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06/22/2026

06/17/2026

06/11/2026

Launching an online store doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right structure, clear guidance, and a focus on what actually drives sales, you can go from idea to fully functional shop without getting buried in tech or design decisions. This 6-part series taught by our president, Maisha Walker on behalf of Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, walks you through every essential step of building a high-converting online store: choosing a platform, organizing products, setting up policies and shipping, creating strong visuals, designing a homepage that sells, and layering on advanced features once your foundation is solid.

Register Here: https://messagemedium.com/events/verizon-ecommerceseries

06/08/2026

05/29/2026

Some systems feel empowering right up until you try to leave them.

In 1977, an unknown 19-year-old artist named Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. worth a whopping $1 million. The deal looked like a dream. By the mid-1990s, Prince had sold more than 100 million records worldwide, but had no control over ownership rights, creative output, and large parts of his catalog.

So Prince did something that most people didn't understand. He changed his name to a symbol.

While he was being mocked as an out-of-touch eccentric in the press, behind the scenes he was wrenching back control of his brand. Baller move.

Business owners with online brands can easily avoid a similar loss of control.

Monday's question was:
Is it generally better to get your Website and Domain name from the same company?

The answer is no.

Bundling seems like a great idea until your all-in-one provider makes it confusing and difficult to move your domain or your site to another provider, then convenience starts feeling like entrapment.

We don't recommend buying your domain and your site from the same provider. Separation here equals freedom when it counts.

Agree? Disagree? Have a question?
Let us know 👇🏽

05/25/2026

05/22/2026

“I feel so strongly that deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex.”

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was broadcast for the first time today on WQED Pittsburgh. It expanded nationally in less than a year and remains one of the longest-running children's television shows in history.

It carried so much impact that tomorrow Pennsylvania celebrates 143 Day. A day officially dedicated to kindness, neighborliness, and spreading positivity, because "1" "4" "3" was Fred Rogers' fun and educational way to say "I" "love" "you".

We can, of course, learn many lessons from Mister Rogers. 🙃

While television chased stimulation, speed, and spectacle, his content and format taught calmness, empathy, and emotional agency. Those of us who grew up watching the show know that its enduring success was, in part, based on the focus, consistency, and trust he built for over 30 years.

In Monday's quiz we asked:

“You're not generating sales or leads via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Threads, but you are on YouTube. Should you focus just on YouTube?”

The answer: Yes.

Initial growth doesn’t come from trying to be perfect everywhere.

It comes from finding traction, then scaling it.

If YouTube is working, you've found traction! Go deep!

Build a system there, optimize it, then explore another platform. If it's easy to duplicate content in other places, go for it, but keep focus where the growth already is.

Where are you currently getting traction?

05/18/2026

05/15/2026

Have you ever heard 1981 audio of The Clash live from Bond's Casino in NY? On opening night, their opening act was none other than Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The punk audience booed the rappers so badly that Clash frontman Joe Strummer had to step in and tell the audience "we don't do that here."

This is the backdrop as we fast forward to 1986. Run-D.M.C.'s team is hoping for a "crossover" moment with their album Raising Hell. Producer Rick Rubin, wanting airtime on "mainstream" radio stations, decided to test one track with some waning rockers named Aerosmith - a remake of one of their songs from the 70s.

It was a gamble, but that test paid off. It became the first hip hop song to break top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. MTV played the video in heavy rotation, catapulting both bands into pop-culture history.

So when you’re staring at a modest $300/mth ad budget, hoping to get in front of bigger audiences, I want you to think of Run-D.M.C.! 😁 Test boldly, learn quickly, then scale the winners.

Whether it’s a scrappy punk gig, a genre-bending single, or a Meta ad 😉, the future belongs to the bold!

Two bonus questions for you:
1) Do you know the name of the song?
2) Have you tested anything in your business yet? Which test gave you the biggest breakthrough?

05/11/2026