Local entrepreneur’s experience aids businesses

Tapping into experience can lead to success. The key is finding proven experience since advice from the unqualified can be costly.

This line of thinking can border on espousing platitudes. “Listen to your elders” has been with us from the beginning and embodies most business philosophy. Nonetheless, finding someone who has created successful businesses—and is willing to share that knowledge—is a change agent worth seeking out.

Today, finding help to jump-start a listless enterprise is a “now more than ever” endeavor. According to a survey from Main Street America, 7.5 million small businesses will shut down permanently if the disruption caused by Covid-19 continues unabated.

Enter Marianne Clyde. With almost three decades of professional counseling and more, including the last nine years operating the Marianne Clyde Center for Holistic Psychotherapy in Warrenton, she walks the walk.

On October 28, she launched her latest creation Business Your Way, located at 32 Waterloo Street, #105.

“I’ve had practices in California, Massachusetts, Virginia, and even opened one in Tokyo when my husband’s insurance career took him there,” said Clyde. “I have 30 years working both stateside and in developing countries with people experiencing trauma, civil war, trafficking, water and food shortages, and more.”

In 2019, Clyde retired with no thought other than enjoying her family. Her husband Bob and her have eight children in their blended marriage and will celebrate their 18^th grandchild’s birth next spring.

Tending to the family was like retiring to another full-time job.

But even in retirement, she stays involved with the local business community. It includes being a member of the Fauquier County Chamber of Commerce executive board and the founder of Be the Change Foundation, an organization empowering women to embrace opportunities, seek solutions, and find business success.

“Covid-19 caused both of those organizations to pivot, so I thought taking some business coaching courses would help me in my leadership roles,” said Clyde.

“Then it occurred to me everyone needs help with their businesses today because the pandemic has impacted most of them negatively.”

Business Your Way
With her wealth of experience, including not only counseling but in real estate, gift shops, and more, Clyde has always built businesses that worked around her lifestyle.

With her large family, traveling, and myriad interests, she believes, “Everybody who desires it should have a business that is not only flexible but when a crisis arrives can pivot, so it continues to be profitable while meeting their lifestyle.”

She devoted several months pulling together her new company, including creating a website, social media venues, group coaching, and workshops.

Clyde has three offerings to boost languishing businesses.

First, there is a half-day workshop called Hero on a Mission. The effort helps an owner gather their thoughts on what they want to accomplish and how their vision can be fulfilled. She helps them develop a one-year, five-year, and 10-year plan to achieve those goals. The cost is $250.

The training can be hosted on Zoom for five to 10 participants and covers mission, messaging, and marketing topics.

Second is an ongoing small group coaching option for five to ten people costing $600 a month.

It’s surprising to Clyde that many small businesses have not even compiled a customer email list because they did not need one in the past. Now ongoing communication with customers providing business and lifestyle tips is essential in maintaining and building relationships.

The third approach is a one-on-one engagement. It starts with a free phone interview where a “business MRI” is administered to elicit how an individual’s company is currently functioning. Clyde creates a proposal showing how she can provide pragmatic assistance in creating a path to increased revenue.

It typically is a six-month to a year-long action plan with three 90-minute meetings a month. The cost is $1,000 a month with a commitment to participate for a minimum of six months.

Clyde also offers a free subscription to the Business Made Simple University series that guides clients through a business reactivation process as an incentive to try her services. The offering was created by the well-known author Donald Miller.

Since there are so many businesses in crisis today, Clyde provides clear and proven strategies for increasing sales and elevating participating firms’ overall economic health.

In summarizing her return to the workforce, Clyde said, “There is a huge need out there today, and I’ve got the skills and time to help fulfill that need.”

For a description of all the service offerings of Business Your Way, including a free PDF publication titled “9 Ways to Save Your Business”, visit https://businessyourway.solutions/

 

Published in a November 2020 edition of the Fauquier Times.