Allen Baler

WELCOME TO THE ALLEN BALER BLOG: EXPERIENCES WITH
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, START UPS AND SMALL BUSINESS. Allen
Baler is a Partner at 4Patriots LLC, a Tennessee based small
business that provides products to help people be more self-
reliant and more independent. Allen founded the company in
2008 after 14 years as a corporate executive leading profitable
business for the Easton Press and the Danbury Mint. He
graduated with honors from Harvard University and resides in
Nashville with his wife and 3 daughters.

SHOWCASE Allen Baler and Family.1Allen Baler and
Family.2Allen Baler and Family.3Allen Baler and family4 NEWS
03 Oct 2016 Allen Baler: It’s Never Been Easier to Start a
Business Back in the Mad Men days of typewriters, rolodexes,
and message pads, being in business usually meant a brick-and-
mortar office, lots of staff, and archaic technology by today's
standards. Success stories still abound from the heyday of Steve
Jobs and B Read More 07 Sep 2016 Allen Baler: Entrepreneurs
Need Some Sales Savvy What type of person do you think would
make for the best entrepreneur? A natural problem solver?
Maybe a person who knows how to build stuff? How about a
deep thinker? Or perhaps a high-energy extrovert? Any of those
types of people could p Read More 16 Aug 2016 Allen Baler: The
Bottom Line Is… Watch Your Bottom Line Entrepreneurs launch
new businesses for a variety of reasons. Some dream of
changing the world. Others want to alter the way people live. A
certain percentage is chiefly interested in solving a problem.
Many entrepreneurs want to make a good living for Read More

ALLEN BALER: IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO START A BUSINESS Allen Baler Never Been Easier to Start a Business Back in the Mad Men days of typewriters, rolodexes, and messagepads, being in
business usually meant a brick-and-mortar office, lots of staff, and archaic technology by today’s standards. Success stories still abound from the heyday of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates,and every
other garage-to-skyscraper household name we’ve come to know and rely on. Their pioneering fortitude set the stagefor today’s groundbreaking entrepreneurs. If you thought about going into
business for yourself but still hesitate to do so, let me make this one point excruciatingly plain: “Stop waiting. The time has never been better to launch your own unique enterprise.” Even Forbes
agreesthat consumer driven businesses are on the verge of explosion. You see, comparing all the tools available to entrepreneurs today versus even ten or twenty years ago, it isn’t even any kind
of a contest. Revolutionary technology has not only given small business owners a leg up in getting launched, it’s actually offered them leverage and a level of freedom never before realized –
until now. From wi-fi to smartphones and the endless array of apps to choose from, to business books you can download on your Kindle, to virtual assistants,the world has become the proverbial
oyster for all those wishing to “hang their shingle” and be in business for themselves. And overhead? Well, we started our business at our kitchen table. Now, we run a multi-million dollar
business from our very own building in Nashville, TN. All it took wasa few short years, a lot of trial and error, and finding our “secret sauce” that meant successfor our business. And, even though
we as a nation are staring down the nose of a hotly contested election, don’t let the possible outcome deter you from your best laid plans. Your most important decision won’t be what tools to
use or when, but rather what kind of business to go into – products, services, or both. Only you can answer that question. Chances are, though, that if you’re reading this blog, you’ve already got a
pretty good idea of what type of business to pursue. The challenge is giving yourself permission to try – and possibly fail – at running your own shop. So, just know that your idea for a business –
and especially one that you’ve been “kicking around” a while – probably has legs. Strike while your gumption is up and don’t be afraid to get wet. Once you do, you’ll probably never look back. So
come on in, the water’s just fine. Allen Baler is a leading entrepreneur and Harvard grad. Allen Baler is a Partner in 4Patriots LLC, based in Nashville. Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for
the sound advice of a business professional with expertise in the subject matter discussed. Please seek appropriate counsel on what strategies make sense for your business.

ALLEN BALER: THE BOTTOM LINE IS… WATCH YOUR BOTTOM LINE allen baler business advice Entrepreneurs launch new businesses for a variety of reasons. Some dream of changing the world. Others want to alter the way people live. A certain percentage is chiefly interested in solving a
problem. Many entrepreneurs want to make a good living for themselves through their companies, and maybe even become wealthy. Regardless of your motivation for starting a business – whether you are already on that path or are merely considering it – your business won’t last long if
you don’t place a significant emphasis on your bottom line. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean making a ton of money, especially during the first few years. But it does mean heading in the right direction and avoiding bankruptcy. One of the ways to sidestep financial disaster is to become as
protected as possible from legal liabilities. By owning a business, you are automatically “eligible” to be sued by somebody, be it a customer, another business or even an employee. You need to be aware of this and take precautionary steps to prepare for it. Insurance coverage is the key here,
of course, and your first step is to get yourself a good company attorney who can advise you. Ideally, your lawyer will be at your side as you create your business. He or she can help you with properly filing your applications, setting up your bank accounts, and establishing contracts with
business partners and possibly with employees. In addition to dealing with any claims that arise against your company, your lawyer can protect you against potential liabilities that could occur as a result of adding new products, expansion, employee injuries, natural disasters and many others.
An additional concern – and hopefully your attorney will be on top of this – is the possibility of losing your liability coverage. Among the ways this can occur are failing to provide the services you promise, using company funds for personal expenses, failing to make good on your guarantees,
failing to comply with corporate regulations and failing to provide a safe work environment. Another way you can focus on the bottom line when you’re starting out in your new business is through shrewd procurement. This means clearly differentiating between your business “needs” and
your business “wants”. Spend money on the items your company needs to serve its customers, and hold off on the new office furniture for a while. The amount of money you have going out is just as important as the amount of money you have coming in. You need to be able to cover your
expenses while you’re trying to reach that break-even point, as well as beyond. Yet another way to protect your assets is to conduct product launch tests before initiating a huge campaign. You might think you have a sure winner with your new gizmo, but the market might not agree and your
large investment could result in a big setback. Your smaller test – perhaps conducted in a limited geographic area – should give you a good grip on how that new product will be received nationally. You can always ramp it up if you see good results from your preliminary marketing efforts.
Finally, decide how much your time is worth. What does that have to do with the bottom line? Inevitably, unexpected problems will crop up as you attempt to launch your business. Should you try to remedy them yourself, or should you pay someone to do it? Base that decision on how much
you have determined that your time is worth. For more on this topic, check out this article from Entrepreneur magazine. Even if making a lot of money is not your primary goal in launching a new company, you need to keep a close watch on your bottom line in order to stay in business. Keep
this priority in mind at all times. Allen Baler is a leading entrepreneur and Harvard grad. Allen Baler is a Partner in 4Patriots LLC, based in Nashville. Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for the sound advice of a business professional with expertise in the subject matter discussed.
Please seek appropriate counsel on what strategies make sense for your business.

ALLEN BALER: ENTREPRENEURS NEED SOME SALES SAVVY Allen Baler Sales Savvy What type of person do you think would make for the best entrepreneur? A natural problem solver? Maybe a
person who knows how to build stuff? How about a deep thinker? Or perhaps a high-energy extrovert? Any of those types of people could potentially be a greatentrepreneur, of course, but what
I’m finding more and more is that some of the folks who are the most successful at launching and sustaining new businesses are those who are proficient at sales. Now that might seem like a no-
brainer. After all, no matter how good your product or service is, if you can’t convince people to purchase it, you’re going to be back looking for a fulltime job soon. But having a strong sense of
how to do sales goes far beyond just selling your product once it’s been created. As stated in the Harvard Business Review, “Salesmanship is central to the success of any young company, and
entrepreneurs ignore this at their own peril.” What the authors of this article explain is that entrepreneurs often make one or sometimes even a series of sales errors early on that end up costing
them big-time. And an even larger problem is that they don’t realize they’re making these miscues until they’ve invested a large chunk of their time and investors’ money. These early mistakes
include, 1) fully developing a product before gaining feedback from potential buyers, 2) offering discounts to generate sales, 3) ignoring criticism from the marketplace once that product is
launched, and 4) selling to family and friends. Regarding No. 1, entrepreneurs are usually so confident about their new product or service that they assume their target audience will be equally
passionate about it. So, they pour all their energy into developing the product without seeking feedback along the way. They end up with a fully developed – but untested – product, and that’s a
dangerous position to be in. Regarding No. 2, offering discounts early on to put the sales wheel in motion may seem like a good plan. But if it’s a product or service you want people to keep
buying, they may balk at your offers when the price goes up. And those who hear about it for the first time after those discounts have disappeared may learn that your product or service used to
be more affordable, and may decide to pass on it for that reason alone. Regarding No. 3, it’s crucial to listen to what customers and potential customers are saying about your product or service
once it’s available. It’s easy to get so fixated on trying to convince people of the merits of your product or service that you fail to learn what its drawbacks are. You’ll be more successful if you can
make the types of changes for which the marketplace is calling. Regarding No. 4, you can gain a false sense of security if you get early sales from family members and friends. There’s nothing wrong
with selling to them, but regardless what they say to you about your product or service, you won’t know their true motivation. They may just be doing you a favor. Put most of your focus on
selling to those who are only interested in the merits of what they’re receiving. At the end of the day, you’ll only be successful as an entrepreneur if your product or service produces value
justifying the price. But to get there, you will have to display plenty of sales savvy and avoid the pitfalls. Allen Baler is a leading entrepreneur and Harvard grad. Allen Baler is a Partner in 4Patriots
LLC, based in Nashville. Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for the sound advice of a business professional with expertise in the subject matter discussed. Please seek appropriate counsel
on what strategiesmake sense for your business.

ALLEN BALER: BECOME AN INTRAPRENEUR Allen Baler Intrapreneurship So, you have an entrepreneurial spirit, but you don’t yet have the perfect idea for a new business or you’re not in a
financial position to go out on your own right now. Perfect. This blog is targeted specifically to you. And right off the bat, let me tell you what your two choices are. One, you can be bummed out
about the fact that you are not your own boss right now and simply go through the motions at your fulltime job until that situation changes. Or two, you can use your entrepreneurial spirit to
become an intrapreneur. If you’re not quite sure what an intrapreneur is, you’re not alone. In fact, the word still gets underlined in red when you type it in a Word doc. But it’s a very real word,
and becoming one will not only give you tremendous fulfillment. It’s also likely to help you rise up in the company and perhaps put you closer to your dream of becoming a true entrepreneur.
When someone engagesin intrapreneurship (also underlined in red, by the way), he or she behaves like an entrepreneur within the structure of a larger organization. By spending some of your
work week (and maybe some evenings and weekends) focusing on bigger picture issues such as problem solving, new product ideas, more efficient waysof accomplishing current tasks,etc., you
can flex your entrepreneurial muscle and make yourself more valuable to your company. Now, the intrapreneur still must fulfill the role he has been assigned. And let’s face it, sometimes that
involves a little grunt work and assignments that you would probably not label as “inspirational.” That’s OK. There still should be some time for thinking outside the box. In some circles, working
for someone else is looked down upon. Some folks see it as a stigma that you haven’t really “made it” yet. That’s hogwash. Many intrapreneurs have found their sweet spot by working within an
organization they believe in and where they are given the freedom to be creative and help turn good companies into great ones. Perhaps someday you will become the entrepreneur you
envision, and you will have people working for you… including intrapreneurs. But right now, becoming an intrapreneur could be the best step for you to take on the path toward that goal. If you
would like more information on this topic, check out a couple of articles in Entrepreneur and Inc. magazines. Allen Baler is a leading entrepreneur and Harvard grad. Allen Baler is a Partner in
4Patriots LLC, based in Nashville. Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for the sound advice of a business professional with expertise in the subject matter discussed. Please seek
appropriate counsel on what strategiesmake sense for your business.

ALLEN BALER: THE HIDDEN TOLL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP Allen Baler Entrepreneurs I’m all about encouraging people to become entrepreneurs so they can follow their dreams. Some entrepreneurs build successful businesses, while others decide along the way that they’d be better off
working for someone else. But even many of those who decide to put their entrepreneurial dreams on hold at some point don’t regret having tried. If I’m going to help embolden and applaud people who follow their hearts by launching new businesses, I also need to warn about some of the
challenges these entrepreneurs will face. Depending on the type of business it is, the obvious ones might be raising capital, finding the right partners and vendors, making the right hires, etc. The less obvious challenges – which are nonetheless very real and can result in major roadblocks as
you seek your path to success – are ones that exist between the ears. They affect almost every entrepreneur at some point, especially during the first few years after launch. I’m talking about doubt, which leads to anxiety, which leads to mental anguish. You’ve probably already experienced
them if you’re an entrepreneur. You know exactly what I mean. Maybe you’re even going through them right now. You wake up at 3 in the morning with a sick feeling in your gut and a sense of dread. Your mind is racing as you try to figure out why your business hasn’t taken off yet and what
you could do to turn it around before it’s too late. You’re wondering how you’re going to pay back that loan and whether you’ll be able to meet payroll this month. You’re concerned that the same people who said they admired you for taking a chance might end up viewing you as a failure
who bit off more than he could chew. Sometimes these overwhelming feelings can be debilitating. Toby Thomas, CEO of EnSite Solutions, describes the entrepreneur’s risk-taking and subsequent doubt with the analogy of riding a lion. “People look at him and think, ‘This guy’s really got it
together. He’s brave.’ And the man riding the lion is thinking, ‘How the hell did I get on a lion, and how do I keep from getting eaten?’” Many successful entrepreneurs have admitted they were once in the depths of despair because their business was not performing as well as hoped during
the first few years. One thing that has helped many entrepreneurs struggling with despondency has been reading stories about others who have gone through it and emerged as healthier people. Among them are Brad Feld, TechStars co-founder and managing director at Foundry Group. He
told his candid and inspirational story in Inc. magazine. With entrepreneurship, the clouds usually come before the sunshine, and sometimes those clouds darken and seem like they are here to stay. So, don’t feel like you’re alone if you’re having second thoughts about your decision to launch
a business. You have plenty of company.

ALLEN BALER: IS YOUR MARKETING A SNOOZEFEST? Allen Baler Is Your Marketing a Snoozefest There’s no doubt about it – businesses are afraid of offending anyone with their marketing. Every image, every word, every action – it’s scrutinized to the nth degree. And while everyone can
agree that we as business owners should aspire to never be overtly offensive to anyone, some companies take it so far that they strive to be “approved by everyone yet appeal to no one.” Let’s use the analogy of putting your home on the market. If you’ve ever watched HGTV, you’re already
familiar with the same tired advice given by real estate professionals everywhere: “Keep everything neutral and remove your personality from the house.” So, that funky shade of chartreuse you love on that accent wall? It’s history. What about that kitschy gold lamp your spouse gave you as a
joke? Gone. And your Mickey Mouse collection? Nope – it gets the boot, but good. Next, every wall is painted eggshell, banal art adorns the walls, and every lick of your personal style has been removed and sanitized. Now, the above example might be a mite sarcastic, but you get the point.
Some companies are going about their marketing like they were just trying to win a popularity contest and not reach their “bread and butter” demographic. While organizations should never wade in the obvious waters of any “isms” that cross the lines of human decency, good taste, and
discrimination, they could be edgier in their branding in a way that will appeal to the folks they are most trying to reach. My company 4Patriots has done well with marketing to a conservative audience and speaking to their traditionalist values. We understand how our customers feel about
current cultural and political events, and we reaffirm them through our messaging. Other companies have followed suit. Take these examples and see how each used a different theme to make a splash: Humor: Dollar Shave Club nailed this one with a hilarious video demonstrating the
benefits of their razor and shave cream monthly home delivery service. With even the off-color language, no one could resist the infectious humor and the perks of becoming a DSC customer: quality products, convenience, and supporting job creation. In just two years, DSC went from $4M in
sales to over $65M. I’d say that’s a “cutting edge” success story! Metaphor: Allstate does this brilliantly with their character aptly named, “Mayhem.” A guy dressed in a suit and tie, Mayhem is always around the corner to wreak a little havoc in your otherwise peaceful existence. Allstate’s
commercials featuring Mayhem take a dry, bland service (insurance) and spice it up with skit-like scenarios that entertain and provoke thought simultaneously. Reality: Clorox is a household name, but one way they stay as such (kind of like any iconic American brand now woven into the
national consciousness) is to constantly up their game when it comes to advertising, exemplified by their campaign entitled, “Bleachable Moments.” What new parent or pet owner can’t identify with that? Whether it’s potty training or skydiving, Clorox pokes fun at all those moments we wish
we could erase (and now can, thanks to their reliable, trustworthy product.) Pushing the envelope in marketing doesn’t mean pushing people away. But if you’re not taking some risk to find your “true tribe” as it were, you’ll just be spinning your wheels and draining your coffers without the
ROI every business needs to stay profitable… and relevant. Allen Baler is a leading entrepreneur and Harvard grad. Allen Baler is a Partner in 4Patriots LLC, based in Nashville. Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for the sound advice of a business professional with expertise in the
subject matter discussed. Please seek appropriate counsel on what strategies make sense for your business.

Allen Baler

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