Jennifer Walzer faced a two-fold battle when she started a company that offered secure off-site data backup services over the Internet. First, she was a woman in a male-dominated field. Second, at the time she started Backup My Info! Inc., in 2002, not many people understood the importance of data backup. By using an unusual form of advertising and branding and by adjusting her perspective, Walzer got her New York-based startup noticed by the companies she needed to succeed.

Many small and medium businesses face barriers to entering the market. Startups that offer commodities and services face stiff competition and higher barriers to inclusion than ever before, says Tom Steen, owner of Transition Capital Management in West Des Moines, Iowa, a company that connects business owners and investors.

Identifying Barriers

Walzer says being in a new, misunderstood field comes with a unique set of problems. “When I started, no one really understood what backing up data meant,” Walzer says. That changed when many companies experienced natural disasters or accidents and lost important business information.

In addition, being a woman in a male-dominated field provided its share of challenges. Walzer remembers walking into a boardroom full of male executives who obviously didn’t realize she was the president of the company. “They wanted to see if I knew what I was talking about,” she says. “They started grilling me with really fundamental technology questions.” So she showed them her knowledge and skills, and they realized she offered the services they needed.

Securing capital is another big hurdle for startups. “Seventy percent of the economy is consumer-driven, and with the subprime market falling apart, it’s going to be harder to get loans,” says Mel Howard, a consultant with the Service Corps of Retired Employees, an organization in New York that helps business owners understand the challenges of starting a business. “It’s going to mean getting creative with financing, like borrowing from family and friends to start out.”

Whatever your industry, pinpointing your barriers will help you succeed.

Jumping Barriers

Once you identify your unique barriers, identifying positives within them will help.

Being one of the first companies on the scene doesn’t need to be a negative, Walzer says. While blazing the trail, her employees had a head start on the multitude of electronic backup companies that followed.

Walzer soon realized that, sometimes, what she had perceived as barriers gave her a unique perspective on the market. “I don’t really believe in the glass ceiling,” she says. “As a woman, once you prove yourself, I honestly think you can go farther than a man in a male-dominated industry.”

As for many small business owners, Walzer’s funds were tight when her business first started. “I kept things really small and didn’t buy one thing more than I needed,” she says.

She knew branding her company was going to be important, so she marketed in new ways to differentiate her company. “Figure out a way to get a crowd of people at your events,” she says. “If they’re intrigued by what you’re doing, they’ll come.”

Walzer didn’t spend a lot on advertising and branding, but she still found a way to get her name out: finding an upscale bar to host happy hours for her. Walzer agreed to provide a crowd of people if the bar would be willing to put out some appetizers. Then she asked her friends to bring their clients in. “I got my brand out there and didn’t spend a dime,” she says.

Today, Jennifer Walzer attributes her growing company’s success to the creative ways she found to overcome the barriers she faced. “All small business owners have barriers,” Walzer says. “Just look for a way around them.”

Be the first to leave a comment!