Do you want to win $60,000? How to enter (and stand a chance to win) the Barclays #SmallBusiness contest!

There are only two weeks left to enter the Barclays small business contest. I recently submitted my essay and application and decided to make a video on my story and share some fine details here so that you can have a chance to win $60,000- plus a whole host of other smaller monetary prizes. After all, my mission is to help entrepreneurs grow and part of that is making them aware of these opportunities!

So now to the contest application....

First of all, for your submission no video is required. The application only requires an essay (no more than 500 words) and a photo that is yours which reflects the story you share with the Barclays small business judges. Your essay needs to share how your business is approaching the U.S. economy. In that how you have shown perseverance, creativity and passion in selling your products and services, and how that has aligned with the opportunities in and challenges of the current economy. Finally, how your business supports your target community.

Believe me, it was very hard for me to get this all into 500 words (I got it to 498 after several rounds of revisions). I thought by sharing a bit about my essay may help you to craft yours (and quickly to meet their deadline) .

In that I am nearing I think 18 solid years as a business owner I wanted to hone in where I provide the most community support. This was easy - the entrepreneur community, in all its facets of my company - from my Warrior Women in Business female entrepreneurs to my JSMedia - Jasmine Sandler Media parent company which operates #JSMforArtists and #JSMforexecutives many of whom turn entrepreneur. Then how I serve this community. Again, easy for me. My event production of well over 100 events where I have educated small business owners and brought them together to learn and network. Further, the over 500 entrepreneurial based member organizations where I have been a LinkedIn Sales or Marketing trainer. So, a lot of training , education, advising and connecting - got it.

Now the U.S. economy - where it is, my business approach and past patterns. Again, easy. For me and most likely you, our small businesses wax and wane based on economic conditions. I talked about the 2008/9 recession where I had to alter my service portfolio to go from larger full service digital marketing agency to a boutique executive and entrepreneurial branding and marketing consultancy.

COVID19 and 2020 and beyond, where I shared how I developed Warrior Women in Business and JSM for Artists to help business and art entrepreneurs by providing education and brand strategy to survive out of desperate times. The current economy, where I see great opportunities to leverage Web3 technologies for continued work in digital marketing advisory services and the expansion of foreign manufacturing small businesses into the U.S. where I can guide them to develop U.S. customer sets.

On perseverance, simple. if you read my previous LinkedIn article on the "Checking the Disability Box?" you would know that I was knocked out of business for almost two years due to an accident and still on the mend with my eyesight (lost it totally for over a year) and yet still going.

Creativity, literally I think is my middle name and most likely yours if you are a small business owner! In that my first business (at the age of 20 was Creative Brainstorming) was all about out of the box design thinking , I am no stranger to coming up with creative solutions to marketing problems!

The contest also asks you to submit a photo. Yes only one! The photo should encapsulate your essay. I chose one (you cannot share your photo anywhere outside of the contest) where I was leading a social selling talk for 500+ entrepreneurs and executives on Social Selling via relationship development. I believe as a Speaker my role is to educate people so that they can grow financially, thus helping the community and economy at large.

Enjoy my video and the best of luck in your application to win $60,000! See the link to apply now!

Submit your entry to the Barclays small business contest by March 4 2024 here -

https://www.barclayssmallbizbigwins.com/

#Barclays #Smallbusiness #Smallbusinesscontest #Entrepreneur #Marketing #Smallbusinessmarketing #USeconomy