Over the years, I have kept my eyes open for resources to refer to small businesses that need support. For me, a good referral is a combination of a couple things: Offering a product or service that is useful and needed to small businesses and doing it in a way that makes me proud to make the recommendation. There are some incredible business owners out there that I have connected with that have value to add to this community, and I have started to compile a list of some of their resources that you might find useful!

Explore the list below and know that everyone here has my seal of approval. Items marked with an asterisk are affiliate links, and all items have my endorsement whether they have an asterisk or not!

Looking for referrals in an area that you don’t see listed here? Email me here. Some of my contacts have specific niches, and I can let you know if I know of someone.

Business Consulting / Coaching

Dr. Michele D’Amico – the Founder of Vetta – is a certified executive coach with a PsyD in Clinical Psychology specializing in resilience, conflict resolution, and conscious communication. When I first found Michele, I was struck by the way she blends all of her skill sets into Business Coaching and Executive Coaching services. She uses her coaching, psychology, sales, and marketing experience in unison to work with clients to create a step-by-step plan to lead your business toward lasting success. On the Executive Coaching side, Vetta offers 1 : 1 coaching, group coaching and workshops to inspire leaders and their teams to build connections and create a culture of collaboration, authenticity and strong communication that enables them to reach peak performance. Michele is a knowledgeable, compassionate resource. Let her know I say hi when you reach out!

Find out more about Vetta here!

I had the pleasure of connecting with Frank Sahlein of 3rd Level Consulting for a small business recovery webinar series I hosted in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frank is the mastermind behind 3rd Level Consulting, which is the leader in business development and growth for the children’s activity center, gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, learn-to-swim, and child care industries. The model he developed for 3rd Level Consulting works, and I have seen the strength of his community! If you are interested to become an effective consultant in your own industry, Frank is a great resource to help you take a direct path to the next level. Work with 3rd Level Consulting to adapt their solutions to your specific industry so you can experience increased profits while decreasing stress and risk.

Visit 3rd Level Consulting here to see what they have built!

Then contact Frank here if you want to connect!

When I first met Kristen, what I connected with immediately is how she talks about business strategy. The way I think about marketing strategy is very much in line with her style. Ontario-based Kristen Westcott is a great resource to help you assess the operational aspects of your business and the things you need to do to think like a CEO and set your business up to scale it. I’d particularly like to call your attention to her Freedom Track Intensive. Kristen works with you through the Strategic Mapping™ Framework to get clear on how to take your big vision and make it actionable, breaking down the steps you need to take and milestones you need to strive for so you walk away with a clear plan of what to do the next quarter in your business.

Check out Kristen’s website here!

Explore the Freedom Track Intensive here!

*And check out her Work Less Live More Club here!

No matter who you are, you need to meet Christine Perakis, Esq. She’s an incredible woman. Christine is a Business Growth Architect for Serial Entrepreneurs – she navigates business, boats, and people to safely reach their destination. She provides strategic advising to propel entrepreneurs from 0 to 8-figures in record time, drawing from her experience as an attorney, serial entrepreneur in 11 businesses, and business advisor to hundreds of clients on five continents doing the same. Christine is also a 100-Ton Licensed Boat Captain, bestselling author and speaker. I had the pleasure to interview Christine during Webinar Week in 2020, and I am thankful to know her and glad to recommend her.

Meet Christine here!

Are you sick and tired of trying to find clients, figure out why your business isn’t thriving and constantly looking for solutions? Is this constant struggle interfering with your peace of mind, freedom and desired lifestyle? I promise you that you are not alone in this, even if it may feel like you are. Susan Bock is a good resource for you if this is what you’re feeling. She works with you in a proven step-by-step system to develop a consistent stream of great clients, make more money, and – in doing so – find more joy in your work, your business and your life. Susan has a unique combination of practicality and spirited energy that she brings to simplifying problems, clarifying options, and creating easy-to-implement success strategies.

Learn more about Susan here!

Slark Consulting Group is a management consulting business specializing in personal, managerial, and business development. If you want practical wisdom and realistic business advice to get you moving forward, Rick is a good connection for you. I met him through the Small Business Development center national network. Rick is a Certified Business Advisor with over 30 years in the business and non-profit sectors. The first time I worked with him directly – through my Webinar Week series at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – I was amazed by the depth of information and resources he brought with so little notice.

Find out more about Holly here!

CRM – Marketing Automation

If you want to grow your business, and you know that to do that you are going to need to manage a volume of customer service emails that is unrealistic, it’s a good time for you to check out Keap. I have been using Keap (Infusionsoft) for years. I like to think that Keap is doing the grunt work of at least two humans for me, at the price of about 10 hours of what a virtual assistant would normally charge per month. Keap gives you a powerful database to manage your contacts and it also makes it possible for you to automate standard processes, saving you a lot of time and ensuring that your customers and leads are getting nurtured instead of ignored. I gave the transition to Keap a lot of thought, but at the end of the day, it has allowed me to take better care of everyone I serve.

*Learn more about Keap here!

Graphic Design

Graphic design is all about what resonates with you, and Jodi has an elegant, artistic style. She can help you revamp your current design or collaborate with you to design new printed materials from logos, brochures, product pages, to business cards, as well as design your website. Jodi has over thirty years of experience helping a variety of businesses succeed with impactive designs.

See examples of Jodi’s work here!

To me, a good graphic designer is someone who does good design work, but also someone who does it professionally. That is why Clare is on this list! You can get a feel for Clare’s style through the portfolio on her website below. I can tell you that when I have worked with Clare, she has been responsive, adaptable, and she truly listens to the client. I am proud to recommend her work!

Check out Clare’s website here!

Legal Services

Do you want to make sure your business is legally legit, but you don’t have the budget to rack up pricey billable hours from law firms? This is why I am a big fan of Keren de Zwart at Not Your Father’s Lawyer. She shares practical legal wisdom, and she takes a subject that I know many business owners (myself included) find stressful and makes it approachable. Keren has designed customizable legal templates for a variety of commonly-needed legal documents and makes them available at an affordable price to get you up and running. Whether you need a website privacy policy, terms of use, statement of work agreement, independent contractor agreement, influencer agreement, coaching agreement, or model release agreement, Keren has done the heavy lifting for you.

*Check out her customizable legal templates here!

Also, if you have a creative business and want a step-by-step informational process to understand what steps you have to take when starting and running your business, you’ll want to check out Keren’s Creative’s Guide to a #LegallyLegit Business. Whether you’ve never thought for a second if you’re doing anything by the book or you’ve worked with a lawyer in the past, the Creative’s Guide gives you the foundational knowledge and resources for all the most important aspects of running a creative business.

*Check out the Creative’s Guide here!

Passive Income

Do you know small business owners who are trying to figure out how to market their businesses on a budget? Ones who would benefit from detailed, step-by-step online courses to help them take a DIY approach to marketing education? And do you want to make money? If so, you could become an affiliate for the Melissa Forziat Events and Marketing online courses! All courses have 4-6 weeks worth of in-depth instruction.

They are priced at $247 and there is a 50% commission for affiliates!

Learn more about the courses here

Contact my team here if you want to become an affiliate. It’s easy!

Payroll

If you have one or more employees, and you need a user friendly, inexpensive option service to run payroll, Gusto is a good option! I use it for my business and have found it about as straightforward as it gets for someone who isn’t an expert in all things financial!

*Check out Gusto here!

Photography Services

Ella Sophie is a commercial photographer creating images that empower women, specializing in photographing women and products. Her work is stunning, and I was mesmerized by her portfolio when I first saw it. She is based in the San Francisco Bay area and available to work with clients from around the world. And wherever you are located, she’s my recommendation for product photography! Her images are bold, clean, and engaging, and she approaches her work with a focus on how light and form work together. Ella Sophie’s passion and desire for a better world come across clearly in her advertising and portrait work.

Check out Ella Sophie’s portfolio here!

Tiffany Luong Photography – based in Southern California – is one that I wanted to include here because of her genius work in brand photography and creating a brand narrative through images. Even just looking through the selection of photos in her portfolio, you can see how she captures what a business is about. If you want to help your audience quickly feel why they should be working with you, an image is a great way to do that, and Tiffany is my recommendation. When you contact Tiffany, be sure to tell her I sent you!

Check out Tiffany’s work here!

Podcasting Agency

Are you looking for support to pitch to podcasts? The MLG Collective specializes in podcast pitching and PR. Michelle’s expertise will help you secure the opportunities that will boost your brand and audience!

Check out The MLG Collective’s services here!

Podcast Domination is a Done-For-You Podcast Agency and also a Consultancy that partners with entrepreneurs and business owners to launch and grow their podcasts so they can reach more customers through the medium. Luis started strong right from the beginning with over 42 podcast launches in a little over 24 months and over 4+ million downloads. Now he is one of the leading podcast marketing consultants. If you want to get an idea of Luis’ style and expertise, check out this comprehensive three-part video tutorial he created exclusively for the Melissa Forziat Events and Marketing audience (click here to access the first part).

Learn about Podcast Domination

*Check out Luis’ eBook on How to Get Your First 100,000 Podcast Downloads!

Public Relations

Sometimes good or bad things happen to your business, and you want to make sure are putting a smart message out and controlling the flow of information. I went looking for someone who knows just how to do it, and here she is! Kim Peterson leads KP Communications, LLC, and she is a Denver-based PR consultant. She works primarily with B2B and B2C tech clients, providing both full-scale PR campaigns and a la carte PR services. Her work ranges from full PR content development of press releases, ghostwritten contributed articles and blogs to media list development and media relations. With more than a decade in the field, she is well-versed in storytelling and mining differentiated messaging.

Find out more about KP Communications here!

Strategic Planning

If you’re the leader of a Small Business Development Center network in need of strategic support, then Alison Hart and Eric Ryan at SBDC Strategy can help. Since 2007, Eric and Alison have provided strategic planning services, accreditation support, leadership coaching, and planning software to SBDC networks across the country. I’ve had the privilege to get to know Eric and Alison, and we have found that their overall approach to strategic planning and my approach to marketing strategy are very much in alignment. If you are with an SBDC and follow my content, you will probably also find value in connecting with them.

Explore the SBDC Strategy website here!

Video Production

If you have video needs – especially if you are based in the Redondo Beach, CA area – Klein Creative Media is a great resource! They offer a prime WBE certified shop for all video production needs with a skilled, knowledgeable, award-winning staff, and a fully equipped studio including drones for aerial cinematography. I am blown away by Marci’s talent, and she and her team will help your business look its best. They have large sound stage capability and experience in a wide range of videos, and they have produced everything from social media marketing videos to commercials and non-profit videos for media campaigns for various clients.

Discover Klein Creative Media

So many clients that I work with want to create videos for their marketing, but feel overwhelmed by the idea of hiring a professional to help and the learning curve of doing it themselves. If this is you, you should check out Christi’s class on how to produce quality videos with your cell phone. Christi’s class teaches you how to shoot and edit your videos, add narration and branding graphics as well as music using your phone. You’ll get the scoop on beginner and budget friendly apps and accessories, and you can join the private FB group to collaborate with other creatives and ask questions! There is a lot of value here, and if you use the coupon code MFEM at checkout, you will get 10% off the purchase price.

*Check out Christi’s Pro-Tips Class on Video Production (using your cell phone)!

Virtual Assistant Services

Meredith is part of my team, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to you. Meredith is a go-to resource for project management or office operations, and she can support you with social media management, as well. Meredith is a great ally in brainstorming what needs to be done for projects, helping to get me on track, and taking on whatever tasks I throw her way. She gets it done, and she treats my business with the care that she gives to her own. If you reach out to Meredith, tell her I sent you.

Visit Meredith’s website here!

Buying Time offers virtual support services to business owners with flexible hourly packages to fit your needs and budget. I know well the spirit and drive of founder Bibi Goldstein, and she has assembled a full team of experienced VAs with a wide array of specialties and support businesses. Buying Time can help with everything from administrative work and customer/client service to graphic design and social media to website development and so much more.

Discover Buying Time here!

Claire at CC Assist serves a niche, and she serves it well! CC Assist is a Virtual Assistant company that helps creatives and wedding professionals attract and book more dream clients through digital marketing, design and behind-the-scenes support. She offers behind-the-scenes business support, Pinterest Marketing, and Showit website customizations.

Learn more about CC Assist here!

I was impressed with what I’ve seen from Laura in how she operates her business and took the time to learn more about Regain Focus. She helps solo and small business owners re-focus their energy, maximize productivity, increase business profitability, and surpass their business goals by assisting them in establishing, implementing and maintaining streamlined systems in their business. I like her vibe, and I hope you do, too!

Check out the Regain Focus website here!

Lisa at Tiger Eye Solution is a Certified Virtual Expert®. She has a focus on helping Speakers, Coaches, and Small Business Owners build long-lasting relationships with their prospects and clients. I’m a huge believer in relationship management. However you meet your leads and connections, chances are that it takes significant follow up before they are ready to work with you, hire you, buy your stuff, or recommend you. But relationship management takes time, and it is so easy to prioritize other tasks that feel more pressing. Lisa can help!

Find out more about Tiger Eye Solution here!

Web Design Services

Whether you need a brand new website or are ready to overhaul your current one, Lobstervine offers complete website design and development services: from the idea stage to site launch and beyond. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Finding a web designer or developer that is the right fit for you is partly about finding someone whose work speaks to you, but it is also about finding someone who will be responsive, professional, and meet deadlines. Dana at Lobstervine is a good bet from all standpoints!

Explore the Lobstervine website here!

When I first found Kwok Design, I found their work to be crisp, high-quality, and professional. Just as importantly, they pass the test of responsiveness to email and being serious about project management. Kwok Design specializes in designing, developing, maintaining and optimizing (SEO) WordPress websites to outperform the industry average. When you check in with Jeanette Kwok, be sure to tell her I sent you! If you are looking for a quality, higher-end (but within reason) product, reach out to Jeanette.

Explore their portfolio here!

I have had the pleasure to work with Kat from Mulberry on a client project, and I immediately wanted to get on the phone with her. Mulberry is a creative development studio known for building custom WordPress websites, reasonable rates, and an obsessive dedication to customer service. The friendly – and responsive – team at Mulberry can take your business website to the next level with a complete redesign or help with your current website. Mulberry is a perfect fit for small businesses ready to improve their online business presence.

Learn all about Mulberry here!

I really did put a lot of work into finding web designers that do top notch work and are responsive and don’t leave you guessing. Allison at Sōlfire Creative is a great resource! This is a boutique-style agency, and I particularly recommend Allison for web design, but she also provides branding and photography services that are worth checking out if you are looking for a one stop shop. Allison has a background in marketing and knows how to make sure your website is working hard on your behalf. If you contact Allison, tell her “Hi” for me!

Visit Sōlfire Creative’s website here!

I had a chance to do an interview with Gresh some time back, and we frankly couldn’t stop talking! Our ideas were very much in alignment, which is not always the case for me with people in the digital marketing category, so I knew I wanted to be able to refer him out. Blue 16 Media is a digital marketing company providing digital marketing services to small to medium-sized businesses and organizations. They help provide peace of mind to clients with top-notch web design, web support, SEO, marketing automation and many more services.