrepreneurs and I hope you’ll find this information useful. 
***
Many people have heard tales of successful businesses being born on the back of cocktail napkins, and ask, “Does that really happen?” In all likelihood, it absolutely does. In its infancy, a business typically starts out as an idea. It may be a solution to a problem, a lifelong dream or an intellectual collaboration. And yes, even a drunken epiphany at an adequately stocked watering hole. The next question is usually, “My napkin is complete, now what?” Quite simply, it’s time to get to work.
Here are five steps to consider when starting a new business.

1. Develop a plan.

One of the most critical steps when starting a business is going beyond the napkin and forming a plan. It seems like common sense, however, some entrepreneurs are so eager to dive into their new business this step is given little to no consideration. This is by no means an exhaustive guide, but should serve as a gentle reminder to actually form a plan. Here are a few things to consider:

Practical Considerations:

•           Revenue Streams – How do we make money? (i.e. products, services, subscriptions)
•           Customers/Client – Who’s buying what we’re selling? (i.e. businesses, individuals, government)
•           Competitors – Who are we up against? (i.e. local, national, multi-national)
•           Competitive Advantage – Why are we better than the competition? (i.e. price, location, quality)
•           Projections – How much money are we going to make [or lose]? More importantly, how much money do we need? (revenue, cost of goods, operating expenses)
•           Capitalization – How are we going to fund the business? (personal savings, investors, debt)

 Legal Considerations: 

•           Relationships between owners and/or investors
•           non-disclosure agreements 
•           licenses, permits and regulatory concerns
•           franchise/supplier agreements
•           lease agreements and/or real estate purchase agreements

 


2.      Make a name for yourself…literally.

Choosing a name for a business is a big deal. For some, it may be as easy as a person’s name and a description of the business (i.e. Joe’s Plumbing or Hamer Law Group). Others find it exceedingly difficult to come up with or agree on a name. A few things to consider when selecting a name:

Practical Considerations

•           Related to the industry, business or owners
•           Allows customers to easily identify with products and services
•           Catchy or memorable
•           Easy to spell (more important than you may think)
•           Not offensive or misleading
•           Logos
•           Domain name/website availability
  

Legal Considerations

•           Statutory Requirements (i.e. “Inc.”, “LLC”, etc.)
•           Copyright/trademark Issues
•           Trade Dress
•           Trade Names

3.      Get organized as a business.

Once you’ve decided you’re going to form a business, it’s time to determine what type of entity is necessary to protect the owners and provide a solid structure for the business to grow. The default entities of sole proprietorship and partnerships offer little protection from personal liability for the owners. Corporations, LLCs, LLPs, and other limited liability entities are desirable to protect the individual assets of owners and investors. 

Practical Considerations

•           Number of owners/investors
•           Type of owners/investors
•           Splitting of profits and losses
•           Management structure
•           Operation of the business
•           Purpose/Nature of the business

Legal Considerations

•           Limitation of liability
•           Tax considerations
•           Relationships between owners/investors
•           By-laws, operating agreement, etc. 

4.      Track your progress.

Just like a fifth grader’s report card, a business’ performance should be tracked and measurable to ensure success and maximize profitability. Properly categorizing and accounting for items and transactions allows a business owner to gauge performance, detect problems, and make corrections. Tracking is incredibly important. 
A business owner should always remember that its financial statements are only as good as the data is put in them. Due care and time should be spent to ensure that financial statements are up to date and accurate as possible.

Practical Considerations

•           Accounting method: accrual/cash basis
•           Accounting software
•           Hire a good accountant
•           Learn to read a PNL/balance sheet
•           Do NOT get behind in your bookkeeping

Legal Considerations

•           Tax related matters
•           Duties to other investors and owners
•           Proper Due Diligence 
•           License and regulatory issues
•           Reporting requirements

5.      Get help!

It’s unlikely that you will have all the answers when starting a new business. Often times you’ll have to rely on consultants, accounts, and lawyers to guide them through areas of uncertainty. Forming a strong relationship with professionals you can trust early in the development of your business can help you build a comfort level with the unknowns of starting your business. Building relationships often helps build knowledge. 
Additionally, similar businesses, competitors, and trade organizations can act as an excellent resource for industry specific questions regarding the operation of the business. 
Disclaimer: This list is provided as general information and does not constitute legal advice. 

Using Social Media to Build Meaningful Professional Relationships

Sponsor Spotlight: Brian Cauble of Appsolute Genius




Brian Cauble, co-founder of the Birmingham-based mobile applications developer Appsolute Genius, has about 1,200 connections on LinkedIn. He has had face-to-face meetings with nearly all of them. 

If you’re looking for someone to offer advice on how to use social media to build meaningful relationships on and offline, Brian is clearly your guy. And chances are, he’ll actually make time to meet you for coffee to discuss this. 

That’s just one of the reasons we’re so glad that Appsolute Genius is one of the sponsors for the July issue of See Jane Write Magazine and our magazine launch party. 


Appsolute Genius co-founder Brian Cauble

Brian was the guest speaker at a recent luncheon presented by the Alabama Social Media Association (ALsocme). 

He began his talk with a scenario to which we can all relate. You go to networking event or a conference. You shake hands.  You chat with people you find interesting. You leave with a stack of business cards. Those business cards then sit on your desk collecting dust until you eventually accidentally knock them into your trash can and don’t bother digging them out. 

One of the first tips Brian offered was to simply follow up. When you met someone at an event send them an email or a connection request on LinkedIn (But don’t send a generic one. You should actually write a message reminding the person where you two met.) Follow them on Twitter. Friend them on Facebook. Likewise, if there’s someone you know only online, don’t be afraid to try to arrange a meeting IRL, or in real life. 

Effectively using social media can be tough, but Brian gave the crowd five guidelines that made the process feel a lot less daunting. 




1. Be interesting. Tweet and post Facebook status updates on the things you find interesting, the things you’re passionate about. Believe it or not, there are plenty of other people out there who will find those things interesting too. 

2. Be humble. Brian explained this in what I considered the best quote of the afternoon: “Nobody likes a jackass.” Don’t use your online platforms as an opportunity to be a jerk or to tell people how they should live their lives. 

3. Be engaged. Check-in on Facebook and Foursquare when you go to an event. Comment on people’s status updates. Reply to interesting tweets. Being engaged on social media, however, should not feel like work. It should feel natural. Once you find your groove, Brian said, it will just become what you do.

4. Be authentic. Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone else online. Talk about things you actually care about, not just things you think will get people’s attention. Later in his talk, Brian also added that we shouldn’t be afraid to use social media to reveal pieces of lives to others, even the pieces that aren’t so great. Brian shared that he used social media to help cope with his father’s death. You don’t want your posts to be perpetual rants, but don’t think you have to pretend your life is perfect. “Life sucks sometimes,” Brian said.

5. Be helpful. So often when we think of social media we’re focused on what we can get out of it. Shift your focus and look for ways to help people. Start helping people get connected with folks they need to know. Eventually, this will help you too because people will start to see you as a must-have connection. 

Learn more about Brian and his company at AppsoluteGenius.com.