j.j. ramberg. welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. this week, nbc news is taking a closer look at the state of our education nation. since we are kicking off this week long series, we wanted to tell you about a unique educational service for entrepreneurs in the pacific northwest. this is no ordinary program and it's not for everyone. all of the students are women and they are all convicted felons currently serving time behind bars. at the coffee creek correctional facility in wilsonville, oregon you will hear conversations like this. >> whether you are busy or not, is she an expense? >> expense. >> how come? >> welcome to live long information for entrepreneurs. it's a 32 session course teaching inmates how to start and run their own companies. >> effective communication involves active listening to understand what others are saying, feeling and needing. >> they have been convicted of attempted murder, assault and manslaughter, nobody cares what they did to get into prison, the focus is what they will do when they get out. >> i alway

j.j. ramberg. welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your small business grow. it is the number one concern we hear from all over the country. they say they can survive this economic climate as long as customers keep spending. we are going to focus on ways to entice customers and gain their loyalty. knowing your customers is key to a successful business. how well do you need to know them? one salon owner is learning where his clients live and how much they are willing to spend to successfully expand his brand. >> there's just a lot more homework not to make a mistake. i don't have the time. i have to make the time for this. it's the difference between success and failure. >> he knows his customers, understands their needs and is doing his best to keep them coming. >> we're a community based type business. i need a lot of families. >> they are known for their high-end product. >> the ideal customer is someone that likes a luxury brand. if they are going to spend a lot o

j.j. ramberg. remember, we make your business, our business. sam: i'm sam chernin. owner of sammy's fish box. i opened the first sammy's back in 1966. my employees are like family. and, i want people that work for me to feel that they're sharing in my success. we purchase as much as we can on the american express open gold card. so we can accumulate as many points as possible. i pass on these points to my employees to go on trips with their families.

j.j. ramberg and welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. for serial entrepreneur michael diamant starting a business came naturally. but sometimes having a great idea isn't enough. after starting two technology companies in the '90s, diamant learned the hard way about the importance of having the right business partner, and how timing can mean everything. after this resilient entrepreneur started his third business, a baby lifestyle brand, he was ready to hop, skip and jump ahead of the competition. ♪ baby baby baby always baby baby baby ♪ >> when michael diamant started the innovative skip hop brand of baby products with his wife ellen eight years ago, it wasn't the first time he had started a new business. in fact, it took three tries, and three different companies before he got it right. >> i started looking at a world where you are your own boss. that's all i kind of really saw. that's all i kind of really knew, and it was much more natural to me not to have a boss, i guess you'd say. >> for michael, starting a business came easy. makin

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j.j. ramberg. welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. there comes a time in the life cycle of any business where the founder takes a look and says i may have done a great job building this company, but am i the right one to build it now? it's a difficult question for many. for the owner of one clothing company, the answer was perfectly clear. ♪ >> when people think of the clothing line, it's no surprise they think of the founder, julie. >> i have been doing this for the better part of 17 years. you know, who i am and what the company is are very inner twined. >> she launched the company in 1994 with an mba, it didn't take long for the brand to become successful. >> the first store we shipped was barney's new york. it took off from there. the next thing we knew, we were in all the best stores of the country. it was a short period of time before we were a well known brand. >> for 13 years the company florished. julie ran herself ragged. she was burning it at both ends. >> you are exhausted. you aren't motivated. you aren't making the best

j.j. ramberg. the "i'll sleep when it's done" academic. for 80 years, we've been inspired by you.ve been honored to walk with you to help you get where you want to be. ♪ because your moment is now. let nothing stand in your way. learn more at keller.edu. or a can of paint... you came together to vote, to share... to volunteer. and now, thanks to you, 10 communities have more to smile about. what's next? tell us on facebook. ♪ ooh baby, (what) can i do for you today? ♪ [ female announcer ] need help keeping your digestive balance? align can help. only align has bifantis, a patented probiotic that naturally helps maintain your digestive balance. try align to help retain a balanced digestive system. try the #1 gastroenterologist recommended probiotic. align. well... 'cause i could pay a little at a time... that would work. actually we do -- the kids would just be like, "no way, awesome!" we -- we do! all that! layaway baby! [ male announcer ] layaway's back for christmas in our toys, electronics, and jewelry departments.

j.j. ramberg.very time a local business opens its doors or creates another laptop bag or hires another employee, it's not just good for business. it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local businesses have on communities. that's why we extended $7.8 billion to small businesses across the country so far this year. because the more we help them, the more we help make opportunity possible. constipated? phillips' caplets use magnesium, an ingredient that works more naturally with your colon than stimulant laxatives, for effective relief of constipation without cramps. thanks. good morning, students. today we're gonna continue...

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j.j. ramberg. sketball for . today i own 165 wendy's restaurants. get my financing from ge capital. but i also get stuff that goes way beyond banking. we not only lend people money, we help them save it. [ junior ] ge engineers found ways to cut my energy use. [ cheryl ] more efficient lighting helps junior stay open later... [ junior ] and serve more customers. so you're not just getting financial capital... [ cheryl ] you're also getting human capital. not just money. knowledge. [ junior ] ge capital. they're not just bankers... we're builders. [ junior ] ...and they've helped build my business. new natureluxe mousse mascara! we took out a heavy synthetic and put in a light touch of beeswax. up with the volume, down with the weight. new natureluxe mousse mascara. easy breezy beautiful covergirl. you're gonna have the hottest car on the block. [ airplane engine rumbles ] show me the carfax. yeah, show me the carfax. we...we ran out. what? just show me the carfax. before you buy a used car, get a carfax vehicle history report. see accidents and serv

j.j. ramberg and welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your small business grow. it is the number one concern we hear from small business owners around the country. they say, they can survive this economic climate, as long as customers keep spending. so today, we're going to focus on ways to entice customers, and gain their continuing loyalty. clearly, knowing your customers is key to any successful business. but just how well do you need to know them? well salon owner is closely studying his clients. he is learning about where they live, and how much they may be willing to spend in order to make sure that he can successfully expand his brand. >> there's just a lot more homework, not to make a mistake. i don't have the time. i have to make the time for this. it's the difference of success and failure. >> reporter: anthony rossano knows his customers. he understands their needs, and he's doing his best to keep them coming. >> we're a community-based type business. so i need a lot of families. >> reporter: rossano's business, bernard's salon and spa in souther

j.j. ramberg. and welcome to "your business." where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. every halloween we always scare up a good small business story, from haunted houses in atlanta, to an entrepreneur who makes sofas out of coffins. well, today, we're taking you to meet witches in salem, and to hear about some entrepreneurs in nashville who were forced to innovate after getting a little smoke in their eyes. well, when the fog started to lift, they discovered a whole new hauntingly profitable customer base. ♪ >> halloween is definitely a all hands on deck, we're going full force, we've got extra staff in. because during this time of year, halloween is a major part of our business. >> this time of year, it's tons of calls. it's calls, calls, calls, and calls. i like fog. it's kind of fun to blow smoke for a living. >> chris markgraf and adam pogue do blow smoke for a living. they manufacture their special formula of hyperallergenic smoke fluid which is used to supply the smoke machines that fill the haunted ho

j.j. ramberg. and welcome to "your business." where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. there comes a time in the life cycle of any business, when the founder has to take a hard look and say, i may have done a great job building this company, but am i the right person to run it now? it is a big and difficult question for many. but for the owner of one clothing company, the answer was perfectly clear. when people think of the clothing line chaiken and capone it's no surprise they think of its founder julie chaiken. >> it's been doing this for the better part of 17 years. >> she launched the company in 1994. with an mba from new york university, and a keen sense of fashion, it didn't take long for the brand to become successful. >> the very first store that we shipped was barney's, new york. and it was a very auspicious start. and it kind of took off from there. next thing we knew we were in all the best stores in the country, and it was a pretty short period of time before we were a really well-known brand. >>