Business Coaching for Surrogacy Related Companies

Do you feel overwhelmed with some aspects of your business? Are you a sole owner and need occasional support? Or are you dealing with a new problem that you have never encountered before? It may be time to ask for help! Sharon LaMothe has been working in the field of surrogacy for over 18 years and she can help you navigate through any problem or situation you may have. If she doesn't have the tools needed to help you solve your situation she can refer you to a professional who can. 

This service is aimed at professionals who:

• Have new projects that are under consideration

• Working with business clients that are difficult or complicated

• Are exploring options for additional services

• Need advice regarding best business practices

• Want recruiting advice 

• Need marketing solutions

• Interested in brainstorming and idea generation sessions

• Packages can be purchased in 10 or 20 hour increments. 

Please call 727-458-8333 for details. The first 40 minute consultation is free.

Your Online Reputation: Your Surrogacy Agency's Calling Card

This is something that I feel every Surrogacy and Egg Donation business owner should keep in mind, especially if what is being "sold" is your own good name! Your reputation for being fair, honest, hard working and dependable is so important in the running of a surrogacy or donation agency. You are the front man for your company and so is your office staff. Never forget that!

Read on and tell me what you think!

Sharon
http://lamotheservices.com/

Your Online Reputation
Does integrity really matter in online business? The owners of PCS Productions in Texas would likely say, "Yes!"

This company began in 1995 and has worked to develop quality audio and video productions. Their services extend to web design and hosting, audio streaming and print media projects.
This company has worked diligently to establish integrity in each form of media they present. Many of those media specialties interact with other forms of media so they must make sure they can transfer branding ideas from one concept to another.

I think what may be most impressive about this company is they have an extraordinary track record. Client testimonials are glowing and well respected.

If you are known by the company that you keep then this company visibly has a sense of integrity. Their staff has been sent on assignment to virtually every continent in the world and their work is called upon repeatedly by existing clients while others also seek them out for their skills.

So is this a puff piece about PCS Productions? No. In fact I don't know anyone who works there, nor have I visited with anyone. So, I guess you could say I am not promoting a service, but pointing to some interesting parallels I often find in the best businesses.

This company has a good reputation and that's the point of this article.

As an online business you need to work to establish a reputation that is used as a calling card for potential customers.

The web already has enough scam artists and fly-by-night operations so when I find a point of positivity I cling to it and then point it out to others.

The establishment of a strong work ethic combined with consistently providing the best possible service can do wonders for your business in the long term.

Someone once told me, "You really should take the high road. There's a lot less traffic." At first I smiled, but it's true. We all know someone who is adept at cutting corners. Perhaps we have encountered a business that left us high and dry after they got our money. We like those 'high road' companies.

What we want as business owners are those glowing testimonials that profess the depth of our commitment to excellence. These are words that may well encourage others to buy our product or use our service. Those precious words will not come if the customer is just another dollar figure.

As a business owner you place your name and reputation on every order you ship out (or every service you provide). You stake the trust others would like to place in you on the way you handle issues that come up.


It's a whole lot easier to lose a reputation than it is to gain it back. Reputation is an investment in your future. It's an investment that can go away if you don't protect it wisely. What that means for a business owner is you have to put your customers first. Their concerns need to be a concern for you. Their issues require you be a problem solver. Deliver more than you have to and show absolute respect to your customers. After all, they are the ones you serve.
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About the Author: Scott Lindsay - Make A Website or Make Your Own Website Fast at HighPowerSites.com. Start a Home Business and Sell Ebooks at BooksWealth.com.

How Surrogacy and Egg Donation Agency Owners Fail: Poor Customer Service

You give them everything and they still want more! Well…that’s the attitude that will put you strait on the road to failure, especially in the surrogacy and donor agency business! Clients are paying out of pocket for your specialized services and they expect the best once they commit!

One thing that you need to do first and foremost is charge a fair amount for your services. If you are not getting paid enough to cover your expenses and your payroll then you will end up cutting corners. Corners that your clients WILL notice! I realize that there is a lot of competition out there (more in some states then in others) however charging far below the minimum of your closest competitor is not the way to go. My suggestion is to first figure out how much your competitors are charging and for what services. Next look at what you are offering and your overhead costs. Remember that it takes time to build a great reputation and a lot of hard work before an agency starts to make a real profit. Quick example: In the case of the effort spent on behalf of the surrogacy agency, it may take 3 IVF cycles and 2 surrogates for some IPs to reach the goal of having a baby. This could take 2 years of your agency’s time and commitment.

What is great customer service? You don’t have to look far to find out the answer…you only need to ask yourself what you would expect if you were in the same shoes as your clients. I know I may be preaching to the choir here because quite a few agencies are owned by past Intended Parents, Donors or Surrogates. Below is my short list for exceptional customer service:

*Phone calls or messages answered or returned promptly

*Clear communication

*Easy Accessibility to you or your staff (24 hour hot line available to clients who have retained your services)

*Taking responsibility for problems that may arise with you or your staff

*Going above and beyond when necessary

*Don’t avoid ‘difficult’ clients

*Never let more than 2 weeks go by without a phone call or e-mail to all parties involved (especially when things are going well)

*Refund when warranted (Read the post on Refunding)

*Offering up-to-date educational information to all clients. This means attending conferences and workshops within the infertility field so that YOU are educated and well informed!

So what if one or two of these little points are not on Your list? That doesn’t matter…because these items ARE on your potential client’s list along with many others. As I stated above, all you need to do is ask yourself how you would like to be treated, how you would feel "IF" and go from there. The way to build a great reputation is to offer the very best of you all in the name of customer service!

Quick Tips for Surrogacy Agency Owners- Novice (Surrogacy/Egg Donation) Agency Owners Often Ignore Signs They Are Headed For Disaster

New Agency Owners can improve their odds by avoiding some of the common mistakes that hound those who seek to buy or start their own businesses. A few of those mistakes include:

• Starting an agency for the wrong reasons. Some people are drawn to owning an agency because they like the image that being an entrepreneur evokes – someone who is rich, famous, smart with lots of free time. That’s not exactly the best motivation, and the image they have in mind isn't going to mean a lot when the reality of what it takes to succeed sinks in. Often, these people are good at the technical work they do but ill-equipped to create, run and grow a agency.

• Taking advice from the wrong people. Anyone launching a new agency or buying an existing business or franchise definitely needs advice. But that advice should come from people most qualified to give it, and that’s not necessarily Aunt Stella or your friends from college. New agency owners need to make sure they have wise and learned people weighing in on each component of their business but it needs to be the right people. A lawyer shouldn't give advice on the balance sheet, and the accountant shouldn't weigh in on growth strategy.

• Underestimating the time requirements. Most would-be new surrogacy or egg donation owners probably assume they will work long hours. They are wrong. They won't work long hours. They will work long, long, long hours. Outside of an act of God or just blind good fortune, business owners work more hours than any other category of employment. That can take a toll. The good news is that, as the boss, you can come and go as you please, so I also recommend setting aside time for yoga and meditation. That will help keep you fit and perhaps relieve some of the stress that is especially high in the early weeks and months of starting your own agency.

These points are just the tip of the iceberg and that is why LaMothe (business consulting) Services are designed and developed to support your dream of owning your own agency. When you make an appointment for a free consultation, all information gathered is then formulated into a program specifically designed to resolve problem issues using LaMothe Services as your partner. We are willing to sign non-disclosure documents to make you feel comfortable in allowing us to assist you in managing and solving your most delicate business problems.

LaMothe Services specializes in Surrogacy and Egg Donation agencies and other Third Party Family Building Companies. We can also assist other businesses with customer service, organizational, social networking and marketing support issues. Call 727-458-8333 or e-mail LaMotheServices@aol.com for your free 40 minute phone consultation. Ask about our Fall Special that will end on November 30th. I look forward to hearing from YOU!

10 Signs You Might Not Be Ready to Start a Business Found on FOXBusiness by Susan Payton

Before you quit your day job and dive into entrepreneurship, take a moment to think about this major decision. While, certainly, becoming a business owner is an exciting endeavor, it’s not for everyone. And it’s a long-term commitment. You’ll pour blood, sweat, tears, and money into a business, and if it doesn’t work out, you won’t recoup that investment.

If any of the following ring true, you might not be ready to start a business.

1. You’re passionate, but you have no plan. While passion is a cornerstone of a successful small business, it’s simply not enough. You also need a plan for how you’ll make money and grow your business. If the idea of developing such a plan bores you or stresses you out, it might not be a good fit.

2. You don’t have any money. Starting a business is not a “get rich quick” endeavor by any stretch of the imagination. It may be months — or even years — before you turn a profit, and in the meantime, you’ll need enough cash to pay your business expenses and your personal expenses.

3. You have a really neat idea, if only the market wanted it. Unless your idea solves a problem or serves a need, you’ll have a hard time finding customers for it. Remember the dad from the Gremlins movies? He was constantly inventing solutions where there were no problems. A machine that took an egg out of a bowl and cracked it simply wasn’t something the market clamored for.

4. You’ve got major life changes happening. Maybe you just got married. Or had a baby. If you’re in a transitional stage in your life, starting a business will add to the already high levels of stress you’re experiencing. Entrepreneurship might be better later down the road.

5. You just want to be your own boss. If the appeal of not having an overbearing boss to answer to is your driver for starting a business, consider this: your customers will be your new bosses. They’ll dictate what you do and how you do it. If they don’t like what you’re selling, they won’t buy it. And you won’t have the stability of a paycheck as a safety net.

6. You’re the breadwinner in your family. Shifting from one salary to support your family to an erratic, virtually existent entrepreneur’s paycheck is one many families can’t stomach. If your family finances will suffer if you quit your job, wait until you have money saved for this endeavor.

7. You have no experience in this industry. Although you’ve worked as a lawyer for years, you’ve dreamed of opening a cupcake shop. If you’ve got rockstar baking skills, that might help you survive, but if you have no experience in leasing retail space, buying baking supplies, and managing staff, you may find yourself struggling.

8. You want to do what you love. Why would that be a reason to not start a business, you ask? The truth is, few business owners do that thing they love 40 hours a week. In the cupcake shop example, you may find that, while you really enjoy the baking portion of the work, you’re actually doing very little of that in between your admin responsibilities. You’ll be busy creating employee schedules, making deposits at the bank, and calling your suppliers. Someone else will have to handle the baking.

9. You don’t know much about business. While you don’t need an MBA to be a business owner, it helps to have a basic understanding of marketing, accounting, management and finance. You can take continuing education courses at your local community college, read books and blogs, or simply teach yourself. But without a solid business foundation, your house of cards may crumble quickly.

10. You’re not excited enough. Going back to the first example here: you absolutely should be passionate and excited about starting a business. You should be able to see yourself working in that business for decades. You should be willing to do whatever it takes — work 80 hours a week, moonlight while keeping your day job, see your family less — to realize your dreams of business ownership. If you’re not, it’s not worth the pain of starting a business to find that out.