Help & How-To

Roy Williams is the founder and president of international ad agency Wizard of Ads. He also teaches creative thinking, strategic planning and human persuasion courses attended by executives from many of the world's largest advertising agencies, professors from leading universities, broadcasters, journalists and small-business CEOs from around the world. In addition, Williams has authored numerous books on improving advertising efforts, including The Wizard of Ads and Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads.

Kim Gordon is the owner of National Marketing Federation and is a multifaceted marketing expert, speaker, author and media spokesperson. She has served as the national spokesperson and consultant for companies such as Visa, eBay, Sprint and Office Depot. Gordon's latest book is Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dollars.

Pattie Simone is president of Write-Communications, a consultancy delivering solutions on strategy, positioning, branding, sales and marketing through training, mentoring and writing. She is also the founder of WomenCentric, a sassy women's speaking group devoted to empowering executives and entrepreneurs through workshops, seminars and keynotes. Simone has been a featured radio and TV expert, appearing on FOX5 and ABC TV, and has published bylines in various print and online venues.

Paige Arnof-Fenn is the founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls, a strategic-marketing consulting firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies, as well as early-stage and emerging businesses. Previously, she was a key member of the IPO team at Launch Media, which was later sold to Yahoo!, and was the director of the 1996 Olympic Commemorative Coin Program at the Department of Treasury, U.S. Mint. Arnof-Fenn also is an advisor to several early-stage companies and nonprofit organizations.

Al Lautenslager is a marketing and PR consultant, guerrilla marketing coach and direct-mail promotion specialist. He's also the principal of Market for Profits a Chicago-based marketing consulting firm. Lautenslager's two most recent books, Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and The Ultimate Guide to Direct Marketing are available at EntrepreneurPress.com.

Margie Zable Fisher, president of , recently launched theprsite.com, a free PR matchmaker service that helps small businesses locate the right PR resources. She and her team have helped clients land local and national publicity placements in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, as well as on Good Morning America, CNN, CNBC and many other outlets. Zable Fisher also is the editor and publisher of the weekly "PRactical PR" newsletter, which is filled with free publicity opportunities, tips and ideas that show you how to use PR to grow your business.

Mark Siebert has consulted hundreds of franchisors since starting in 1985, from startup operators to corporate giants. In 1999, he founded the iFranchise Group as an organization dedicated to developing long-term relationships with successful franchisors. He's an expert in evaluating companies for franchisability, structuring franchise offerings and developing franchise programs.

Lena West is the CEO and Chief Strategist of xynoMedia Technology , a New York-based firm that helps high-growth companies leverage the power of social media, blogs, podcasts and online communities.