By Laura Renner

There was a lot of hoopla in 2018 due to ads major corporations released, such as Nike’s ad featuring Colin Kaepernick and Pepsi’s ad featuring Kendall Jenner. 

Sure, Nike’s Colin Kaepernick ad was controversial and appeared as if Nike was taking a side. However, how much of this stance is simply a marketing strategy versus Nike actually taking a side remains to be seen. Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner ad, on the other hand, came across as disingenuous and an obvious marketing attempt poorly executed. 

Does Nike actually care about the social issues Kaepernick was trying to highlight? Or was it simply one of the largest market opportunities out there? Nike surely weighed a lot of variables: many in the millennial generation--the largest group of Americans--consider social responsibility when choosing where they shop and work. Indeed, social responsibility can boost sales and help with employee recruitment. 

While large corporations choose their way forward, what are small businesses doing? Some more obvious ways include being a social enterprise or a certified B corp. But there are other ways your business can be socially responsible. For example, you can contribute a portion of revenue to and/or volunteer for causes you support.

By Laura Renner

People start their own business for a variety of reasons. 

Some grew up that way. Their parents may have been entrepreneurs or they started with a lemonade stand and never stopped. It is in their blood and they cannot think of anything else they would rather do. 

By Jenny Boyles

When talking with potential clients, we hear time and time again that they love our structure and the virtual assistants we provide. It is our goal to provide excellent, customized service to small business owners, so that they can focus on their business rather than support tasks. Freedom Makers also aims to support military spouses and their families by creating a path to stable, uninterrupted employment and income.
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By Laura Renner

As a small business owner, you may never take vacation. It can be hard, if not impossible, to shut down your business, even if just for a few days. If you can and are willing, great! There is nothing better than changing your scenery and routine to give you a refreshed perspective, energy, and rest.

If you cannot, consider taking what we call a Workcation. Travel somewhere, do work that cannot wait, and have fun otherwise. Here are some tips for taking a work-cation.

By Jenny Boyles & Laura Renner

​Hiring a virtual assistant requires some work that you must do up front to ensure a successful working relationship.  When describing the work you want done and how you want it done, it is important to determine whether you are looking for time based work or task based work. Once you have determined your structure, your virtual assistant will know what is expected of them and, ultimately, your working relationship will be stronger.

By Laura Renner

There is a lot of freedom to owning a business. You can hit the grocery mid-afternoon when there are no lines; you can get your nails done or schedule wellness appointments midday. There is also a lot more responsibility that comes with being a business owner versus an employee. You alone are on the hook for customer satisfaction and the viability of your business. Because of that, more and more business owners are running their business from their car, coffee shops, and waiting rooms. As technology has developed, working while on the road is becoming ever easier. Below are some tips and tools for working while away from your desk.

By Laura Renner

As technology progresses, the trend towards bigger products waxes and wanes. I remember in college, poking fun at the upperclassmen for how small their computers were compared to mine. As desktop computers became mainstream, the bigger they were, the more powerful they were. Then we began to switch to laptops. They were big, clunky, and heavy. As more people wanted the mobility and ease of a laptop, the smaller they became and the better. Just a few short years after laptops became more mainstream.  I am still astounded at how light the newer laptops are! Tablets also were introduced as a sleeker replacement for a laptop.


Around this time, the smartphones led the mobile technology revolution. Over the past decade, we have seen smartphones get more slender, but then get bigger and bigger again with each new release. They are sleek yet offer screens slightly larger, so more work can be done on them.


What does all this mean for us small business owners? Sometimes, we think we need a certain tool to do our job but we wish we could use another. Wish you could break free from your laptop and run your business entirely from your phone? Wish you had more space on your phone screen?
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By Jenny Boyles and Laura Renner

As a small business owner, having affordable and easy-to-use tools is critical to running your business successfully. So many are on the market these days with more coming online all the time. As of May 2019, these are our personal favorites that we use internally at Freedom Makers.

Our 3 criteria for making the list:

-Must have a free version. Small business owners don’t have time to waste with setting up a program just for a free two-week trial. All of these software have a free version you can use until the time is right to upgrade.
-Must be subscription based. Cash is king for small businesses. While a monthly payment is more expensive, it’s nice to have the flexibility if necessary. Furthermore, with new software coming available all the time and with the constant adapting and changing small businesses go through, it’s imperative to have the flexibility subscriptions provide.
-Must be easy to use and quick to set up. Most small businesses have limited resources (time, money, and energy.) Anything that makes it easier for small business owners--like quick setup--is a win in our books.

By Jenny Boyles

Since 1984 when President Ronald Reagan issued the first proclamation for a day dedicated to military spouses, the Friday before Mother’s Day has served as the day we honor the contributions and sacrifices made military spouses. We recognize Military Spouse Appreciation Day because of their commitment and support in keeping our country safe.

To discuss the employment issues military spouses face further, we spoke with Libby Jamison and Josie Beets, co-founders of MissionLicense, which aims to help all professionals dealing with occupational licensing barriers, these services are particularly valuable to military spouses seeking to continue in a regulated occupation after a relocation to a new jurisdiction.

Not all marketing is created equal. You need to choose the best marketing tools for your business. Learn the different way to attract clients and what your business should be doing through the Freedom Makers Marketing Decision Tree.

This FREE marketing guide will show you how to market in a way that is most appropriate for your clients and business. Ultimately, this will help you determine the best marketing strategies to get the most bang for your buck. Click here to get started.