Events Calendar

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: nikkie@SNAPSavvyStrategies.com

Hera Hub Carlsbad GURU Nikki Achartz, owner of SNAP Savvy Strategies

As one of the foremost branding photographers and image-based branding strategists in San Diego, Nikkie Achartz has leveraged her background in psychology, marketing, and sales, to help hundreds of entrepreneurs create a visual brand that boosts relationships, referrals, and revenue.

Beyond photography, Nikkie helps clients develop a comprehensive visual marketing and sales strategy that integrates the right mix of psycho-graphic behavioral profiling, impact driven images, and sales model development to build the KNOW ⇨ LIKE ⇨ TRUST ⇨ BUY relationship. She believes sustained profitability is a result of strong brands, strong buying triggers, and a streamlined sales conversion process.

You may want to ask Nikkie Achartz questions related to:

Guidance in helping you identify a target market that will properly value your services – If I “niche” will I be leaving money on the table from other potential sources?

Identifying the compelling fears, pains, and desires of your ideal client – How are you ideally positioned to meet the needs/wants of your target audience?

Support matching your brand with the ideal target market – Do you want high end clients, but have a bargain basement brand?

Understanding how much time you must spend “on” your business vs. “in” your business – How do you get off the feast-famine income roller coaster that often comes with a service-based business?

Understanding your revenue funnel and how to move potential clients from “hello” to bigger ticket packages – How are you converting inquiries to income in a way that allows prospects to easily “buy in” to your services without causing instant sticker shock?

Ways to add value so you don’t get caught in the discounting trap – In what ways are you standing out in the crowd of your competitors without engaging in a “race to the bottom” pricing plan?

Learn more or connect with Nikkie during her GURU hour!
Website: www.SNAPSavvyStrategies.com

Email: nikkie@SNAPSavvyStrategies.com

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: alice@writeforsmallbusiness.com

Alice Brzovic conducts her Content Strategy & Ghostwriting GURU Hours every second and fourth Wednesday during Writers' Lounge in Hera Hub Carlsbad's conference room. Come eat, chat, and write any content for your business with Alice!

Example questions you can ask Alice during GURU Hours:
- Why do I need a content calendar and how do I create one?
- How can I improve my content?
- Where can I get topic ideas?
- What do I do now that I finished writing my content?
- How often should I publish new content?
- What should I do if I have writer’s block?
- How can I produce more content?
- How do I create content if I don't consider myself a "good writer"?

Alice Brzovic has been creating web content since the web was “the next big thing.” Her work for her clients has led to an increase in website traffic, appointments, and office visits. Whether her clients have a ton of content or none at all, Alice finds the key to what you want and need to say to start a relationship, grow your business, and stay top of mind with your customers.

Contact Email
alice@writeforsmallbusiness.com
Website
writeforsmallbusiness.com

Open to Members and Non-members 
neda@kananiadvisorygroup.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Investment Advisor Representative and licensed insurance professional in California, Neda Kanani is a financial advisor at Kanani Advisory Group. She works with retirees and pre-retirees and helps them plan for retirement. She is also passionate about educating and assisting women with their finances and retirement plans.
She holds licenses in life and health insurance in California and has passed her Series 65 examination. Neda also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a Finance concentration from Cal State Fullerton.
In her leisure time, Neda enjoys working out, going to the beach, off-roading in her Jeep Wrangler and spending time with her family and dog.

Sample questions you can ask during her GURU hours:
How to prepare for retirement, at any age.

Budgeting tips to save money.

Portfolio and investment advice.

Contact Email:

neda@kananiadvisorygroup.com

Website:

www.kananiadvisorygroup.com

Phone:

(949) 502-7001

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: cherylmstcyr@gmail.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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After spending the majority of her professional career as an HR Leader in various startup and non-profit organizations, Hera Hub GURU Cheryl St. Cyr embarked on a new journey as an HR Consultant with a few trusted and talented colleagues - and never looked back! In this new direction, Cheryl has had the opportunity to collaborate with accomplished and brilliant professionals, all working towards the same goal of creating the most efficient business processes possible.

Cheryl is obsessed with structure and problem (read: puzzle) solving, and both skills lend themselves well to the world of people culture and human capital compliance. Smart business owners recognize the part their people play in synergistically making them the top choice for their customers. Cheryl partners with leaders to not only take the worry out of managing the complex world of employment, but also to provide insight and strategy for culture definition and improvement. Cheryl is a Thought Leader in the People and Culture movement but understands the paperwork and policies needed to have flawless execution in order to support the vision.

You may want to ask Cheryl questions related to:
* What documentation, posters, practices, and procedures do I need to have in place as a business owner to maintain compliance with state and federal laws?
* Why does my small business need a Company Handbook? Job Descriptions? Mission, vision, and values? Performance management process?
* How do I start a/multiple benefits program(s) for my team members? Medical, dental, vision?401k? Health and wellness? Professional development?
* What are key components to team member retention and acquisition? Sourcing ideas? Non-monetary incentives? Culture and branding opportunities?
* How can I better structure my organization in order to optimize workflow and communication dissemination?

Cheryl has experience in the following areas:
Conflict resolution • Grievance processes • Internal investigations • Management-employee communications • Onboarding and offboarding procedures • Employee paperwork • Handbook creation and updates • Performance management • Professional development and planning • Intranet structures • HRIS implementation and administration • Full-cycle recruiting • Retention strategies • Salary reviews and compensation analysis • Benefits administration • Job descriptions and profiles • Succession planning • Payroll setup and administration • Bonus structures • Company branding strategies • Executive and leadership coaching • Non-monetary rewards and benefits • State and local employment law compliance • Workers’ compensation claims • HR file records and retention policies • HR audits • Interim HR leadership • FMLA/LOA/CFRA/PDL administration • Mission, Vision, Values creation facilitation • Diversity and inclusion strategies • Skills assessments • Wellness programs • Employee engagement and satisfaction surveys and action plans

Learn more about Cheryl or connect with her during her GURU hours, on the second and fourth Thursdays monthly from 1-2pm.
Website: www.linkedin.com/in/cherylstcyr/
Email: cherylmstcyr@gmail.com

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: dawn@afflatusmedia.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

Dawn DeSantis, founder and CEO of Afflatus Media, is an SEO and inbound marketing specialist who helps businesses thrive online. Afflatus Media provides Search Engine Optimization services, inbound content marketing, social media management and website design and development.

Living in a relationship-driven economy where 90% of research begins with an online search, Afflatus Media equips your business with the marketing, tech and SEO strategies needed to reach your target audience.

Dawn is an ‘early adopter’ and her genuine curiosity combined with her innate ability to learn new software keeps her on the cutting edge, continuously adding new professional skills and tech solutions for growing businesses. A tenacious problem solver, she finds great satisfaction in helping business owners overcome the technical and implementation hurdles that so often stand in the way of growing and succeeding in business.

Questions you might ask Dawn during her GURU hours:
- How to speed up a slow website
- How to improve SEO and get your website to show up on page 1 of Google
- How to install Facebook pixel, Google Analytics, or Google Ads tracking codes
- How to set up Google My Business
- How to take a website backup/how to restore a backup
- Which software and tools best help you achieve your marketing goals
- I need to move my in-person business online. What steps do I need to take?

A huge part of Dawn’s work includes sorting through various clients’ business and technical structures, untangling the webs, optimizing their software, website, and other marketing tools for high speed and low drag. Dawn and her team are highly proficient at learning and adapting to any software due to clients’ needs. By providing their own servers, Dawn and her team manage multiple websites with thousands of monthly visitors, launch and manage multiple clients’ podcasts and run and manage ads on various platforms.

Learn more about Dawn or connect with her during her GURU hours, every Tuesday from 12-1pm. These are open hours, but if you would like to lock in your time with Dawn, please use this optional scheduling link: https://calendly.com/afflatusmedia/seo-guru-hour

Learn more about Afflatus Media: https://afflatusmedia.com/
Email: dawn@afflatusmedia.com  

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: emily@emvpconsulting.com

** Emily has graciously volunteered to be available virtually every Tuesday during this challenging period for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Scroll down for scheduling link. **

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Emily Gorrie is a Sales Strategist & Trainer who partners with CEOs and entrepreneurs to challenge their current way of thinking around selling and the sales process. She helps them clarify their objectives and intentions as well as develop strategic tools to create successful client interactions and to give their employees a path to success.

Emily began her career by spending several years successfully achieving annual sales quotas of $2 to $15 million in traditional and digital media channels serving billion dollar CPG, Retail, Technology, and E-Commerce companies and their agency teams. Some notable accounts include Church & Dwight, Sabra Dipping Co, Edible Arrangements, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Having spent the last 8 years selling for and to major corporations, she has become intimately familiar with corporate strategies that lead to successful growth and sales achievements. This level of growth is achieved through deep thinking and insights that identify how to properly connect with customers in order to communicate value and foster a relationship that goes beyond the close of a deal.

You may want to ask Emily questions related to:

- I get flustered when people ask me what I do. How can I simplify my message (or 'pitch') when meeting new people?

- I meet all these great people. How do I get them to buy my services?

- There is really strong initial interest in my work, but I can't seem to get people to make the investment in working with me. Why is that? What can I do to change that?

- I want to hire someone to handle business development and sales. Where do I begin?

- I keep getting rejected when I finally bring up the costs of my services. How can I overcome these objections?

- Instead of paying for my services, other business owners are recommending we trade our services. How can I politely decline, but keep the door open to them paying for my services?

- What is a sales cycle and why do I need to know about it?

- How can I maximize my reach and sell my products/services efficiently?

Learn more about Emily or connect with her during her GURU hours, every Tuesday from 12:30-2pm, through the following scheduling link: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/  

Open to Members and Non Members! 
Email: michelle@philolaw.com  

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Michelle A. Philo is the principal at Philo Law Firm, P.C., where she provides concierge General Counsel services to small businesses and startups, with a focus on technology businesses. With her broad knowledge, Michelle provides small businesses with the convenience of working with one key lawyer to manage all of their outside counsel and provide immediate assistance with contracts, compliance, employments matters, and protecting intellectual property. She also provides estate planning, trust administration, and probate services to individuals and families. Prior to launching her own firm, Michelle served as General Counsel at Adtile Technologies Inc., a technology company focused on motion engagement and virtual reality for mobile devices. Michelle started her legal career at a mid-size firm doing both business litigation and transactional work and estate planning.Questions you want to ask Michelle:Is a corporation, LLC, or sole proprietorship right for me?What are the key terms I should have in my business contract?What are the steps I should take in hiring or terminating an employee?What terms of use or policies should I have on my website?Website: philolaw.com
Email: michelle@philolaw.com  

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Organizer: 05HH Irvine GURU Cal

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: Carmen@TeenSmartGoals.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Carmen has been working for over 20 years in Project and Program Management, and is now bringing her goal-setting, planning, and implementation skills to others by teaching the SMART goal methodology. During her years managing strategy consulting and technology projects, she found her greatest rewards came from mentoring and training other staff and peers, and driving action planning and tangible results for her team, and for her clients. She is excited to bring her unique skills and passion to help others easily clarify and define goals to help accomplish great results them quicker and more efficiently.

Carmen Proctor is a certified Project Management Professional who has been decades of experience in Business Consulting, Program and Program Management. She has developed her expertise by providing process improvement for large and small organizations by learning best practices, which gave her a first introduction to SMART goals. More recently, she has worked with small businesses in consulting engagements to help them define streamlined processes with the goal of creating consistency in the delivery of services and improving customer satisfaction, leading to repeat business and growing the team.

Carmen has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Project Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. She has also volunteered for the Carlsbad Unified Schools, First Lego League coaching, and Girls Inc. of San Diego, providing guidance and advice on goal setting, workflow processes, and selection of technology for specific business needs.

You may want to ask Carmen questions related to:

- I have goals I want to achieve but I don't know how to get started.
- How do I make sure to keep myself accountable and motivated so I can be excited about making progress?
- I have tried setting goals before and I don't think it's helped. What am I missing?
- I need help figuring out how to prioritize my work to maximize the impact on my business or my personal life.

Learn more about Carmen or connect with her during her GURU hours, on the first and third Thursday monthly from 10am - 11am. You can reserve your time with her using this scheduling link:
https://calendly.com/carmen-goals-guru/30min

Website: www.teensmartgoals.com
Email: Carmen@TeenSmartGoals.com

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: julia@strategicjuju.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Juju Hook is a brand strategist, author, coach, and speaker dedicated to rebranding middle age for women. Over thirty years, Juju has built brands for businesses from Fortune 500 companies to one-woman shows. She spent her early career as a marketing executive–first in the financial industry and then for Jacuzzi Intl–before owning and operating her own branding agency for nearly 15 years. Today, she has an online branding program designed specifically for entrepreneurs, and coaches women in building Unforgettable brands that lead to bottom line results and lives that make them want to jump out of bed in the morning. She has a branding blog at strategicjuju.com and a blog for midlife women at JujuHook.com, and a following of nearly 50,000. In 2017, Juju published her first book, “Hot Flashes, Carpools, and Dirty Martinis–the Quintessential Guide for Turning Midlife into PrimeTime,” and currently speaks from stage about why midlife, for women, is PrimeTime.

Questions you may want to ask Juju include:

-How can I differentiate my business and make it stand out?
-How do you write a tagline?
-How can I articulate what I do? (I can’t seem to explain it to people or say it in a few words.)
-How can I develop a values-based brand?

Website: strategicjuju.com

Email: julia@strategicjuju.com

Open to Members and Non Members!
Email: dwatson@designer-mouse.com  
Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Donna Watson is the owner and Chief Creative Office of Designer Mouse Graphic Design. Established in 1994, Designer Mouse is proudly celebrating 25 years in business! As the “Go To” resource for their clients’ marketing needs, Designer Mouse provides customized marketing communications materials in both print and online formats. Services include website design and development, brand development and logo design, marketing collateral (newsletters, data sheets, brochures, etc.), email marketing, and photo editing and restoration.Questions you may want to ask Donna:What do you think of this marketing piece I’ve developed? I want some feedback.I need a website designed but moving forward want to maintain it myself. Can you help me with that?What is your process for developing a logo?Website: www.designer-mouse.comEmail: dwatson@designer-mouse.com  

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: lindsay@wileyfinancialinc.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Lindsay Wiley is an accountant with over twenty years experience in the corporate and finance world and 3 degrees in economics, accounting and business. She has worked with many different industries, including but not limited to restaurants, biotech, and manufacturing. Lindsay specializes in helping small business grow and stay compliant with respect to bookkeeping, taxes,and state and federal filings. Essentially, Lindsay builds the accounting backbone for your growing business by knowing how to tell the right story of your finances through the accounting methods she has learned over her extensive career.

You may want to ask Lindsay questions related to:

- What should my tax position be in the coming year?
- How can I begin to build my bookkeeping and accounting needs for myself and my business?
- Am I compliant with the new AB5 independent contractor tax laws moving forward? If not, how can I become compliant?
- How do I set up a business entity?
- What entity is right for me?

Learn more about Lindsay or connect with her during her GURU hours, on the third Tuesday monthly from 10:30am - 12:30pm.

Website: wileyfinancialinc.com
Email: lindsay@wileyfinancialinc.com

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: dawn@afflatusmedia.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

Dawn DeSantis, founder and CEO of Afflatus Media, is an SEO and inbound marketing specialist who helps businesses thrive online. Afflatus Media provides Search Engine Optimization services, inbound content marketing, social media management and website design and development.

Living in a relationship-driven economy where 90% of research begins with an online search, Afflatus Media equips your business with the marketing, tech and SEO strategies needed to reach your target audience.

Dawn is an ‘early adopter’ and her genuine curiosity combined with her innate ability to learn new software keeps her on the cutting edge, continuously adding new professional skills and tech solutions for growing businesses. A tenacious problem solver, she finds great satisfaction in helping business owners overcome the technical and implementation hurdles that so often stand in the way of growing and succeeding in business.

Questions you might ask Dawn during her GURU hours:
- How to speed up a slow website
- How to improve SEO and get your website to show up on page 1 of Google
- How to install Facebook pixel, Google Analytics, or Google Ads tracking codes
- How to set up Google My Business
- How to take a website backup/how to restore a backup
- Which software and tools best help you achieve your marketing goals
- I need to move my in-person business online. What steps do I need to take?

A huge part of Dawn’s work includes sorting through various clients’ business and technical structures, untangling the webs, optimizing their software, website, and other marketing tools for high speed and low drag. Dawn and her team are highly proficient at learning and adapting to any software due to clients’ needs. By providing their own servers, Dawn and her team manage multiple websites with thousands of monthly visitors, launch and manage multiple clients’ podcasts and run and manage ads on various platforms.

Learn more about Dawn or connect with her during her GURU hours, every Tuesday from 12-1pm. These are open hours, but if you would like to lock in your time with Dawn, please use this optional scheduling link: https://calendly.com/afflatusmedia/seo-guru-hour

Learn more about Afflatus Media: https://afflatusmedia.com/
Email: dawn@afflatusmedia.com  

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: emily@emvpconsulting.com

** Emily has graciously volunteered to be available virtually every Tuesday during this challenging period for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Scroll down for scheduling link. **

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emily Gorrie is a Sales Strategist & Trainer who partners with CEOs and entrepreneurs to challenge their current way of thinking around selling and the sales process. She helps them clarify their objectives and intentions as well as develop strategic tools to create successful client interactions and to give their employees a path to success.

Emily began her career by spending several years successfully achieving annual sales quotas of $2 to $15 million in traditional and digital media channels serving billion dollar CPG, Retail, Technology, and E-Commerce companies and their agency teams. Some notable accounts include Church & Dwight, Sabra Dipping Co, Edible Arrangements, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Having spent the last 8 years selling for and to major corporations, she has become intimately familiar with corporate strategies that lead to successful growth and sales achievements. This level of growth is achieved through deep thinking and insights that identify how to properly connect with customers in order to communicate value and foster a relationship that goes beyond the close of a deal.

You may want to ask Emily questions related to:

- I get flustered when people ask me what I do. How can I simplify my message (or 'pitch') when meeting new people?

- I meet all these great people. How do I get them to buy my services?

- There is really strong initial interest in my work, but I can't seem to get people to make the investment in working with me. Why is that? What can I do to change that?

- I want to hire someone to handle business development and sales. Where do I begin?

- I keep getting rejected when I finally bring up the costs of my services. How can I overcome these objections?

- Instead of paying for my services, other business owners are recommending we trade our services. How can I politely decline, but keep the door open to them paying for my services?

- What is a sales cycle and why do I need to know about it?

- How can I maximize my reach and sell my products/services efficiently?

Learn more about Emily or connect with her during her GURU hours, every Tuesday from 12:30-2pm, through the following scheduling link: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/  

Open to Members and Non-members 
neda@kananiadvisorygroup.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Investment Advisor Representative and licensed insurance professional in California, Neda Kanani is a financial advisor at Kanani Advisory Group. She works with retirees and pre-retirees and helps them plan for retirement. She is also passionate about educating and assisting women with their finances and retirement plans.
She holds licenses in life and health insurance in California and has passed her Series 65 examination. Neda also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a Finance concentration from Cal State Fullerton.
In her leisure time, Neda enjoys working out, going to the beach, off-roading in her Jeep Wrangler and spending time with her family and dog.

Sample questions you can ask during her GURU hours:
How to prepare for retirement, at any age.

Budgeting tips to save money.

Portfolio and investment advice.

Contact Email:

neda@kananiadvisorygroup.com

Website:

www.kananiadvisorygroup.com

Phone:

(949) 502-7001

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: mac@conoverpr.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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"Public relations is the backbone to business communications, " - Mary Ann Conover. Mary Ann Conover, is founder of Conover PR, a boutique PR firm specializing in crises management, health education and business development. She carries a Masters in Communications from Kent State University and a Bachelors in Health Science from San Diego State University. Mary Ann is also Accredited in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America, or PRSA. She enjoys counseling businesses on best practices for public relations. See her article in the Hera Herald on "How to Make the Media Feel Like They Hit the Jackpot."

For the majority of her decades-long career, Mary Ann has worked closely with medical and mental health professionals to convey the value of their services to consumers. She is proud to acknowledge her work with clinicians, ranging from audiologists, cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and orthopedic surgeons. A more recent endeavor is taking Conover PR into the area of healthcare technology.

You may want to ask Mary Ann questions related to:

- How can I utilize public relations for my business?
- What are the first steps to being "media ready?"
- How do I prepare a press release and where should I send it?
- How do I prioritize which services I should promote?
- What does the media look for when searching for someone to highlight?
- What are some PR resources for businesses who are on a budget?

Learn more about Mary Ann or connect with her during her GURU hours, on the fourth Tuesday monthly from 10am - 12pm.

Website: ConoverPR.com
Email: mac@conoverpr.com

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: dawn@afflatusmedia.com

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

Dawn DeSantis, founder and CEO of Afflatus Media, is an SEO and inbound marketing specialist who helps businesses thrive online. Afflatus Media provides Search Engine Optimization services, inbound content marketing, social media management and website design and development.

Living in a relationship-driven economy where 90% of research begins with an online search, Afflatus Media equips your business with the marketing, tech and SEO strategies needed to reach your target audience.

Dawn is an ‘early adopter’ and her genuine curiosity combined with her innate ability to learn new software keeps her on the cutting edge, continuously adding new professional skills and tech solutions for growing businesses. A tenacious problem solver, she finds great satisfaction in helping business owners overcome the technical and implementation hurdles that so often stand in the way of growing and succeeding in business.

Questions you might ask Dawn during her GURU hours:
- How to speed up a slow website
- How to improve SEO and get your website to show up on page 1 of Google
- How to install Facebook pixel, Google Analytics, or Google Ads tracking codes
- How to set up Google My Business
- How to take a website backup/how to restore a backup
- Which software and tools best help you achieve your marketing goals
- I need to move my in-person business online. What steps do I need to take?

A huge part of Dawn’s work includes sorting through various clients’ business and technical structures, untangling the webs, optimizing their software, website, and other marketing tools for high speed and low drag. Dawn and her team are highly proficient at learning and adapting to any software due to clients’ needs. By providing their own servers, Dawn and her team manage multiple websites with thousands of monthly visitors, launch and manage multiple clients’ podcasts and run and manage ads on various platforms.

Learn more about Dawn or connect with her during her GURU hours, every Tuesday from 12-1pm. These are open hours, but if you would like to lock in your time with Dawn, please use this optional scheduling link: https://calendly.com/afflatusmedia/seo-guru-hour

Learn more about Afflatus Media: https://afflatusmedia.com/
Email: dawn@afflatusmedia.com  

Open to Members and Non-Members!
Email: emily@emvpconsulting.com

** Emily has graciously volunteered to be available virtually every Tuesday during this challenging period for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Scroll down for scheduling link. **

Hera Hub GURUs are subject matter experts who donate their time to meet one-on-one with local entrepreneurs (members and non-members welcome) to answer questions they may have on a variety of topics related to their field. Think of it like “office hours” with your professor. It’s a great way to get free mentoring and advice from business experts. Just drop by during GURU hours, no appointment necessary!

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Emily Gorrie is a Sales Strategist & Trainer who partners with CEOs and entrepreneurs to challenge their current way of thinking around selling and the sales process. She helps them clarify their objectives and intentions as well as develop strategic tools to create successful client interactions and to give their employees a path to success.

Emily began her career by spending several years successfully achieving annual sales quotas of $2 to $15 million in traditional and digital media channels serving billion dollar CPG, Retail, Technology, and E-Commerce companies and their agency teams. Some notable accounts include Church & Dwight, Sabra Dipping Co, Edible Arrangements, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Having spent the last 8 years selling for and to major corporations, she has become intimately familiar with corporate strategies that lead to successful growth and sales achievements. This level of growth is achieved through deep thinking and insights that identify how to properly connect with customers in order to communicate value and foster a relationship that goes beyond the close of a deal.

You may want to ask Emily questions related to:

- I get flustered when people ask me what I do. How can I simplify my message (or 'pitch') when meeting new people?

- I meet all these great people. How do I get them to buy my services?

- There is really strong initial interest in my work, but I can't seem to get people to make the investment in working with me. Why is that? What can I do to change that?

- I want to hire someone to handle business development and sales. Where do I begin?

- I keep getting rejected when I finally bring up the costs of my services. How can I overcome these objections?

- Instead of paying for my services, other business owners are recommending we trade our services. How can I politely decline, but keep the door open to them paying for my services?

- What is a sales cycle and why do I need to know about it?

- How can I maximize my reach and sell my products/services efficiently?

Learn more about Emily or connect with her during her GURU hours, every Tuesday from 12:30-2pm, through the following scheduling link: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/  

Let's transform this challenging period into an opportunity to work on moving our businesses forward!

Beginning this Thursday from 9-10am, Hera Hub Carlsbad Goal Setting & Action Planning GURU and experienced "agile" team leader, Carmen Proctor, PMP will be hosting a virtual accountability hour using the following agenda:

1. Brief introductions (1-2 minutes): Name, business, 10-second elevator pitch
2. Back again around the group to go over weekly goal-setting, using the agile technique
a. What is your main goal for this week?
b. What tasks must you complete to achieve this goal?
c. Any roadblocks? Do you have the resources you need (time,
knowledge, tools)?
d. Anything the group can help you with?
3. Wrap-up

No masterminding (save that for Biz Dev Power Hour on Mondays!); rather, we are focused solely on goal-setting & accountability. Meeting should be contained within 1 hour. If we complete early, we end early so we can get to work!

*Repeat attendance is encouraged but not required. Feel free to attend whenever you need an accountability boost!

Helpful Group Interaction Guidelines —

1. Respect confidentiality — what other people share about their lives belongs to them and should stay with them.
2. Be present in the moment — keep devices to a minimum and stay attentive to whoever has the floor.
3. Hold yourself accountable to your own journey — only you can create the change you want.
4. Ask for what you want clearly and specifically — especially when it comes to how you’d like the group to support you.
5. Speak respectfully, without blaming, shaming, or fixing.
6. Ask permission before offering feedback or advice — if someone hasn’t specified, it’s best to start with “what kind of support would you like right now?”
7. Be willing to allow for mistakes — yours and other people’s.
8. Make space for humor and the unexpected — keeping an open mind allows for the flow of miracles.
9. Be on time and stay until the end — this helps everyone feel valued and respected.
10. Please mute all electronics — use vibrate if you have to be on call for anything critical.

Just because we can't meet in person does not mean that we can't network with other! Let's seize this opportunity to get to know other Hera Hub Carlsbad members and their businesses, and see how we can help each other survive and thrive in this uncertain time. The connections we make now can serve us long after coronavirus is gone.

This weekly meeting is open to any Hera Hub Carlsbad member who is interested in connecting with, learning from, and supporting other members.

Each meeting will have a group leader who will host the meeting in a round-table format with a mix of icebreaker/getting-to-know-you questions (e.g. "Would you rather...?" or "What's your fave...?") and business-related questions (e.g. "What is your ask from the group?" or "What are you looking forward to in your business?"). The meeting will last for one hour. You are welcome to attend weekly or just attend whenever you can!  

Open to all levels. Corry will guide us through meditation, pranayama (Yogic breathing), and a gentle yet invigorating and strengthening flow.

Yoga mat or beach towel encouraged. Props are optional.

Corry Lang is an emotional health coach, life coach, yoga instructor, nutritional consultant and author. Learn more about her at www.corrylang.com.

Let's transform this challenging period into an opportunity to work on moving our businesses forward!

Beginning this Thursday from 9-10am, Hera Hub Carlsbad Goal Setting & Action Planning GURU and experienced "agile" team leader, Carmen Proctor, PMP will be hosting a virtual accountability hour using the following agenda:

1. Brief introductions (1-2 minutes): Name, business, 10-second elevator pitch
2. Back again around the group to go over weekly goal-setting, using the agile technique
a. What is your main goal for this week?
b. What tasks must you complete to achieve this goal?
c. Any roadblocks? Do you have the resources you need (time,
knowledge, tools)?
d. Anything the group can help you with?
3. Wrap-up

No masterminding (save that for Biz Dev Power Hour on Mondays!); rather, we are focused solely on goal-setting & accountability. Meeting should be contained within 1 hour. If we complete early, we end early so we can get to work!

*Repeat attendance is encouraged but not required. Feel free to attend whenever you need an accountability boost!

Helpful Group Interaction Guidelines —

1. Respect confidentiality — what other people share about their lives belongs to them and should stay with them.
2. Be present in the moment — keep devices to a minimum and stay attentive to whoever has the floor.
3. Hold yourself accountable to your own journey — only you can create the change you want.
4. Ask for what you want clearly and specifically — especially when it comes to how you’d like the group to support you.
5. Speak respectfully, without blaming, shaming, or fixing.
6. Ask permission before offering feedback or advice — if someone hasn’t specified, it’s best to start with “what kind of support would you like right now?”
7. Be willing to allow for mistakes — yours and other people’s.
8. Make space for humor and the unexpected — keeping an open mind allows for the flow of miracles.
9. Be on time and stay until the end — this helps everyone feel valued and respected.
10. Please mute all electronics — use vibrate if you have to be on call for anything critical.

Just because we can't meet in person does not mean that we can't network with other! Let's seize this opportunity to get to know other Hera Hub Carlsbad members and their businesses, and see how we can help each other survive and thrive in this uncertain time. The connections we make now can serve us long after coronavirus is gone.

This weekly meeting is open to any Hera Hub Carlsbad member who is interested in connecting with, learning from, and supporting other members.

Each meeting will have a group leader who will host the meeting in a round-table format with a mix of icebreaker/getting-to-know-you questions (e.g. "Would you rather...?" or "What's your fave...?") and business-related questions (e.g. "What is your ask from the group?" or "What are you looking forward to in your business?"). The meeting will last for one hour. You are welcome to attend weekly or just attend whenever you can!  

Open to all levels. Corry will guide us through meditation, pranayama (Yogic breathing), and a gentle yet invigorating and strengthening flow.

Yoga mat or beach towel encouraged. Props are optional.

Corry Lang is an emotional health coach, life coach, yoga instructor, nutritional consultant and author. Learn more about her at www.corrylang.com.

Let's transform this challenging period into an opportunity to work on moving our businesses forward!

Beginning this Thursday from 9-10am, Hera Hub Carlsbad Goal Setting & Action Planning GURU and experienced "agile" team leader, Carmen Proctor, PMP will be hosting a virtual accountability hour using the following agenda:

1. Brief introductions (1-2 minutes): Name, business, 10-second elevator pitch
2. Back again around the group to go over weekly goal-setting, using the agile technique
a. What is your main goal for this week?
b. What tasks must you complete to achieve this goal?
c. Any roadblocks? Do you have the resources you need (time,
knowledge, tools)?
d. Anything the group can help you with?
3. Wrap-up

No masterminding (save that for Biz Dev Power Hour on Mondays!); rather, we are focused solely on goal-setting & accountability. Meeting should be contained within 1 hour. If we complete early, we end early so we can get to work!

*Repeat attendance is encouraged but not required. Feel free to attend whenever you need an accountability boost!

Helpful Group Interaction Guidelines —

1. Respect confidentiality — what other people share about their lives belongs to them and should stay with them.
2. Be present in the moment — keep devices to a minimum and stay attentive to whoever has the floor.
3. Hold yourself accountable to your own journey — only you can create the change you want.
4. Ask for what you want clearly and specifically — especially when it comes to how you’d like the group to support you.
5. Speak respectfully, without blaming, shaming, or fixing.
6. Ask permission before offering feedback or advice — if someone hasn’t specified, it’s best to start with “what kind of support would you like right now?”
7. Be willing to allow for mistakes — yours and other people’s.
8. Make space for humor and the unexpected — keeping an open mind allows for the flow of miracles.
9. Be on time and stay until the end — this helps everyone feel valued and respected.
10. Please mute all electronics — use vibrate if you have to be on call for anything critical.

Just because we can't meet in person does not mean that we can't network with other! Let's seize this opportunity to get to know other Hera Hub Carlsbad members and their businesses, and see how we can help each other survive and thrive in this uncertain time. The connections we make now can serve us long after coronavirus is gone.

This weekly meeting is open to any Hera Hub Carlsbad member who is interested in connecting with, learning from, and supporting other members.

Each meeting will have a group leader who will host the meeting in a round-table format with a mix of icebreaker/getting-to-know-you questions (e.g. "Would you rather...?" or "What's your fave...?") and business-related questions (e.g. "What is your ask from the group?" or "What are you looking forward to in your business?"). The meeting will last for one hour. You are welcome to attend weekly or just attend whenever you can!  

Open to all levels. Corry will guide us through meditation, pranayama (Yogic breathing), and a gentle yet invigorating and strengthening flow.

Yoga mat or beach towel encouraged. Props are optional.

Corry Lang is an emotional health coach, life coach, yoga instructor, nutritional consultant and author. Learn more about her at www.corrylang.com.

Let's transform this challenging period into an opportunity to work on moving our businesses forward!

Beginning this Thursday from 9-10am, Hera Hub Carlsbad Goal Setting & Action Planning GURU and experienced "agile" team leader, Carmen Proctor, PMP will be hosting a virtual accountability hour using the following agenda:

1. Brief introductions (1-2 minutes): Name, business, 10-second elevator pitch
2. Back again around the group to go over weekly goal-setting, using the agile technique
a. What is your main goal for this week?
b. What tasks must you complete to achieve this goal?
c. Any roadblocks? Do you have the resources you need (time,
knowledge, tools)?
d. Anything the group can help you with?
3. Wrap-up

No masterminding (save that for Biz Dev Power Hour on Mondays!); rather, we are focused solely on goal-setting & accountability. Meeting should be contained within 1 hour. If we complete early, we end early so we can get to work!

*Repeat attendance is encouraged but not required. Feel free to attend whenever you need an accountability boost!

Helpful Group Interaction Guidelines —

1. Respect confidentiality — what other people share about their lives belongs to them and should stay with them.
2. Be present in the moment — keep devices to a minimum and stay attentive to whoever has the floor.
3. Hold yourself accountable to your own journey — only you can create the change you want.
4. Ask for what you want clearly and specifically — especially when it comes to how you’d like the group to support you.
5. Speak respectfully, without blaming, shaming, or fixing.
6. Ask permission before offering feedback or advice — if someone hasn’t specified, it’s best to start with “what kind of support would you like right now?”
7. Be willing to allow for mistakes — yours and other people’s.
8. Make space for humor and the unexpected — keeping an open mind allows for the flow of miracles.
9. Be on time and stay until the end — this helps everyone feel valued and respected.
10. Please mute all electronics — use vibrate if you have to be on call for anything critical.