Seven years ago, Julie Sweet opened a small business that allowed people to obtain marriage, birth and death certificates, as well as legal name changes online. Now, Cetificatesonline is firing on all cylinders, though Sweet would like for it to be going a little faster.

What was the biggest challenge in starting your business?

My experience has been that banks are not supporting small businesses with money to go to the next stage of expansion, as that generally requires an infusion of new cash to do so.

It is a challenge I am still overcoming, and I have found this to be a constant, from when the business was in the initial start-up phase, to the present, being a substantial and larger business.

Is the business where you imagined it would be when you started?

That is a very difficult question to answer without showing any bias, as it’s my baby and I doubt I will ever be able to critique the business and say ‘yep, I’m content and the business is where I want it to be.’ The thing is it isn’t, and I feel I will continually want the business to evolve, grow and be an innovative enterprise. I have a dream and vision for the business that, at this particular point in time, involves plans to take it offshore and market it worldwide.

What have you used to get the word out about Certificates Online?

Everything from pamphlet distributions, networking (in person, face-to-face and online), emails, word of mouth, the White and Yellow Pages, editorial exposure (again in print media and online), blogs, social media (Twitter and LinkedIn have been a wonderful medium), radio advertising,  and paid adverts.

This is in addition to online search engine advertising – namely Google AdWords campaigns – which still proves to be one of our most powerful platforms. It captures people searching Google when looking to legally change their name, obtain their kids’ full original birth certificates or retrieve their marriage certificate. I maintain a combination of many diverse channels to be as comprehensive as possible for the business, rather than one singular form of marketing or advertising.

What advice would you give to someone starting an online business?

The very first thing that comes to mind is to go for it. Realistically, you need stamina, determination and a hell of a lot of perseverance, yet I personally believe the best thing to do is remain open, ask for help and be focused. Additionally, it does pay to do your homework on the industry you’re entering, so gather available resources from other people, business owners and entrepreneurs and just go for it. I could not have done it alone and would be lost without the support I receive on a daily basis from others.

How many times have you changed your website layout?

It’s undergoing a change right now, as I answer, in actual fact. Currently though, I would have to say the major changes we have made would be on two occasions in the last five years. The last change we made has been the most productive, beneficial and positive. The website is something I am keen to continue to improve and, as I mentioned before, we are in the midst of changing it again at the moment, so that is in the works and we are all very excited about it and the potential it has.