“Over the last six months, my opt-in list has grown by an additional 750 potential clients and I’m earning income from implementing Sydni’s ideas!”

“I’m a certified health coach who graduated in a class of over 1,200. As I started my business and it was becoming successful, my classmates asked me how I did it. Little by little I found that I was coaching other coaches in the health care industry and helping them to increase their business. I had found my niche.

When I contacted Sydni I was really feeling overwhelmed. My business was growing but I really wasn’t sure where to concentrate my time. I had worked with a couple of high-end coaches before, but a recent experience with a coach I had hired went very poorly so I was losing hope that I would find the type of coach who could help me get to the next level with my business.

Then one day, I turned on a teleseminar that featured Sydni. She had me absolutely riveted from her first words. I could see that she was a person who gets the job done. I understood exactly what she was saying and I loved her business philosophy. I don’t know why I turned on that particular teleseminar that day but I’m so glad I did. I felt strongly that she was the right coach for me. She was speaking my language and describing how she goes about doing business which resonated with my business philosophy.

Next I called Sydni and did a 30-minute session with her. Even before I spoke with her I knew that I wanted to work with her. She has a tiered pricing program and I selected the middle program which was a $4500 investment. I jumped in with both feet. The program has been worth many times the investment. I just renewed for another 6 months.

She’s helped me prioritize every aspect of my business plan. She’s given me great focus, additional revenue, and techniques to build my list. My opt-ins increased by 750 new potential clients over the last six months. We work regularly on these items. She’s encouraged me to put together some programs that I would not have done and now I’m earning income from these ideas. We’re currently working on a 6-month program. She knows how to guide me into seeing the overarching view and how to break that into a piece-by-piece action plan.

If you want clarity, someone who is easily accessible, has solid experience, and has your back all the time, then she is definitely the person you want to work with. With her, I feel I have someone who is in my back pocket, rooting for me all the time, and she’s always accessible. I could only contact my previous coach once a month. Now, through Basecamp and email, I can have access to Sydni so that she can answer my questions when I need her the most. This is an especially valuable aspect of her service–a priceless piece of the coaching program she offers!

The answers she provides aren’t fluff answers either! She gives you specific actionable steps and she shares her resources and experience. I’m a visual learner so I frequently ask her if she could send me something to look at. She never fails to deliver materials that are valuable to me. She has a generosity of spirit that is reflected through all her services.

Sydni showed me how to turn my knowledge into a program that I could create once and get paid for again and again. I’ve never done a continuity program before, but she encouraged me to do a survey of my list and we created a new program based on those targeted results. The first time I launched the program I went from zero to 40 sales, which equaled $10,905. Five months later, I raised the price and launched the program again. This time my launch generated 54 sales (including 2 private coaching clients) for a total of $19,814!

I have so much respect for Sydni. She’s got a God-given talent for focus. She laser hits on what is important and she can explain it to you in a way that makes total sense. She takes away that overwhelming feeling by helping you concentrate on the key priorities. When I work with her, I always feel that if I concentrate on the vital priorities and follow our agreed-upon action plan, all the rest will fall into place.”

Karen Pattock – Owner, Make a Difference Make a Living – Pinckney, Michigan

“You allowed me to get out of my own way!”

“Sydni meeting with you yesterday did not feel much like work but as I re-look at the notes to create my to-do list we covered so much ground! I am amazed at what you were able to pull out of my brain. I talked my husband’s ear off the whole train ride home Thank you for patiently asking the probing questions that allowed me to get out of my own way to define the target market that best suits my services now. It was a stumbling block for such a long time and now I’m off to the races to get the rest of the road map into action. I am very comfortable with the ideas you suggested to move forward with although it was not what I originally planned to do. And I was surprised at how a good marketing plan can still be simple. I’m excited to see where this journey will take me.”

Roz Murray, Virtual CFO – AskRozMurray.com, Clifton, VA

“I started my business earlier this year, having quit my corporate job in the middle of a recession. Within the first month of working with Sydni, I secured contracts for $14,000 and that alone covered my investment…”

“I’m compelled to tell you how much growth I’ve seen in my business in the past several months working directly with Sydni Craig-Hart.

I started my business earlier this year, having quit my corporate job in the middle of a recession because I really believed that I could service clients in a way that no one else was doing and that I could really make a more than sustainable business for myself. But I knew in order to meet the really aggressive goals that I set that I’d need to have someone to show me how to do it. I know that my expertise within brand development and brand support can stand on its own but I knew that I needed to have someone who could guide and direct me to making that profitable business the way that I wanted and within the first one to three years.

I signed up with Sydni Craig-Hart as her private coaching client because I wanted to be able to have a six-figure business within the first year and to grow to a seven-figure business within three years. In working with her just for the first several months, I’m completely on track. Within the first month of working with Sydni, I secured contracts for $14,000 and that alone covered my investment in working with Sydni.

But since that time, each month I’m securing contracts that keep me with the $8,000 – $10,000 range. What’s really great about that is that I’m able to kind of build this business and really devote my energies to the things that I like to do the most, my clients are getting great results and I’m able grow my business the way that I envisioned and the way that I knew that I could.

Whenever I have stumbling blocks or I have issues or I have fears and things that I’m not quite sure of within my business, then I’m able to go to Sydni and get answers and resources right away that help push me past that limitation. It’s been really great in growing my business right out the gate, right out the gate to be able to have the income and the freedom that I want and the full control to be able to do my business my way.

What’s really great is that I don’t have any of the other insecurities that a lot of new businesses have when they first launch their businesses and first put themselves in the marketplace because I have someone that has achieved the goals that I’m setting out to do. I’m able to just enjoy the process and to take my clients through really great results because I have a resource that helps me to really execute all of the things that are in my head to the marketplace.

So it’s been really great working with Sydni. If you have any access or desire to get some of the resources that she has available to work with her in a group setting or to work with her privately, I highly suggest that you do. If you want any great direct questions answered about what my experience with Sydni has been, I’d be delighted to answer those for you. You can contact me at info@brandexcitement.com and I’ll let you know all of the information and experiences that I’ve had with Sydni. They have been great thus far. I had been watching her for about a year wanting to work with her so when the opportunity came for me to do so, I jumped at it. I would suggest that you do, too.

I hope you work with her soon and even if you don’t, make sure that you sign up to get resources from her because the free nuggets that she gives will be worth their weight in every way that you execute them.”

Beatrice Johnston, CEO, Brand Excitement – Jersey City, NJ

“We went from 10 customers to 46!”

Andrea McCarthy is passionate about teaching new moms about cloth diapering, but her business was struggling. Within the first six months of taking over Little Rumpkins Diaper Service, her and her business partner had just ten customers.

“My husband and I have no marketing background at all, so when we took over the existing cloth diapering service we weren’t sure how to market our business,” said Andrea, “We decided to turn to Sydni’s services in order to help.”

After working with Sydni, she found the direction and instruction she was looking for. Before the coaching, she relied on word of mouth and customers in the Buffalo, New York area looking for “diaper service” on Google. It didn’t do much for them in terms of customers.

“Sydni opened up our eyes to a variety of new ideas that worked really well for us. I loved how she made me accountable for what I told her I was going to do. She was great about pushing me to do things to get out of my comfort zone. With her insistence, I got on the phone and starting following up with people that had emailed us, or that I had briefly talked to before.”

In addition to the follow up calls, she also started giving small talks at childbirth education classes. In five to seven minutes, Andrea would sum up the benefits of cloth diapering, in a non-pushy, non-salesy way, and then invited people to call Little Rumpkins Diaper Service if they were interested.

“I really liked this because I’m not a sales person. I hate being pushy, so the talks were good for me. I was doing what I needed to do without pushing people,” she said.

The strategies paid off in spades. By December of 2012, Andrea had 46 new customers trying out the service, and started over 15 new customers in the time that they worked with Sydni.

“Sydni is such a huge support and cheerleader,” Andrea said, “If you need help with marketing, she’s worth every single penny. I would gladly pay her again. She is a great coach!”

Andrea McCarthy, CEO – Little Rumpkins Diaper Service – Depew, NY

“She showed me how to package what I already have in order to make some quick sales!”

“Before I started working with Sydni – I had clients, but I needed more clients and wanted to solidify my proprietary system. I needed to get a system going that would solidify how I blogged, how I created resources and how I got clients.

Working with Sydni is simple and easy to follow. I found implementing what she gave me to be very easy. I’ve gotten some great ideas on how to make money quickly by having a sale or putting together a product based on what I already have on my laptop. She showed me how to package what I already have in order to make some quick sales. I was able to increase my email opt ins, start a successful LinkedIn group, do a summer website sale that lead to six new clients and re-launch my boot camp that led to three new clients.

Sydni challenged me to be myself and be authentic, which allowed me to define my proprietary system and get better results. I love her ideas and that she’s able to be real with her clients and tell it like it is. If you need help with marketing and want to increase your profits, you should give her services a try. It’s an investment in your business, but she’s going to help you make more money.”

Renee Moore, CEO – Much Moore Marketing – Temple Hills, MD

“I filled my coaching practice with 12 clients, which allowed me to reduce my counseling hours and feel less time-crunched”

“Before I worked with Sydni, I had a successful business – but I was overwhelmed with stress. I had a large counseling schedule. I was looking for different sources of income so I wasn’t so tied to the office. I wanted to transition to having more products and build on my previous success. Making the shift from a counselor to coach was a big priority for me and Sydni was essential in that shift.

Working with Sydni was terrific. She’s professional, strategic and helped me develop systems to do my work in a more consistent fashion. I developed systems to make sure I was doing my marketing every week. It was really helpful because I was able to develop a map of where I was going. It made facing each day very easy because I knew exactly what I needed to do. She was caring, competent and helpful every step of the way.
Thanks to her help, I’ve had a successful transition into coaching. I’ve been able to develop a suite of client attractive coaching programs. I filled my coaching practice with 12 clients, which allowed me to reduce my counseling hours and feel less time-crunched. I launched my first webinar series and made $10,000! I now have the skills to do that again and again.

I’ve also designed a new website that is more user-friendly, provided me with more benefits and value and I’ve been able to develop more information to educate potential clients before they reach out to me.

It’s hard to find someone that understands what you do. She got it immediately and helped me maximize those results. Sydni’s work helped me reach some big financial goals. I would highly recommend Sydni to others in my profession.”

Leslie Vernick, Counselor and Coach – LeslieVernick.com, Orefield, PA

“…our company experienced an increase in sales of nearly 65% from 2012 to 2013!”

“Business is doing well, and I must say that a lot of it has to do with YOUR teachings.

Last year, I took your class, “Create Your Money Map,” where I learned to evaluate my streams of revenue, service offerings, and ideal clients. I also learned to listen to what my clients need, e.g., what keeps them up at night, what are the challenges, etc.

As a result of my applying what I learned from you in 2013, our company experienced an increase in sales of nearly 65% from 2012 to 2013! I was working so much that I didn’t even realize this! The increase was done without active marketing — only word-of-mouth and some e-mail marketing. However, just imagine if I did actively and aggressively marketed!!! So, I have two goals in 2014 — work smarter and reach the six-figure mark.

2013 was a year to prove to myself that I can indeed do well in my own business. I had to face and overcome a lot of negative self-talk this year (and I’m still pushing through). 2013 was like an awakening period for me. Thank you for following up with me!”

Lonoia Brooks – Royster & Brooks Consulting Services, Inc. – East Point, GA

“I have more opportunities than ever before and am getting more inquiries about my services!”

“I was at the beginning of rebuilding my business after I had a child when I found Sydni’s services. I thought she was great! She clearly knows her stuff and works with my best interest at heart, which I really appreciated it.

Working with her I was able to get clarity about my marketing strategy and understand what I’m doing, and why I’m doing what I’m doing. I liked that she was able to customize her approach for my needs. She helped me select what made the most sense with the time that I have to work on my business.

With Sydni, I was able to get a lot in place to grow my business – I had a website redesign, business name change and re-focused on networking. I have more opportunities than ever before and am getting more inquiries about my services.

Sydni is a terrific resource in terms of helping you get clear about what your options are, which options make the most sense for you. She’s really easy to work with and her caring came through in her approach. It was very clear to me that she cared about my business and had my best interests at heart. Plus, her sense of humor and kindness made the whole process a great experience!”

Karen Kane, Coach – Still Point Leadership, Seattle, WA

“I’m now on track to have a 35% increase from 2010 on my yearly earnings!”

“When I first started working with Sydni, I had a website but wasn’t targeting my ideal client. I needed some new marketing language – and wanted a big drive to back it up. I also needed a marketing plan to help me move forward. While I felt my business was successful, I didn’t have the filters established. I was doing everything for everyone but needed to narrow my efforts and get clear on who I wanted to help with my service.

I loved Sydni’s common sense approach. She presented her tips and strategies in a way that was easy to understand. I felt there was a lot of content that she shared in her emails and newsletters before I signed up for coaching – I thought she’d be the right person to help me reach my goals.

After working with Sydni, I now have a functioning marketing plan that covers all of the aspects that I want to cover. I have a new website that really represents me well and speaks directly to my ideal client. I have an outline to move forward with that will allow me to continue to marketing consistently. I’ve got a newsletter and blog in place and created packages to sell my design services. The biggest shift was that I’ve been able to eliminate the two hour consultation that was a part of my sales cycle. I am now able to spend more time with clients – and my entry price is $1,000. That was a big mental hurdle that I was able to make while working with Sydni.

In addition, I was able to improve my work/life balance and reach a goal of working 30 hours per week. I hired an assistant, which Sydni strongly recommended, and it helped me immensely in reducing my time in the office. This has been incredibly helpful in creating a better lifestyle for me, without sacrificing my business growth. I saved time by creating procedures, implementing scripts and templates and getting organized with all of my business essentials. I’m now on track to have a 35% increase from 2010 on my yearly earnings.

Sydni is no nonsense. She’s very positive but is focused completely on sticking to the task at hand, getting it done and moving forward with a plan. That was very helpful to me. She’s a great value and is worth the investment.

If anyone is committed to working the steps, she can get you there. She’s focused on helping you every step of the way. If it’s important for you for your business to grow, you can absolutely recoup the costs of the coaching once you apply what she teaches. It’s well worth the time and the money.”

Suzanne Manlove, Interior Designer – Arlington Home Interiors, Arlington, VA

“I got a 6-figure idea after reading an article Sydni Craig-Hart wrote!”

Jill Addison, online video expert, has been following Smart Simple Marketing for some time and eagerly looks forward to each weekly article we publish.

Watch as she shares how one of our articles clarified the concept of how to identify you ideal client profile and how she has turned that profile into tens of thousands of dollars in new revenue for her business!

Jill’s experience highlights two very important things:

1. Regularly publishing high quality content is one of the best ways to build credibility, create visibility and attract raving fans to your business. It creates a win-win for everyone involved!
2. Learning is great, but DOING is what gets results. Jill isn’t making more money in her business just because of what she learned. She’s making more money because she is TAKING ACTION on what she learned! Action creates results and revenue!

Jill Addison, Online Video Producer – JillAddison.com, San Diego, CA

NOTE: Because of the introductions and referrals Jill has made to Smart Simple Marketing, we’ve generated $8,200+ in new business!

“.. in just six months, I attracted 10 new clients, 4 new Joint Venture relationships and increased my subscriber list by 250 people.”

“I chose to work with Sydni Craig-Hart as my business and marketing coach because I felt that she listened very well to my challenges and addressed them specifically. As we worked together I grew to appreciate that Sydni is not only a talented business consultant, but she really cares about you. Working with Sydni has helped me in so many ways. She advised me on hiring a Virtual Assistant and how best to work with my new VA, which has been a huge help my business. She helped me with keeping a positive, focused mindset, developing important joint venture relationships, and staying on task with the most important, income-producing activities. Sydni is highly knowledgeable about marketing and she’s very good at keeping you on task and staying organized, which I love.

As a result of our work together, I exceeded my revenue goal of $100,000 for 2010 (my final gross revenue was $120K, of which $35K was a direct result of Sydni’s coaching.) In addition, in just six months, I attracted 10 new clients, 4 new Joint Venture relationships and increased my subscriber list by 250 people. Investing in myself and my business by coaching with Sydni more than paid for itself, in fact, I made back 6x my investment!

Working with Sydni was one of the smartest business decisions I made last year. She helped me increase my efficiency, kept me on track and gave me excellent advice for nurturing joint venture relationships which will last a lifetime.

I can’t recommend her enough!”

Karen Everett, Founder & CEO, New Doc Editing – San Francisco, CA

“All that time and energy (and money) could have been saved by simply committing to you a few years ago.”

“I wanted to send you a note to tell you how thankful I am to have joined the coaching group. I thought $2500 was an exorbitant amount to pay for a coaching program – especially with all the free content/programs/blogs out there. Well, I personally have downloaded dozens of free e-books, attended dozens of free webinars (yours included), paid for marketing classes and read countless business books. All that time and energy (and money) could have been saved by simply committing to you a few years ago.

I love your positive attitude, your clear actionable tasks and your contagious laugh!”

Ruxana Oosman, Ruxana’s Home Interiors – Rutland, VT

“The coaching from Sydni has completely transformed my business. When we started I had zero clients, now I have six!”

“Before working with Sydni, I had a challenge with incorporating marketing into my already busy schedule. I knew that I should be marketing my business in order to get new leads, but I wasn’t sure what to focus on. I also had several new concepts for online products that weren’t getting attention. I needed help putting together a plan for these concepts so they could see the light of day.

After finding Sydni through another interior designer, I began a six month coaching program. We got to work on developing a plan that would help me make marketing a natural part of my daily business life. Sydni practices what she preaches, so it is great to learn her tips for incorporating marketing into a daily work schedule.

I was just blown away by our first week working together. After my first coaching call I was literally on fire! Sydni’s help with my group presentation gave me the confidence I needed to be successful, and successful I was! That meeting produced ten leads and two speaking engagements.

My business ideas have found new direction under Sydni’s coaching. During our sessions, we’ve mapped out ideas for an online interior design business as well as a new package concept for design clients. She laid everything out for me and fleshed out both business concepts from ideas to workable plans.

In addition, we planned out my business for the next 12 months. Having this detailed and expertly-written guide to follow has made business a snap for me. Sydni revamped my entire business and working with her has made my life easier.

The coaching from Sydni has completely transformed my business. When we started I had zero clients, now I have six! Also, per Sydni’s advice, I’ve hired an online assistant who is helping me make strides in my business that I didn’t expect to see for months. Making an investment in myself and my business by hiring Sydni was well worth it. If you can follow through and stay committed to the things she says to do, she’ll take your business to a whole new level.”

Barbara Gilbert, Barbara Gilbert Interiors – Richardson, TX

“I found the clarity I needed…and ended up with 20 to 30 more hours per month freed up!”

“Before I started working with Sydni, I had written books and done public speaking, but hadn’t done any marketing what so ever. I realized the time was right for me to get the help I needed to get known by bigger conferences.

Sydni struck me as very warm and practical. She had answers to all of my questions, and I found the clarity I needed to market my business. Sydni helped me realize the resources and material I already had on tap and showed me how to rework what I had. I didn’t have to start from scratch. I could use what I already had.

She also helped me realize that I could use assistants to get more done. I started delegating to others and ended up with 20 to 30 more hours per month freed up. It was a big step and is one of the first initial factors toward my future success.

If someone is floundering around with their business and not sure where to go, I’d recommend Sydni’s services. She can help someone get a sense of direction and talk things through. She listened to me and my needs, and never made me feel like I was too small to deal with. She respected my goals and helped me maximize what I’ve already got!”

Poppy Smith, PoppySmith.com – Portland, OR

“She was able to take what I was already doing, refine and narrow my scope and help me make a plan.”

“Before working with Sydni, I was spreading myself too thin. I needed help focusing my marketing efforts as a PayCHEX sales consultant on a few specific industries. Sydni had some great insights and helpful resources. In talking with her, I realized how targeting my marketing on a few key areas would help.

Working with her, I became more specific with what I am looking for from clients. Sydni asked terrific questions that helped me think about who I wanted to work with and how to market to them specifically. She gave me a concrete plan that I can use to achieve better results. It’s something that is easy to follow and I’m implementing it right now.

Sydni offered me some valuable resources to better market myself. I really appreciated the email newsletter template that she shared and I’ve started using it for current clients.

What I loved most about working with Sydni is that she’s very pleasant, but doesn’t sugar coat her advice. She was able to take what I was already doing, refine and narrow my scope and help me make a business plan. And she did it all over the phone!

Anyone who wants to clear up their mental clutter, zero in on a specific market or type of person and get better results would benefit from working with Sydni.”

Katie Johnstone, PayChex – Berkeley, CA

“I have rolled out new packages and got 3 new clients!”

“After almost 3 years of working my company on the side of my full time job, I decided to quit the job and start out on my own. I really wanted to start out strong with my biz. I’d heard good things about Sydni from other people and wanted to start out on the right foot. There are lots of books out there, but she had it all in her head! It would have taken me too much time to pull together all of that information without Sydni.

What impressed me most about Sydni was that she knows everything! She has it all together and it’s always been accurate. She always has the answer that is right and right on. Working with her I now have the foundations in place. I’ve got them squared away and am tweaking them. The accountability that I received from Sydni has been so beneficial. I’m getting everything in place.

In the time I’ve worked with Sydni, I have:

• Rolled out new packages that have been well received
• Got 3 new clients
• Completed editing my website copy so it could be re-designed
• Taken two jobs that I thought were ‘out of my scope’ of expertise and the appointment was very successful
• And more!

When people ask me about Sydni, I say that she’s great about giving specific advice for your exact situation. She doesn’t offer blanket advice – she customizing it to every situation and gets right to the point. She’s open, non-judgmental and really kind in the way that she responds. In short, she’s great!”

Virginia Maddan, Professional Organizer, Comfortable Structure – San Francisco, CA

“By implementing just one of the many strategies that she’s shared with me, I’m already seeing results!”

“Working with Sydni has been really invaluable and crucial for me moving forward strategically in my Virtual Assistant business goals. I’m grateful for the guidance and feedback that she provided to me through her coaching programs.

One of the most significant changes was taking her advice on gathering referrals. Instead of offering a referral program, as I had planned, I just asked for referrals flat out. We retained a new client with this strategy that will generate over $6,000 in the next 6 months alone, and I saved money on the front-end by eliminating referral fee payouts.

By implementing just one of the many strategies that she’s shared with me, I’m already seeing results – and I can’t wait to see what the future will bring!”

Emily Morgan, Delegate Solutions / Entrepreneur’s Entourage – Lindenwold, NJ

“…Her work has helped me expand my offerings, boost my bottom line and gain confidence for what’s possible in my business. THANK YOU SYDNI!”

“Although I’m exceptionally organized and very much a planner, my background and skill sets are not in the marketing and sales elements of business. Given that, I’ve been really fortunate in my business that I’ve had a pretty steady stream of clients come my way over the years. I wish I could say that this was due to a well-thought out, planned, and implemented marketing plan – but it wasn’t. My approach had been “try everything and see what sticks” method of marketing – an expensive way to approach building a business, to be sure. I knew there had to be a better way – and I needed help finding it.

After doing some research, I hired a marketing and sales firm who promised to dramatically grow my business. After reviewing the marketing plan they prepared for me, I was skeptical. They had not listened to my goals or concerns, and instead created a plan based on where THEY thought I should take my business. The expensive and hype-filled marketing tactics they had me spend money and time on never panned out, and I was left feeling frustrated and angry. Thousands upon thousands of dollars later, I had nothing to show for my investment in the firm and their methods. It would have been great if they were an expensive firm and I’d achieved great results – unfortunately, they were a costly waste.

I knew I still needed help with my marketing, but I was pretty hesitant to hire another marketing firm after that initial less-than stellar experience. It was going to take someone special for me to want to work with an outside marketing consultant again. I found that someone in Sydni Craig-Hart and Smart Simple Marketing.

Sydni and I had been in each other’s orbit for awhile, and after finally meeting in person, I knew that we were going to have a great relationship. I decided to hire Sydni to work with me, and have been nothing but thrilled with both how she and her team work and the results of all of our efforts!

One of the many things that I really appreciate about Sydni is that both she, and the marketing tactics that she recommends, are completely hype-free. Instead of hype and fluffy language, Sydni helps make sure that my marketing represents me and my business in ways that feel completely authentic. No fluff, just real messaging that both I and my target market can relate to. From redesigning my branding to sending out a single email, Sydni helps to ensure that my marketing is consistent, credible, and most importantly, that it fits.

A side benefit of working with Sydni is that she encourages me to stretch what I think are my boundaries in relation to how I’ve structured my services, what my offerings can be, and how I can price the services that my company offers. She’ll challenge my assumptions, and in the end, she’s usually right! As a direct result of Sydni’s good advice, here’s a sampling of what we’ve accomplished:

• Created a new stream of revenue by launching my first info product
• Added hundreds of subscribers to my mailing list
• Completely repackaged my services so that clients are better served AND my cash flow is improved at the same time
• Generated thousands of dollars in revenue from six new clients who have signed up for my new packages
• Underwent a complete branding overhaul – including logo and website
• Built-out my social media presence in a way that feels useful to my audience and natural to me
• Given many teleseminars and speaking engagements which have helped boost my profile as an expert

What the results don’t say is how much fun it is to work with Sydni. Marketing is not my passion, but it is Sydni’s – and her energy is contagious. I genuinely look forward to our consulting calls and ALWAYS get a ton of value out of them. I won’t lie – there’s work involved in implementing my marketing plan, and I usually have plenty of homework. That said, the plan is broken down into manageable steps that I and my team can accomplish, and if there’s ever a problem, Sydni’s there to help us through in a way that makes sense and keeps things light.

I honestly can’t imagine how I’d be growing my business without Sydni and her team. Her work has helped me expand my offerings, boost my bottom line, gain confidence for what’s possible in my business. THANK YOU SYDNI!”

Joshua Zerkel, CEO, Custom Living Solutions – San Francisco, CA

“It was a classy, energizing experience that has resulted in the successful launch of my popular new website, a rapid, dramatic increase in traffic…and sales that have made my business take off!”

After several months of working with Sydni Craig-Hart of Smart Simple Marketing by phone, I was incredibly impressed with the giant strides I was making in getting my coaching and online business up and running. Even one hour of Sydni’s brilliant wisdom and practical guidance by phone was yielding huge returns for me. But then, I was fortunate enough to take advantage of her half-day, one-on-one consultation. I am so glad I did.

Within those super-productive hours together (at a fancy hotel no less) Sydni brought her laser focus to bear in solving some of my previously overwhelming organization problems, orienting me to the customized marketing plan she’d created for me and walking me through a perfect way to increase revenues by identifying new product offerings. It was a classy, energizing experience that has resulted in the successful launch of my popular new website, rapid, dramatic increases in traffic, content production, products list, and sales that have made my business take off.

I highly recommend any solo entrepreneur who’s serious about growing their business to beg, borrow, or steal whatever it takes to get Sydni for a half-day consult. It’s one of the smartest investments in your own success you could possibly make.

Ronn Elmore, Psy.d, FindingSoulmateSuccess.com – Sacramento, CA

“We gained clarity around who our ideal client really is, zeroed in on our strategy for the next six months and the next steps we need to take to achieve our goals.”

We were looking for someone to take us to the next step for our financial services and planning firm. After asking around, we became aware of Sydni Craig-Hart’s coaching services. After our initial meeting with Sydni, we loved her personality and thought she would be a good fit for us.

Working with Sydni was inspiring! I loved that the VIP Strategy session was out of our office. It forced us to be 100% present. We walked through the steps of defining how we help others. It allowed me to see the path that we are embarking on – especially making our Financial Boot Camps profitable, developing our brand so it’s more attractive to investors and learning the tools that will help us improve Creating Answers. Best of all, we got feedback directly from Sydni during the entire session.

Sydni’s coaching was very supportive, without being overwhelming. We gained clarity around who our ideal client really is, zeroed in on our strategy for the next six months and the next steps we need to take to achieve our goals.

We came into the process with concerns about making our plan revenue driven. We walked away from the session with a clear picture of how that will happen and guidance on what technology we can use to better our systems.

Shawna Fitzgerald, Director of Strategy & Planning, Creating Answers | POWELL & ASSOCIATES – Sacramento, CA

Holistic Health Coach Successfully Launches Brand New Coaching Program and Built a Following

Jodi Krizer Graber was just getting started with her holistic health coaching business when she went to Sydni for help getting everything straight.

“I was really brand new,” said Jodi, “I wanted to get my systems in place, but have a tendency to get overwhelmed. I needed to do this, to do that….it just seemed like there was so much to do I didn’t know where to start!”

Working with Sydni in the Profitable Marketing Results program was just what she needed to set her on the right foot with her fledgling business and give her the confidence she was looking for.

“Working with Sydni was terrific. She went above and beyond what I was expecting,” shared Jodi “The resources and the information she shared were so much more than I though I would receive.”

“With each module I thought ‘oh my God she’s done it again!’. She has such a command of marketing systems that she’s able to break it down into manageable steps.”

The personal touch made the difference for Jodi as well.

“I felt that Sydni really understood me and my needs. Anytime we had Q and A calls for the program she was able to answer my questions and tell me how I could proceed,” she explained, “Sydni gave tailored answers that fit my specific situation, and I heard her do it for everyone else on the calls as well. She didn’t just spit out generic advice – she gave me things I could work with immediately.”

After completing the marketing course and working with Sydni, Jodi felt more confident and empowered in her business.

“With Sydni I got my first coaching program in place and I increased my social media presence. I’ve put together my Twitter marketing strategy and Facebook fan page plan,” she explained. Jodi’s first group program gained her 10 new clients, and she’s planning her next steps under Sydni’s marketing plan.

“Sydni delivers exactly what she promises and more. She used these same systems to build her very successful business and she’s willing to share the good, the bad and the ugly,” Jodi said, “She tells you what isn’t going to work and shares her best strategies so that other people can benefit.”

Working with Sydni helped Jodi get the practical tools she needed to launch her business into success, along with the boost of confidence she needed. “She takes the guesswork out of it for you and takes the anxiety away,” shared Jodi, “She can save you steps so you don’t have to figure it out to get to step one.”

Jodi Krizer Graber, Bravo! Wellness, LLC – New York, NY

“It was the best business investment I’ve ever made!”

“Before I started working with Sydni, I was frustrated and overwhelmed with my interior design business. Although I was strong with my skills in decorating, I was clueless when it came to marketing. Like many people, I was out there signing up for free reports and following as much free information as I could online – but I felt like I was frozen.

It was a big decision to invest in working with Sydni and I am so grateful that I did! It was the best business investment I’ve ever made! Sydni is so organized and provides so much clarity with her teaching. Just working with her and seeing how she runs her business was beneficial. It was great to see how simple her plan was.

After working with her, I feel so much more put together and ready to enter the new year. My overall confidence has grown. I’ve always made plans for the next year, but each time I tried working on them it didn’t seem to come together quite right. I’m confident that this year it will be different and I’ll complete my goals.

Through Sydni’s support and guidance I put together a holiday decorating talk in a furniture store – I would have never done that on my own! I had 20 people in attendance and sold 2 packages from just that talk. I would have never done that without her guidance and I have plans to do it again.

I have no regrets at all from working with Sydni. The day I hired her I knew it was the right decision – I jumped up and down! And the reality of working with her was wonderful. I now have so many systems and processes set up. She’s helped me grow my confidence. She provided a delicate balance between accountability and flexibility. Sydni was so positive and celebrated all of my successes with me. It was a transformative experience!”

Jennifer Nollette, Certified Professional Interior Arranger, iCandyInteriors – Santa Fe, NM

“I closed a contract worth $90,000!”

“I’ve been thinking about starting my own business for a couple of years and I’ve been thrashing about, spending a lot of time with the content, a lot of time thinking about what needed to be done, but just not really knowing what to do. Finally, someone told me that I needed to work with a coach. I wasn’t really sure what that involved, but I decided to take the plunge because I was just going around circles. I had a lot of good ideas, but not a lot of execution in getting my business going.

In the process of hiring Sydni, I got a really clear sense of what I am worth! I realized I should not accept less than what I think is the appropriate amount for my work. As a result I closed a contract worth $90,000! I don’t know that I would have actually had the confidence to do that had I not had Sydni’s guidance.

Sydni and I started my coaching experience with an in-person VIP Strategy Session. She asked me amazing questions that helped me get clear on how to communicate the value of the work I do! She got me to talk about what was important to me and what I love doing and what I thought my strengths and weaknesses were. She repeated it back to me in a very succinct language that made it seem a lot more manageable and simpler than I had thought it would be.

What I realized during our session was that there are a lot of opportunities that I have either created or had come my way that I really have not done anything about. I realized there are prospective clients that are very close to me and it’s not going to be overwhelming to follow through and nurture relationships with these existing contacts.

After spending just this one session with Sydni, I’m very excited about my business moving forward and what I will accomplish!”

Susan Jamison, Coach for “Personal Creativity in Business” – CLUE Institute – Palo Alto, CA

“I have more clients….new products…and I don’t feel as scattered!“

“When I reached out to work with Sydni, I knew that I was at the point that I needed someone to support me and help with what was going on specifically in my business. I was part of a mastermind group and had been going to programs and training for specific things in my business. But I knew I needed the one to one support that Sydni could provide.

I am completely thrilled that I chose to work with Sydni! She really hones right in on what is valuable to my goals and where I wanted to go in my business. She knew what I needed and was able to help me stay on track. She was very good in helping me stay focused. I loved her personable nature. I felt good about myself when I was talking to her.

Now, I have more clients in areas that I wouldn’t have had before because of new products that Sydni helped me create. She’s made it easy to implement products and processes that I had originally planned for far in the future. I don’t feel as scattered now and I feel that my ideal clients are able to hear me more easily. With Sydni’s helped, I’ve created more potential for income. Now I know that the people on my list are truly interested in what I am doing and really want what I have to offer. I have more people coming to my list because of Sydni.

I’ve already recommended Sydni to someone – and she’s decided to invest in coaching too! I love the way that Sydni works. She can really help you dig down and stay focused. She understands what marketing is and where the needs are. She’s able to see what’s available to you and points out opportunities to do a variety of things.”

Barb Stuhlemmer, Business Coach – Blitz Business Success – Barrie, Ontario, Canada

“Just do exactly what she tells you to do and you’ll see success!“

“Before working with Sydni, I had been working on a business plan for years to expand into a new service area. Although I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the Finance Gym, I couldn’t get past the curve.

Sydni quickly understood exactly what we were trying to do with our new site and programs. She was able to reframe my thoughts and intentions in a way that would appeal to a wider audience.

Thanks to Sydni’s help, we were able to launch the Finance Gym website and our traffic coming from my position at Forbes.com is increasing. We used to have a steady trickle of new people coming in and now we’re getting more and more. I’m getting traffic that I don’t recognize – we’re expanding beyond the referrals and friend-of-a-friend recommendations that we used to get.

Sydni knows exactly what needs to be done to the point that you don’t have to think about it. Just do exactly what she tells you to do and you’ll see success. It’s really nice for a busy business owner. I’m currently trying to convince one of my key clients to hire her for that very reason.”

Stacey Powell, Small Business CFO and Financial Coach – FinanceGym.com – Sacramento, CA

“Her fresh perspective and her confidence in me helped me get out of my own way which was preventing me from accomplishing a goal that I needed to realize!”

“I hired Sydni in December to help me market my business. I had two or three specific goals to accomplish in my business, and needed someone to guide me and come up with some fresh ideas for these goals. Part of that included that I wanted to get in front of large businesses to do some internet marketing consulting and start providing internet search engine training workshops for them.

As a result of the ideas and processes she shared, I held a marketing executive roundtable discussion with several large businesses in the Bay Area. At first, I was really hesitant about the idea. Even though I had internal misgivings about doing it, Sydni kept pressing me to make it happen.

After this first round table, it looks like I may get a new client with one of the large companies. That round table has subsequently led to an in-person meeting with one of the companies. They were excited about working with me have asked for a statement of work to get started on a new project with them.

Sydni always has fresh ideas and is a go-getter. She keeps me accountable for what I need to do. I always tell her that her job is to put on her pointy, steel-toed shoes and kick me in the rear end. Sydni is one of the most positive and happy people that I know. That attitude rubs off on you when you work with her. She kept me honest with due dates and milestones and doesn’t let things slide. She kept me on top of tasks.

Her fresh perspective and her confidence in me helped me get out of my own way which was preventing me from accomplishing a goal that I needed to realize.”

Tom Petty, CEO, WSI Smart Solutions – Livermore, CA

“Your coaching is very action oriented, which is one of the things I asked for.”

“When you work as an entrepreneur/solopreneur like I do, it often feels like you’re the only one out there. I sometimes felt isolated and lacking the support that I would have received in an office environment.

When Sydni announced her new group session coaching program, I was intrigued. I had benefited from her one on one coaching, and was interested in group support.

Sydni knows exactly how to cut through the clutter of my mind. I am an idea person, and can get stuck. I can spend a lot of time thinking about an idea, so Sydni’s good at helping me quickly translate that idea into action.

With this new coaching program, Sydni and I focused on executing a specific, focused action oriented plan. I launched a live event and, with Sydni’s guidance, sold it out ahead of time – 44 participants! I also had 25 pre-pay for the following year, and five are interested in coaching with me privately. This was only the second year of the event, and in essence it was new. I was building my own list, rather than working with the local college. In this first year of doing all of the marketing on my own, I was able to improve cashflow and nearly guarantee the event’s success in the following year.

If you’re tired of sitting around trying to figure out what you’re supposed to do next, and if you’re tired of throwing ideas at the wall, then it’s time to talk to Sydni. She can give you a customized, well thought out plan that can be executed and bring results.

Working with her works! I keep coming back because I know that if I follow through with what she says or suggests, it works. There’s a solid return on my investment with her.”

Kathy Toon, Founder, Coach Toon – Berkeley, CA

“I’m able to see a clear path in terms of the steps I needed to make it happen!”

“Over the course of 10 years in my business, my vision had started to change. It was a gradual shift based on life changes, and I found myself reflecting on how I wanted my business to evolve. I considered where I wanted to be over the next 10 to 20 years, and realized I needed some clarity on what steps to take. I started looking for answers and ways to bring that change about and came across Sydni’s coaching services.

I found her to be credible, action oriented, and a wealth of knowledge. From the outset, she seemed to know what was needed to bring about the change I wanted in my business. From that very first meeting when we sat down to work together, I felt assured that she had the right tools and questions to help guide me to the next step – and the next level.

In particular, there was a part of my business that I had been envisioning since 2007. It had gotten put on the backburner; but, while I worked with Sydni, I was able to see a clear path in terms of the steps I needed to make it happen. In my ongoing work with Sydni, I have started to break down my path into steps – with clear, realistic actions – so that my “to-do list” is actually making its way to my calendar. I’m also identifying and working on overcoming the self-created obstacles that have limited my progress and focus thus far.

Sydni is all about action. She noted during our initial work day together that she believes in the “law of action”, so if anyone needs to move forward definitively in their business, I recommend her as a formidable example to follow, a powerful resource and guide. Truly a catalyst for clarity and action, Sydni will hold you accountable for the results you seek”

Estere du Boulay, Founder – Lifestyle Navigations, Litchfield County, CT

“Together, we created a strategy for me to follow – including social media, developing my online presence and establishing high end training packages.”

“Before I began working with Sydni, I was lacking a marketing strategy to reach my ideal customers. I was immediately impressed with her when I met her – we had a few conversations and a few of the things she suggested in that conversation told me she knew what she was doing. Once we got started I enjoyed her process.

Together, we created a strategy for me to follow – including social media, developing my online presence and establishing high end training packages. We also developed a book launch strategy.

Sydni is knowledgeable and detail oriented. She is someone who can be outside of your business but have a good look into your business and tell you exactly what needs to be done. I enjoyed her energy and her playfulness. She was able to create a scenario and plan that was best suited for me and my business.”

Pamela Wigglesworth, Founder – Experiential Hands-on Learning, Singapore

“I now have the direction and clarity that I need to absolutely accomplish my goals.”

“My business needed to take a turn. I was getting to the point where clients weren’t coming in. I was stagnating and needed to make a decision on which direction to go. I was starting to do a lot of marketing work for my primary clients – and I realized that I wanted and needed to know more about this work myself. I knew Sydni did this type of work so I decided to reach out.

Working with her was fantastic. Everyone is at different levels when it comes to understanding marketing and I didnt know nearly enough. I wanted to know how to drive traffic to websites beyond my previous strategies I needed a further reach. Now I have a good understanding and not only has it greatly improved my own company it has improved my services to clients as well. I feel much more confident and gained so much clarity. I never knew my target market, ideal client or even that I needed to find them.

Thanks to Sydni’s help, I know what I’m doing now. I have skills in marketing, have systems in place and have a whole new vision of what I want and know how to go about doing it.

I’ve already recommended Sydni to other people. I tell them – don’t beat your head against the wall, go to someone I know for sure can help you.

Sydni is so great at providing a customized approach. She asks you what you’re good at, where you want to go and provides a plan that isn’t cookie cutter. Her approach is about your vision. I now have the direction and clarity that I need to absolutely accomplish my goals. She gave me what I needed to jumpstart my program and make a difference.”

Renee Hughes – Freelance Assist, LLC, Bowie, MD

“Working with Sydni has been phenomenal!”

“My business was brand new – I had the ideas in my head but no idea of how to move forward. I knew that I was interested in writing a book, self publishing and speaking and was looking at options for marketing. I was overwhelmed with options – and I ended up spending a lot of time worrying about marketing. I was lost in a maze of social media, emails and marketing ideas.

Eventually, I found a few resources I trusted and attended a live event. My husband and I met Sydni, in person there, and we felt comfortable with her from the get go. It was never on my radar to hire a marketing coach, but sitting through the conference and listening to the importance of coaches, I realized that I needed one. I had come up with so many ideas – but I had no idea where to start. I felt like I was drowning in information.

Working with Sydni has been phenomenal. I can see the big picture really well, but can’t focus on the steps very well. She was great at getting me focused, and brought me back to what I needed to do right then. She helped me stay focused and look at just the very next step.

She not only trained me – she helped me train myself so that I can apply what I learned moving forward. She got me focused on my client – who is this person, male or female, age, family situation, work hours, type of work they do – all of these little details that I hadn’t considered. She made me fine tune my idea of my client and then give her a name – and it has been insanely helpful. I feel like she is walking next to me – I’m in her mind. I know her inside out. It’s easy for me now to figure out how my offerings would work for me and for the benefit of my client.

Sydni challenged me, pushed me, pulled me, prodded me and help me move into areas where I had been uncomfortable – and ways that I didn’t know existed. She’s firm yet gentle at the same time. She was good at helping me see what I’d learned and appreciating where I’m at – all while maintaining a positive outlook about the next step. She was good at making me move and treating me like a person that she really cared about. I didn’t feel like a client – I felt like she was a friend who had a lot of expertise.”

Marsha Durken Hallin – Middleburg Heights, OH

“Sydni’s gift of an in-person, all day coaching session near my hometown speaks volumes on what she will do as a mentor!”

“I reached out to Sydni when I started working on my plan for the coming year. I had a few ideas and needed a sounding board and unfiltered feedback on what I was planning. Her Focus and Freedom retreat resonated with me. Sydni was awesome. She walks her talk and offers a two way street during our conversations. She makes me give, but she gives in return. She is terrific with ideas – I got a lot out of the retreat and received the strong support I need to move forward. She gets a sense of where I’ve been and anticipates where I want to go.

I highly recommend Sydni to anyone who needs ideas, unfiltered feedback, and really strong support. I love that she shares her wisdom. She was very warm and personable during our small group session. It was great to meet with her in person and get feedback. Sydni’s gift of an in-person, all day coaching session near my hometown speaks volumes on what she will do as a mentor.”

Barbara-Weitzer, CAP-OM – Barbara’s Executive Board Services, LLC

“Sydni kept me on track with next steps for marketing my business and provided a plan outline”

“I come from an entrepreneurial family and wanted to do something on my own by using my previous corporate experience.

After meeting Sydni in person, I felt we had a great connection and she was very professional. I knew she could help me proceed with marketing my business. I needed to get focused on my ideal client, clarify my programs and get specific regarding what I wanted to offer.

As a result of working with Sydni, I got the clarity I was looking for and refined how I could support the clients I work with every day and future clients. I realized that there are so many opportunities out there and the best way to serve my clients was to first get clear on what that meant. I now know exactly the direction I need to go and the events I can attend that fit within my vision.

Sydni kept me on track with next steps for marketing my business and provided a plan outline I will continue to use in the future. She helped me create various goals based on the information I gave her in our initial conversations. Best of all, she was personable and fun to work with.

If you are not clear on how to get where you want to go with you business, Sydni can help.”

Stephanie Lema, Online Business Manager — SolutionsThatSoar.com

“The marketing approach she comes up with is very tailored and helpful – and she helps you implement it.”

“Before I began working with Sydni, my business was organized chaos! There was a lot going on and no real structure. Sydni gave me that and more. She’s very professional in the way she does business. We gained more structure by working with Sydni – we now have a plan in place for advertising. We’ve created structured plans and packages. She was extremely helpful in helping us define the way we approach clients and give them options.

Working with Sydni is such a personal and tailored experience. She works to understand your goals – both personally and professionally. The marketing approach she comes up with is very tailored and helpful – and she helps you implement it.

I enjoyed her approach to the process – she’s personal but also professional. She takes genuine interest in the success of both the business and the proprietor.”

Andrew Gordon, Educational Consultant, Diversity Abroad – Berkeley, CA

“With Sydni’s help, I’m looking forward to meeting my six month goals!”

“Before I started working with Sydni, I wanted to get some marketing help – but wasn’t sure who I wanted to work with. My coaching business is very relationship based so I didn’t want the traditional “sales” oriented marketing pitches that I’ve seen. I also don’t want to make millions so I didn’t want to work with someone who had that approach in mind.

I heard Sydni speaking in a webinar interview and I liked her style and attitude, her appreciation of corporate environments, her easy style of marketing and a non-“salesy” approach to her work.

I’ve found that working with Sydni allows you the flexibility to create your own path, but she couples it with strict accountability. She is easy to talk with – but she keeps you on target! You can achieve what you really want and she provides you with the resources to help you get there.

On the 2-day retreat, I got help in clarifying my overall goals and creating a six month plan to get there. It was great to meet Sydni and to be able to put a “face” with the voice. I liked the teaching points she covered – they were broad enough for each of us to connect to our respective businesses. Working with other participants was terrific as well. It was great to have sounding boards to help us all keep on track with where we want to go, and to offer fresh perspectives.

With Sydni’s help, I’m looking forward to meeting my six month goals!”

Terri Hughes, Terri Hughes Leadership & Personal Development Coaching – Boise, Idaho

“Sydni is confident, knowledgeable, completely capable, and self‐directed. She always seems to go beyond what is expected. Her experience and confidence has saved me a lot of time and helped me grow my business in ways that I could not do alone.”

“Sydni is confident, knowledgeable, completely capable, and self‐directed. She always seems to go beyond what is expected. Her experience and confidence has saved me a lot of time and helped me grow my business in ways that I could not do alone. Since I’ve been working with Sydni on marketing my business, I’ve learned about resources that I didn’t know existed, and this allowed me to start a new program that I had been toying with for years (but couldn’t figure out how to do). That one program generated over $20,000 in revenue in just four weeks. A second program Sydni helped me to create earned me $45,000! And we’re getting ready to launch a new program that will bring in at least $5,000 per month. In working with her, I am able to promote new ideas and services quickly. I am held accountable for ideas that would possibly go unfinished without her.

I am so glad I decided to invest in Sydni ‐ even though I was afraid to spend the money. Now that I did it, I would absolutely suggest that if someone is serious about growing their business, they need to hire someone with Sydni’s experience, knowledge, and personality. Anything less could be a waste of money and time. Every time I talk to Sydni, I feel relief. She has a way of taking any overwhelm away. She always seems to have the solutions. Sydni has lifted me up to the position of CEO of my company. My mindset has changed, and my income is reflecting it!”

Nika Stewart, Founder, Wealthy Decorators – Freehold, NJ

“After working with Sydni, I had a straightforward plan and answers to all of my questions!”

“When I started working with Sydni, I was just starting full time on my own. I ran my business as a sideshow for a year but took the leap into full time. I was overwhelmed, scared and not sure about the right next steps to take. I knew I had the potential to do more but I wasn’t sure what to do first.

After working with Sydni, I had a straightforward plan and answers to all of my questions. She really takes you to the next level and helps you work on developing the mindset that you need to get there. It’s easy to think that’s light, fluffy and unnecessary – but it’s so important to helping you get there. Working with her, I felt more empowered to go that next step.

After working with her, I’ve close to doubled the number of my newsletter opt ins. She’s been instrumental in helping me develop a pricing structure so that it makes the most sense for my clients and the most sense for me too. Just recently, I successfully launched a brand-new paid webinar series and enrolled 30 clients into the program!

Sydni provides the most robust content and training online. I recommend her to my clients all the time because she gives way more value than she’s charging. She’s personal – she sends thank you cards. It’s much more than a business relationship!”

Chrissy Scivicque, Writer, Editor and Career Coach – Atlanta, GA

“…my newsletter subscriptions tripled and I launched my first coaching program, which brought in about $6,000, up from zero.”

“I chose to work with Sydni because of her laser-like focus on implementation and sales. Unlike other coaches I’ve worked with, she offers very specific and practical advice to help jumpstart new products, services and businesses. Sydni is an excellent coach — personable, practical and professional. She brings a high-level of expertise and enthusiasm to the table to help her clients thrive.

Because of my work with Sydni, my newsletter subscriptions tripled and I launched my first coaching program, which brought in about $6,000, up from zero. I would not have launched my newsletter, teleseminar series or coaching programs without her guidance and support. She helped me earn thousands of dollars in new revenue. I truly enjoyed working with Sydni and would highly recommend her to anyone who is ready to abandon old habits to pursue bigger business dreams.”

Maya Payne Smart, Founder, Writing Coach Pro – Richmond, VA

“Since I started working with Sydni, I have really reduced my learning curve on a lot of essential business tasks. It would have taken me a whole lot longer to figure this out on my own…”

“When I started working with Sydni in December, my business was brand new. I worked on behalf of the state doing a similar job but I was new to being my own boss. Sydni struck me as being very knowledgeable about marketing – and that proved true when I began working with her. It has been great! Working with the (Profitable Marketing Results) group is a good opportunity to learn from other members. She’s patient with us and really gives great feedback. Working in the group format is terrific. There were questions that I may not have thought of, but that someone else did. I learn by listening to Sydni give them advice.

Since I started working with Sydni, I have really reduced my learning curve on a lot of essential business tasks. It would have taken me a whole lot longer to figure this out on my own – and with a specialized business like mine it wouldn’t have been possible. I would have never of thought of doing presentations, but with Sydni’s help I’ve started doing them. I have completed four presentations to my target market and have two or three more on the books.

I’d highly recommend Sydni to anyone. And I have! I’ve already shared my experience with Sydni with another small business owner who wanted to reinvent herself. It’s a great way to start with the basics and learn simple and effective techniques for marketing. It was great to learn about the simple tools – like finding your ideal client, making sure the ideal client is being served and not marketing to everyone all at once.

Margo Thomas, Marlynn Consulting Group, LLC – Tallahassee, FL

“There is real meat in this program – not just ideas, but realistic and practical things you can do right now to make a difference in your business. It’s worth every penny and then some”

“The idea of presenting my interior design services in packages was new to me, but all of the program ideas were so good I decided to give it a try. My clients usually pay me a retainer for my services, but the packages allow me to present my services in a concrete way – client pays X and gets Y. It takes the guesswork out of how far their dollar will go and what exactly they will get for it. The benefit to me is that I know what my monthly income will be for those clients. Two out of the three clients I’ve presented the packages to have signed up for them.

This way I can count on that money being “spent” in a particular time period vs. some clients who spread out my time over months (with one retainer). I also don’t have to keep track of my time with the package, so that’s nice.

Overall, the program gave me a new way to look at my clients, my business and how to manage my time. In addition to the packages, the other big “a ha” moment I had was the idea of marketing only to my ideal client (versus everybody). There is real meat in this program – not just ideas, but realistic and practical things you can do right now to make a difference in your business. It’s worth every penny and then some!”

April Pardue, AFP Interiors –
Baltimore, MD

“I have a clear roadmap…in the space of one week I gained 4 new clients!”

“When I connected with Sydni in late December, my business was not doing well at all. I had started earlier that year but was distracted, unfocused and simply unable to concentrate. I was spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. I was desperate.

Enter Sydni. She is the BEST, which is an understatement. Throughout my difficulties last year, I threw away so much money on programs that were ineffective. Sydni, on the other hand, has a fantastic ability to take the clutter and get clear. It’s amazing!

After working with Sydni, I now have a clear roadmap on where I am today, where I want to go and what I am doing. I’m now using a lot of tools to make my job easier – including a CRM, something I would have never attempted to use before. In the space of one week, I gained four new clients.

If someone is unclear and confused and looking for a formula for success, they should seek out Sydni. Not only is her advice 200% on all of the time, you get her fabulousness as a bonus!”

Angie Glotzbach, Marketing Virtual Assistant, AngCo LLC – Minneapolis, MN

Smart Simple Marketing Case Study: Interior Designer Finds New Direction With Marketing Training

Magdalena Bogart is owner and operator of Magdalena Bogart Interiors. With over 20 years of experience and a Fine Arts background, she helps clients in the San Francisco Bay area renew, organize and refine their interior spaces. She focuses on creating cohesive plans for her clients that incorporate high end design touches with practical needs.

Before meeting with Sydni Craig-Hart for personalized business coaching, Magdalena described her situation as “dire.”

“I’d done fine before with no marketing, but once the economy turned down my word of mouth referrals were beginning to die down,” she explained, “I had just moved into a new office space and I wanted to stay there! I knew I needed to step up my marketing.”
Working with Sydni was a natural choice for Magdalena.

“I met her and it just clicked. She is very professional, focused and goal oriented,” said Magdalena, “and I appreciated the volume of her ideas. I’d recommend her to anyone who needs someone creative and experienced to help them reorganize their business and plan for the future.”

“Working with Sydni is like a therapy session for your business. You find out what you need to be doing and why. I’d recommend her to anyone.”

Through the course of their six month coaching sessions, Magdalena learned new techniques for marketing in the digital age, and discovered how her website and other online media could work together to form a new marketing platform.

The sessions with Sydni resulted in a new plan for Magdalena’s business including a new website, new packages and a follow up system for keeping in touch with clients. She also hired an Assistant as a result of Sydni’s suggestion, which is helping her put her marketing plan together even faster.

Magdalena is continuing to roll out the suggestions and plans that she formed with Sydni during their sessions together. She has created a new website and is getting new leads. She got her first phone call from the website recently and is looking forward to putting the rest of the ideas into place to see continued success in the future.

“Sydni was so generous with advice, connections and ideas,” she stated, “I am so happy that I chose to work with her.”

Magdalena Bogart, Magdalena Bogart Interiors – Los Altos, CA

“I now have a plan in place and I’m accountable to achieving it!”

“When I started working with Sydni, I was overwhelmed, I wasn’t sure how to market. I wasn’t sure about social media. I “flunked” being a techy. I was ready for a change. I think Sydni is absolutely terrific! She is sincere, transparent and without a doubt she knows what she is talking about. She has a loving spirit and it’s so easy to learn from her.

The major benefit of working with Sydni is that I now have a plan in place and I’m accountable to achieving it. Each day gets me another step closer and I’ve achieved a lot of my goals for this year. I’ve had one new client came in through my website so far – which is a big milestone! Up until then I hadn’t had anyone come through the website. I was thrilled. I’m also getting more active on social media and have started using Facebook and LinkedIn per Sydni’s instructions.

I tell other people that Sydni is the person that they need to go to – without hesitation. She supportive, knowledgeable and I’m so glad I chose to work with her!”

Nancy Meadows, Nancy Meadows Designs – Kirkland, CA

“I chose to work with Sydni Craig-Hart to support my marketing strategy because of her incredible depth of knowledge, her enthusiasm and her professionalism.”

“I chose to work with Sydni Craig-Hart to support my marketing strategy because of her incredible depth of knowledge, her enthusiasm and her professionalism. She is wonderful to work with. She always comes to our phone meetings with energy, a gently get-it-done whip as well as shows great care for what is happening personally to her clients. It’s a rare treat to have someone who cares not only about you as a business person, but as a human being as well.

One of the major benefits I have received from working with Sydni Craig-Hart is her ORGANIZATION. Her drive to make MY company better is inspirational. My clients are now getting consistent attention from me which is turning into more money. Her ideas on how to market and sell have also benefited me.

My experience in working with Sydni on my online marketing strategy has been AMAZING. I can honestly say I would not be as motivated, organized or have so much earning potential if it was not for Sydni. Her consistency, professionalism and energy make me great. I would be still struggling, wondering how to consistently market if it were not for her professionalism and expertise. I feel like I am leap years ahead in my marketing because of her amazing skill set.

Because of my work with her, in less than eight weeks, I landed 5 new clients, earned over $8,000 in revenue, nearly doubled my subscriber list and launched my first paid teleseminar series! Her strategies REALLY work and her support makes ALL the difference!”

Kim Hamer, Founder, 100 Acts Of Love – Marina Del Ray, CA

Smart Simple Marketing Case Study: Relationship Coach Gets Grounded and Launches New Product with Coaching

Relationship coach Sarah Anma was ready to start her new business, but had no idea where to start. She had gathered a lot of information and ideas but needed help making sense of it all so she could develop a workable plan.

“I had a lot of information and ideas, but I needed help putting it in order,” said Sarah. Her main challenge was developing a clear picture of her ideal client so she could create a plan to reach out and develop relationships with prospects and clients.

After becoming familiar with Sydni’s work through a mastermind group, Sarah joined the Profitable Marketing Results program in order to give her business focus.

“The Operations template is worth the price of admission alone,” said Sarah, “and that’s just a fraction of one of the lessons. The program gives you everything that you need to organize your business so you don’t have to re-invent the wheel. It’s just like her business name says – it’s smart and simple.”

“When I recommend people to Sydni, I say ‘run, don’t walk.’ If you need a clear and easy to follow marketing plan that will get you results, go with Sydni .”

“Sydni is really smart – she knows her stuff!” Sarah continued, “She breaks it down to manageable and simple steps that you can use in your business. Sydni has some amazing resources and has a huge breadth of knowledge to help you. No matter what you need or what bumps you’re experiencing, Sydni has been there. She’s willing to share her personal rolodex with you and she has access to some resources that can really make the difference.”

Sarah saw immediate benefits from working with Sydni that gave her the traction she needed to get her business off to the right start. “She helped me create and launch a product from things that I already had,” said Sarah, “It was great to make something new from resources I already had.”

“I would recommend Sydni’s services to anyone,” she shared, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with her.”

Sarah Anma, Art of Relationship – Ontario, Canada

“The speed of execution is probably the biggest benefit I’ve received from working with you on my marketing efforts.”

“Initially I was drawn to your technical knowledge and experience with things like 1ShoppingCart, squeeze/sales pages, etc. I needed someone to handle all those kinds of aspects of my business.

But I quickly realized that you really good at being strategic about online marketing. It’s clear that you stay abreast of all the latest technology and work to understand how they can benefit your clients’ businesses. You have a lot of great ideas and never hesitate to explain how we can do things better. That’s a great boon to me.

The speed of execution is probably the biggest benefit I’ve received from working with you on my marketing efforts. Having you take over a lot of technical aspects has sped things up so much. There are a lot of things I could do myself but it would take me 3 times as long. I also appreciate the fact that you have your own network of vendors that I can tap into, which again brings me speed so I can finish projects quicker than if I had to go myself to find designers, copywriters, etc.”

Carmen Sognonvi, Owner and General Manager, Urban Martial Arts – Brooklyn, NY

Smart Simple Marketing Case Study: Virtual Assistant Goes from New Business to Almost Booked Solid in 6 Months!

Joanne Lehmkuhl was an experienced executive assistant who worked in corporate America for over 16 years. In the Fall of 2009, she got the itch to start her own business and wanted to find something that would be successful without reinventing the wheel. After doing some research about Virtual Assistants and connecting with a few in her area, she found Sydni Craig-Hart’s services and realized it was just what she needed to help her launch her own virtual assistant business.

Since Joanne was brand new to the world of self-employment, she needed help from the ground up. There were a number of different challenges that Joanne faced simply because she was a new entrepreneur.

“I needed to exit my full-time job, and I needed to do it gracefully,” said Joanne, “Because I worked with Sydni early on in my entrepreneurial career, she helped me hold onto those important contacts as I left corporate America.”

Sydni’s coaching helped Joanne put together a soup to nuts list of tasks and steps that needed to be completed to give Joanne’s business a good start.

“My business is light years ahead of where it would be without Sydni.”

“Sydni taught me about so much,” said Joanne, “She was very clear about what the results would be and I was impressed by her website and her message. I thought we’d really click – and we did!”

“Sydni is some who can get you quick results,” Joanne continued, “She genuinely cares about your business, and that makes all of the difference.”

Joanne appreciated having someone on her side to help her stay motivated and accountable. “She reliable and says what she’s going to do,” said Joanne, “which helped keep me more motivated as well.”

After just six months in business, Joanne has added one new client a month under Sydni’s coaching. “It’s been amazing – just six months into business and my client list is already 2/3 of the way full and I’m earning thousands of dollars in income each month!” says Joanne, “If you’re willing to put in the work and take action on her advice, you can expect lightning-quick results from her coaching.”

Joanne Lehmkuhl, Virtual Ms. Money Penny – California

“What really impressed me was her ability to take that knowledge and apply it to my business creating customized strategies to get me in front of my ideal clients and close business.”

“It was very clear upon first meeting Sydni that she has vast knowledge of online, email and social media marketing as well as traditional forms of marketing like PR and press releases. But what really impressed me was her ability to take that knowledge and apply it to my business creating customized strategies to get me in front of my ideal clients and close business.

Sydni is incredibly professional and passionate about working with small business owners to reach their goals through marketing. Sydni is always on time for meetings, she follows through and she does what she promises. Shortly after hiring Sydni, I had a new baby. While I was spending time with my family, my marketing plan was moving right along and Sydni even managed the creation of an entirely new info product while I was resting at home. My experience with Sydni has reduced my stress level significantly and given me the support I needed to leverage all my efforts and relationships to create more business.

Before working with Sydni to create a strategic marketing plan for my business, I was overwhelmed and didn’t know how to best leverage my opportunities. I was bogged down with all the ideas for marketing on the internet and through social media. Now that I’ve taken advantage of her services and she’s created my marketing plan, I feel there is no stone unturned and that I am able to make the most out of my efforts to build my business. Sydni has enabled me to better utilize content and copy that was sitting on my computer to market my business. There is a sense of organization to my marketing efforts and I know she’ll keep me on track.

If you are thinking about working with Sydni to upgrade your marketing efforts and create more income in your business, you should go for it! Sydni has a true talent for seeing your vision and then creating a marketing plan and assisting you and your team in implementing it.”

Rachel Wall, Founder, Inspired Hygiene – Charlotte, NC

Smart Simple Marketing Case Study: Interior Designer Streamlines and Solidifies Her Business with Masterminding and Private Coaching

Arizona interior designer Amy Wolff was undergoing major changes in her business. As owner of a franchise supported interior design business, she was making the transition to stepping out under her own banner.

“I was looking for a new way to do things,” said Amy, “The old system wasn’t working for me and I needed a stronger foundation for my business.”

She joined a six month coaching program specifically designed for interior designers. In two individual sessions per month and 6 group coaching sessions, Amy learned about the core of Sydni’s coaching program – the Money Map. Amy also appreciated the templates and resources that Sydni had to share that would help her business.

“Sydni helped me focus on my ideal clients so that I knew exactly who I was reaching out to – especially with my website,” shared Amy, “I was able to eliminate a lot of the time wasters that were coming my way.”

“Sydni’s coaching program is excellent. I’m getting more of the clients that I want.”

The coaching gave Amy just what she needed to streamline her business and establish her new practices, independent of the franchise. The sessions with Sydni and the group gave Amy the direction that she needed for success.

“I appreciated that Sydni had resources but that she also allows you to be true to yourself. She gives you templates to follow, but is also very helpful in helping you find what works right for you specifically,” said Amy.

Success is coming in stages for Amy and she is overjoyed by the first big development – attracting the right clients.

“I’m transitioning to a referral business and I needed the right type of clients to get the right type of referrals,” she said, “Now my website is attracting those right types. I found exactly what I wanted, and I started to get it.”

She encourages anyone that needs marketing help and more direction to seek out Sydni’s coaching services.

“If people put in what they ought to, there’s no question that Sydni’s coaching will improve both their marketing and their profits,” Amy shared, “She gives you a solid plan to follow that gets you organized and eliminates time wasters.”

Amy Wolff, Amy Wolff Interiors – Scottsdale, AZ

Window Dressing Designer Gets More Confidence, Better Business Practices from Coaching

Neysa Thorell had a lot of interest and passion for her business. As a window treatment designer, she was able to take her sewing and design skills and translate them into “Couture Windows,” a custom design firm. Despite her extensive knowledge about her craft, she felt like she was spinning her wheels.

“When I first began coaching, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Neysa, “I thought that I would be learning fundamentals and how to apply systems. I had no idea working with Sydni would bring so much more.”

As Neysa started the six month VIP Mastermind Coaching program, she was surprised by the abundance of resources and strategies that Sydni had to share.

“Sydni really exceeded my expectations,” Neysa shared, “I knew I’d be learning a lot of things that I needed to in order to get my business off to the right foot, But I received so much more. I learned about making a mindset shift to see more success in my business. She’s a terrific cheerleader for your business and makes you excited to learn more.”

After completing the coaching program, Neysa had the structure and the mindset that she needed to grow her business.

“Sydni has helped me to find the confidence within myself to become assertive in marketing my business,” she said, “She helped me understand how to create a successful business vs. just having a hobby that hopes to be a business.”

Neysa appreciated Sydni’s ability to pinpoint exactly where she was and what she needed to hear every step of the way.

“I hadn’t been in a traditional business in 15 years because I was raising my children. During that time you can get out of the game of having a business mindset,” shared Neysa, “Sydni was brilliant about those things and helped me get back into the right frame of mind. She’s a good listener and razor sharp about targeting what I could handle next.”

“Sydni has helped me to find the confidence within myself to become more assertive in marketing my services. I now feel like I’m on the cusp of something great with my business.”

With a customized and streamlined approach to her marketing, Neysa felt empowered and ready to move forward with her business.

“Sydni was great at discerning what I could handle in applying the next business step. She helped me see the big picture, but also had the clarity to know what I needed at that particular moment. I couldn’t have grown mentally or as far in my business process without her,” she said.

“It’s scary to commit money and time to working on your business,” said Neysa to anyone considering coaching, “But you just have to go for it!”

Neysa Thorell, Couture Windows – Montgomery, TX

“Sydni is a rare breed in this whole marketing world!”

“I chose to work with Sydni because she came across as very professional, put together and new exactly what I wanted to implement. She also did an extensive job of interviewing me which really impressed me.

Sydni is a rare breed in this whole marketing world! She is good at “getting” where I want to be. She tells me things about me that I couldn’t put into words! Because of Sydni my list has doubled, I have a professionally produced information product, a paying membership-based community and a strategy for growing my practice into new markets. Sydni is your partner in building your service business. She walks you through the strategy and implementation of building your business. She gets into your shoes and really envisions what you business is about and how to best reach your customer.”

Annemarie Segaric, President, The Career Changer Company – New York, NY

“The best part about working with Sydni was the personal commitment I got from her.”

“Sydni Craig-Hart made this the most enjoyable marketing implementation company that I have had the pleasure to work with. She was very professional and personable and the shopping cart integration was executed fabulously.

The best part about working with Sydni was the personal commitment I got from her. She saved me time, money and the frustration of trying to do this on my own. The communication experience was unparalleled and I could not ask for more. I would highly recommend her and her services to all my customers and look forward to working with her again in the near future.”

Jay Beaupré, Senior Project Manager, Ciplex Web Design – Los Angeles, CA

“Sydni is capable, confident, well educated, skilled in the field I was hiring her for, respectful, practical and bold. The services she provides were exactly what I was looking for. One of the greatest benefits of working with Sydni is that I could talk through a concept and she immediately understood it and could go off and set it up or make it happen.”

“I chose to work with Sydni to support my marketing efforts after I had been studying online marketing for some time. I understood, with the right products and audience, there was great potential there. I also had limited time to dedicate to setting this up, so I needed someone who understood the ‘system’, the opportunities, the market and the software. Sydni knew these things and had experience of them and had an air of capability that generated confidence. I trusted that she was the right ally to make my business the success I wanted.

Sydni is capable, confident, well educated, skilled in the field I was hiring her for, respectful, practical and bold. The services she provides were exactly what I was looking for. One of the greatest benefits of working with Sydni is that I could talk through a concept and she immediately understood it and could go off and set it up or make it happen. She had initiative and often worked ahead of what I needed – so we might both be considering defining next year’s marketing plan … then Sydni would draft something and send it over. She spotted opportunities for my brand to grow and initiated a number of contacts and projects that could position my business for ‘more’.

In just over a year, Sydni and I have launched my website (www.SuccesfulSingleParenting.com), built a niche list of nearly 1,000 online subscribers (and over 1,000 FaceBook contacts in less than 4 months), marketed, created products, sent out bi-monthly ezines, committed to and delivered a huge viral marketing campaign, run teleseminars, had a radio advertising campaign, set up shopping carts, merchant accounts and reached the majority of the goals we set for ’08. Sydni is a great person to have on your team. She gets marketing, she knows the systems, and she has the contacts and the knowledge to support the set up of a successful structure for your company. She is capable, encouraging, respectful and creative. I highly recommend Sydni as a keystone in building a successful small business.”

Jennifer Broadley, Founder, Successful Single Parenting & Smart Coaching International – London, United Kingdom

“Sydni is the consummate professional.”

“Sydni is the consummate professional. She is very focused on your individual needs and is an amazing sounding board for new and innovative ways to grow your business. I highly recommend her!”

Annetta Wilson, President, Annetta Wilson Media Training & Success Coaching – Orlando, FL

“If you’re looking for a true solutions provider – Sydni Craig-Hart comes highly recommended by me.”

“I just want to share that I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Sydni Craig-Hart on a project for my biggest client. Sydni came to my rescue when several issues were going wrong in the execution of a project. I explained the issues to Sydni and she immediately had the solutions – from creation of a listserv to creation of web pages and integration of 1ShoppingCart for a teleseminar. My client has been getting nothing but praise for the quality of the web pages and the autoresponders that Sydni created. One person commented, “Your invitation page and links are very well done….the best I’ve ever seen – first class.

If you’re looking for a true solutions provider – Sydni Craig-Hart comes highly recommended by me.”

Ann Harrell, Founder, AMH Business Solutions – Bowie, MD

“Sydni is highly professional, personable and extremely detailed oriented.”

“Sydni is highly professional, personable and extremely detailed oriented. She is a genius at organization, implementation, streamlining and flow. Exactly what we needed!”

Eva Gregory, President, Leading Edge Coaching – Emeryville, CA

“Sydni helped us move our ideas and content into tangible products with positive results.”

“Sydni helped us move our ideas and content into tangible products with positive results for 2007. She does a great job with online synergies to launch products and knows how to get products up and out the door! We are looking forward to adding more products and increasing distribution of existing resources in 2008 and beyond.”

Mimi Doe, Co-Founder, Application Boot Camp – Concord, MA

“You deserve a pat on the back! Our launch of “The Art of Conscious Creation” was a huge success!”

“You deserve a pat on the back! Our launch of “The Art of Conscious Creation” was a huge success! I am happy to say that we have achieved a great goal today! The book rose from something like #103,000+ on Amazon.com to #92 in sales ranking, but we got our #1 bragging right in the New Age category (specifically Meditation) and we ranked #2 to The Secret in Personal Transformation.

Many thanks for all your efforts and it’s just the beginning. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all your efforts as we launch this journey and may the continuing path be effortless, joyful and fruitful!”

Jackie Lapin, Author, The Art Of Conscious Creation – Westlake Village, CA

“Working with Sydni Craig-Hart has not only been great for my business, but has also been a great pleasure.”

“Working with Sydni Craig-Hart has not only been great for my business, but has also been a great pleasure. As a sole proprietor, my business needs vary greatly from day to day and Sydni handles all of them efficiently and with a professional demeanor. She has also been proactive in implementing systems and tools that have resulted in significant cost and time savings. Sydni is dedicated, determined and personable. She’s driven to succeed and partners with her clients to achieve the best results possible. Her ‘can do’ attitude and willingness to get the job done have proven to be an invaluable resource and I highly recommend her.”

Tara Monnig, Principal, Monnig Marketing, Inc. – San Francisco, CA

“She is a very sharp and organized individual and I am very impressed with her background, skills and warm friendly energy.”

“I highly recommend Sydni Craig-Hart of Smart Simple Marketing. She is a very sharp and organized individual and I am very impressed with her background, skills and warm friendly energy. She would be a great asset to your team and is a really nice person on top of that!”

Michele Molitor, Chief Executive Officer, Nectar Consulting, Inc. – Hayward, CA

“Her work and follow through are always top-notch.”

“I find Sydni great to work with–always professional, diligent, forward-thinking, asking questions, and open-minded. Her work and follow through are always top-notch. She also has a great sense of humor which I find important in business relationships. I highly recommend Sydni and her company.”

Bert Mahoney, President, Hamilton Berchman Design Group – Ojai, CA

“The consulting on how to launch our eBook was very helpful and my impression is that you have done this many times before!”

“The consulting on how to launch our eBook was very helpful and my impression is that you have done this many times before! I especially valued the innovative ideas you shared – we wouldn’t have thought of them on our own. Your experience launching similar products was incredibly helpful and assured us that we could launch our eBook with success. I took copious notes! I really appreciated gaining the experience of someone who has done this before. It has given us the confidence that we are doing this right the first time rather than re-inventing the wheel! Thanks Sydni!”

Heather Anderson, Managing Director, Brilliance Inc. – Oakland, CA