Pro tips from small business CEOs who use Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
From networking opportunities to carving out time for professional development, these entrepreneurs share their best learning strategies.
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Nakia Vestal, owner of DollMaker Lashes in Houston, recommends participants apply for a Verizon grant to grow their business.
Bridget Brown, CEO of Pages and Posts, Birmingham, AL
Bridget Brown sought out Verizon Small Business Digital Ready courses to develop new skills to evolve her already-successful digital marketing agency. Through one-on-one coaching sessions and by taking more than 40 online courses, Brown enhanced her SEO skills, learned how to optimize her social media accounts, boosted her business’s credit, and transitioned from spreadsheets to accounting software.
Pro tip: Network. Brown took advantage of the small group settings to connect with other entrepreneurs.
Nakia Vestal, CEO of DollMaker Lashes, Houston, TX
Taking Verizon Small Business Digital Ready courses helped Nakia Vestal overcome her lack of formal business training and gave her a vital confidence boost. “It has really grown my business as far as finances, branding, and marketing,” Vestal says.
Pro tip: Mark your calendar. Vestal set aside time in her schedule to complete courses without distraction.
Bryan Gonzales and Monica Nino, co-owners of The Board Couple in San Antonio, TX
Bryan Gonzales and Monica Nino credit Verizon Small Business Digital Ready with helping them learn marketing skills and SEO strategies to target new customers for their luxury meat and cheese plate service. “[The courses] taught us how to go after our best sales and evaluate where our most profitable margins may be,” Gonzales says.
Pro tip: Pass on the knowledge. The entrepreneurs say that sharing learnings with their employees also helps them retain the information themselves.
For more tips from these inspiring entrepreneurs, watch the video above. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free online curriculum designed to help small businesses succeed in today’s digital world—moving the world forward for all.
To sign up for this free program, visit verizon.com/smallbusinessdigitalready
The small group settings were also a great way to converse with other entrepreneurs. I feel that all entrepreneurs have something that they can teach each other.
Bridget Brown
