Hi Abby,

Thank you so much for reaching out to Cancer and Careers. I have passed your question along to our career coach and anticipate they will be posting a response here shortly. In the meantime, I have some immediate thoughts in response to your question..

First off, congratulations on the new business! Starting a business from the ground up is a MAJOR accomplishment and something you should be so proud of. Also, from what you have described, it sounds like you are taking a lot of good steps so far. You have recognized the importance of networking, of hiring a team to get your business out there and are seeking help where needed. I know a year without incoming business can seem defeating, but I do hope you can pause and reflect on all the accomplishments you have made so far in a relatively short time!

In terms of the next steps you can take, I know you mentioned you have been actively networking online (kudos to you!), but perhaps there is more room for opportunity here. For instance, could your networking conversations end with an action or next step if they aren’t already? Are there opportunities to attend in-person networking events?

• I recommend viewing our career coach, Julie Jansen’s webinar on Networking which is archived here: https://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/networking. In addition, we have an entire section on our website dedicated to networking which can be found here: https://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/looking-for-work/networking.

• There is also an organization called the National Association for the Self-Employed (nase) which offers business help to those who are self-employed or just starting out. If you haven’t already looked into them, perhaps they can help with marketing, sales, etc. Here is a link to their business help page: https://nase.org/business-help. Note, there is a fee for a membership in order to ask their experts questions, but you can view other questions people have asked and answers plus read their blogs, download tools, etc.

I hope the above resources are helpful! As I mentioned, a career coach will respond to this post soon. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reply below or reach out to us at cancerandcareers@cew.org

Best of luck with your new company!

Warm regards,

Maddy Meislin
Senior Manager of Programs
Cancer and Careers

Hi Abby,

Congratulations on starting your business! Maddy has provided you with some great resources.

It would be super helpful to me in giving you practical advice if you can share the type of business you have, who your target customers/clients are and where you are based geographically. Once you share this informationwith me, I will send you some ideas. I have been in my own business for a long time and I know how stressful it can be but also how rewarding it is!

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Take care,

Julie

HI Julie & Maddie,
Thank you so much for getting back to me. My business is part time & virtual (or done over the phone) offering support & guidance to adoptees over the age of 16 who are looking to establish their definition of identity. I am hoping to target adoptees & their adoptive parents/family as the issue of self identification begins for this population.
I am located in Vermont & am thus far am still networking with others. I appreciate your suggestions which I will also follow up on.
I welcome hearing back from you & thank you for your support & suggestions.
With warm regards,
Abby Jacobson (abbyjacobson.com)

Hi Abby,

Thanks for sharing more information about your business and services. As an adopted person, I applaud what you are doing. I remember using someone when I was 25 who provided free services to adoptees trying to find their birth parents and she was so supportive. 

I can understand why you may be experiencing hurdles in getting tangible referrals. What you are doing is so specific and on top of this you are also targeting kids so there are privacy issues as well. I am wondering if you could consider broadening your services to adoptees or expanding your target age? Personally, I had very traumatic experiences as an adoptee on many levels and sure could have used a professional's help besides a therapist in navigating many of these situations. 

No doubt you are familiar with Adoption-Competent Therapists. Child Welfare Information Gateway (https://childwelfare.gov) is a great resource for finding these professionals. The reason I mention this is because therapists can be a great source of referrals. I frequently get referrals from therapists for career coaching for their patients ages 21 and older in my case. 

Have you created a private Facebook group for adoptees and their families? Schools and churches could be good places to connect with as well. The National Adoption Center and National Association of Social Workers are also organizations for which you could write articles or give webinars. 

Also, have you interviewed focus groups of adoptees and parents who have adopted with the goal of asking for their ideas about how to build your business and expand your services?

I wouldn't discount old fashioned media either. Plenty of people still listen to the radio, read newspapers and magazines, and watch television. I actually found Cancer and Careers from an ad in a magazine 17 years ago and have been volunteering for them ever since. 

Forgive me if you have already done these things. Please write back if you have any additional questions or comments. It does take time to build a business and I find that once you have a few satisfied clients, they will make referrals to you. 

Take care,

Julie