Is there a difference between a small business entrepreneur and other small business owners? Ramon Ray, technologist at Smallbiztechnology.com, says he believes there is.
Today, Ray will help launch Smart Hustle Magazine, a weekly digital publication with a print (yes, as in paper) version coming out quarterly.
In a conversation with Small Business Trends, Ray explains:
“A small business entrepreneur is NOT an entrepreneur trying to be the next Google or Facebook. They are not looking for venture money. A small business entrepreneur – has a small business and thinks like an entrepreneur. They want to grow their business by being able to have bigger profits, more revenue and more efficiency – so they can comfortably support their families, give back to their communities, and take care of their employees.”
Ray says the new magazine will tell the story of the small business entrepreneur’s journey. He tells Small Business Trends:
“All small business owners hustle – they struggle to pay bills, get work done, hire employees, etc. However, ‘smart hustle’ is all about the journey of the hustle, but when you’re SMART about it – over time (like Seth Godin, Daymond John, Gary Vaynerchuk) you create wealth and/or live well and still have your own business.”
Ray says the digital publication will include a blog updated weekly and also an email edition sent to subscribers telling them about content in the latest edition. The print edition will be sent out to subscribers completely free, says Ray, with the first edition expected in late July or early August.
Each publication is expected to contain various sections. They will include “hustle mentor,” smart hustle tips, suggested reading and a feature story covering that weeks’ “Smart Hustle person,” Ray says. The print edition will contain a slightly different version of the publication.
Carolyn Crummey, of VirTasktic will function as Director of Operations for Smart Hustle Magazine.
Ray says a key element in creating Smart Hustle Magazine was obtaining the domain name SmartHustle.com. After trying many other brand names on for size, Ray found the domain name and entered long negotiations with an owner in Sweden to obtain it.
Ray explains what makes his publication different from all the others out there:
“There are many publications which focus on the success of entrepreneurs or small business owners. There aren’t any, that I’ve seen, which focus solely on the hustle, the smart hustle, of small business entrepreneurs.”
I think that uniqueness and passion plays a vital role in the equation. With this, it is no longer about just being another small business owner. It is about becoming a force that can change the community as the names that has been cited here did.