There’s a kissing epidemic spreading. And it’s officially hit Seattle.

However, before you start conjuring up salacious images of smooching Seattleites, allow me to clarify.

On Monday, February 7th at the ultra-chic (ultra pink) pnk Restaurant & Ultra Lounge at Pacific Place Center, CRAVE hosted a business chat that covered the topic of KISS (“Keep it Simple, Stupid!”) as it applies to running a successful company or service. In business (as in life), many of us burn the candle at both ends. We tell ourselves that one great business idea simply doesn’t cut it in today’s competitive market and that, in order to stand out, we need to commit ourselves to coming up with five, ten, or twenty great ideas. Which begs the question: who do we think we are…Oprah? Don’t get me wrong. I love Oprah. But unless your career objective is to become the next diva of daytime television while saving the world and giving away cars for kicks, chances are you’re just as overworked and overwhelmed as 99% of the other people out there trying to make a name for themselves in business. Which is where KISS comes in.

“Keep it Simple, Stupid!” is the professional motto of three Seattle kissing experts: Jen Mueller (of Talk Sporty to Me), Lisa Francoise (of Sweet Beauty), and Carrie Middlemiss (of Bella Cupcake Couture). These women, along with moderator Nicole Donnelly of Salty Waffle, made up CRAVE’s KISS panel in a conversation that had everyone—from aspiring entrepreneurs to seasoned corporate professionals—positively buzzing in their boots (I use the term “boots,” intentionally, as there was some seriously enviable footwear in the room.)

Sporting some of this footwear—and a voice fit for stadiums—was Jen Mueller. Mueller, a radio reporter for the Seattle Seahawks, created Talk Sporty to Me with a simple goal mind: to teach people how to be confident speakers. As a self-professed “expert talker,” Mueller employs her gift of gab to help everyone from awkward daters to people who want to carry their own in sports conversations. It’s a singular focus that requires stellar commitment. Mueller starts her day when most of us are still in the REM stage of sleep, often doesn’t get home until 10pm, and keeps things “old school,” with a paper calendar to schedule her week. Clearly, she’s more than just a pretty talk jock. “If I can get something done in a week, I’ll do it myself,” she told the CRAVE crowd. “If I can’t do something in a week, I’ll get someone to help.” This notion—that sometimes our best investment is recruiting others to help us—is often overlooked by entrepreneurs who would rather do everything themselves in the name of perfection. “[Your business] is never going to be perfect,” Mueller stated. She contends that—along with keeping things simple—“making connections,” and “getting traction,” are the most important ingredients for business success.

Seconding this notion that perfection is overrated was Lisa Francoise of Sweet Beauty. Francoise reminded the audience that, “good enough is still good” when it comes to kickstarting a business idea. Not that Francoise knows anything about “good.” The woman makes edible spa products for a living so “heavenly” is really the term that comes to mind. Francoise follows the KISS model by keeping a singular focus (in this case, organic chocolate spa treatments.) Francoise joked that while she doesn’t always have fun whipping up “gallons and gallons of body frosting,” she knows that others will be having fun later (did I mention the woman’s sense of humor is as potent as her products?) Francoise, a certified esthetician with a knack for storytelling, had three pieces of advice for the group: 1: “stick to a business plan,” 2: “stick with your budget,” and 3: “don’t get distracted by shiny objects”—a lesson she learned the hard way when she agreed to make spa products for hotels and other companies (at the expense of her own.) Francoise now trusts her own instincts when deciding what projects are and aren’t worth taking on. While the path to sweet, chocolatey success wasn’t always easy, she contends that her hard work pays off when someone, somewhere, can take four minutes out of their otherwise hectic day to pamper themselves. And let’s be honest: couldn’t we all use those four minutes?

Capping off the KISS talk was Carrie Middlemiss whose business idea was born when her friend complained of “greasy” cupcake wrappers. 20,000 pretty cupcake wrappers later, Middlemiss had the solution to her friend’s problem. Middlemiss now runs Bella Cupcake Couture which she playfully describes as a company that makes “pretty dresses” for cupcakes. Middlemiss, who worked for WAMU for 18 years, is proof that one great business idea is all you need to find satisfaction and fulfillment: “I stay focused on helping people make great parties,” she told the group. Her two pieces of advice? Protect your brand with trademarks and find balance between work and play. She learned this lesson when her husband asked her to stop bringing her laptop to bed (she hasn’t done it since.) To ensure that her time isn’t monopolized with wrapper design, customer orders, and blogging, Middlemiss actually schedules “no work” time blocks during her week. Like Mueller and Francoise, Middlemiss is passionate about her business, but understands that taking a break is necessary for both success and sanity.

Among all three women, there was consensus that social media outreach—whether through Facebook, Twitter, blogging, or a combination of the three—is an important aspect of creating (and maintaining) a successful business. Whether you’re selling conversation, chocolate spa products, cupcake wrappers, or something altogether different, the ultimate goal remains the same: to make a connection with your customer. By keeping their business plans simple—and accepting that one great idea holds even more potential than ten great ideas—all three of these women have had the time to nurture the connections that keep their customers coming back for more.

There’s a kissing epidemic spreading. And it’s officially hit Seattle.

However, before you start conjuring up salacious images of smooching Seattleites, allow me to clarify.

On Monday, February 7th at the ultra-chic (ultra pink) PNK Lounge at Pacific Place Center, CRAVE hosted a business chat that covered the topic of KISS (“Keep it Simple, Stupid!”) as it applies to running a successful company or service. In business (as in life), many of us burn the candle at both ends. We tell ourselves that one great business idea simply doesn’t cut it in today’s competitive market and that, in order to stand out, we need to commit ourselves to coming up with five, ten, or twenty great ideas. Which begs the question: who do we think we are…Oprah? Don’t get me wrong. I love Oprah. But unless your career objective is to become the next diva of daytime television while saving the world and giving away cars for kicks, chances are you’re just as overworked and overwhelmed as 99% of the other people out there trying to make a name for themselves in business. Which is where KISS comes in.

“Keep it Simple, Stupid!” is the professional motto of three Seattle kissing experts: Jen Mueller (of Talk Sporty to Me), Lisa Francoise (of Sweet Beauty), and Carrie Middlemiss (of Bella Cupcake Coutoure). These women, along with moderator Nicole Donnelly of Salty Waffle, made up CRAVE’s KISS panel in a conversation that had everyone—from aspiring entrepreneurs to seasoned corporate professionals—positively buzzing in their boots (I use the term “boots,” intentionally, as there was some seriously enviable footwear in the room.)

Sporting some of this footwear—and a voice fit for stadiums—was Jen Mueller. Mueller, a radio reporter for the Seattle Seahawks, created Talk Sporty to Me with a simple goal mind: to teach people how to be confident speakers. As a self-professed “expert talker,” Mueller employs her gift of gab to help everyone from awkward daters to people who want to carry their own in sports conversations. It’s a singular focus that requires stellar commitment. Mueller starts her day when most of us are still in the REM stage of sleep, often doesn’t get home until 10pm, and keeps things “old school,” with a paper calendar to schedule her week. Clearly, she’s more than just a pretty talk jock. “If I can get something done in a week, I’ll do it myself,” she told the CRAVE crowd. “If I can’t do something in a week, I’ll get someone to help.” This notion—that sometimes our best investment is recruiting others to help us—is often overlooked by entrepreneurs who would rather do everything themselves in the name of perfection. “[Your business] is never going to be perfect,” Mueller stated. She contends that—along with keeping things simple—“making connections,” and “getting traction,” are the most important ingredients for business success.

Seconding this notion that perfection is overrated was Lisa Francoise of Sweet Beauty. Francoise reminded the audience that, “good enough is still good” when it comes to kickstarting a business idea. Not that Francoise knows anything about “good.” The woman makes edible spa products for a living so “heavenly” is really the term that comes to mind. Francoise follows the KISS model by keeping a singular focus (in this case, organic chocolate spa treatments.) Francoise joked that while she doesn’t always have fun whipping up “gallons and gallons of body frosting,” she knows that others will be having fun later (did I mention the woman’s sense of humor is as potent as her products?) Francoise, a certified esthetician with a knack for storytelling, had three pieces of advice for the group: 1: “stick to a business plan,” 2: “stick with your budget,” and 3: “don’t get distracted by shiny objects”—a lesson she learned the hard way when she agreed to make spa products for hotels and other companies (at the expense of her own.) Francoise now trusts her own instincts when deciding what projects are and aren’t worth taking on. While the path to sweet, chocolatey success wasn’t always easy, she contends that her hard work pays off when someone, somewhere, can take four minutes out of their otherwise hectic day to pamper themselves. And let’s be honest: couldn’t we all use those four minutes?

Capping off the KISS talk was Carrie Middlemiss whose business idea was born when her friend complained of “greasy” cupcake wrappers. 20,000 pretty cupcake wrappers later, Middlemiss had the solution to her friend’s problem. Middlemiss now runs Bella Cupcake Couture which she playfully describes as a company that makes “pretty dresses” for cupcakes. Middlemiss, who worked for WAMU for 18 years, is proof that one great business idea is all you need to find satisfaction and fulfillment: “I stay focused on helping people make great parties,” she told the group. Her two pieces of advice? Protect your brand with trademarks and find balance between work and play. She learned this lesson when her husband asked her to stop bringing her laptop to bed (she hasn’t done it since.) To ensure that her time isn’t monopolized with wrapper design, customer orders, and blogging, Middlemiss actually schedules “no work” time blocks during her week. Like Mueller and Francoise, Middlemiss is passionate about her business, but understands that taking a break is necessary for both success and sanity.

Among all three women, there was consensus that social media outreach—whether through Facebook, Twitter, blogging, or a combination of the three—is an important aspect of creating (and maintaining) a successful business. Whether you’re selling conversation, chocolate spa products, cupcake wrappers, or something altogether different, the ultimate goal remains the same: to make a connection with your customer. By keeping their business plans simple—and accepting that one great idea holds even more potential than ten great ideas—all three of these women have had the time to nurture the connections that keep their customers coming back for more.

This post was written by CRAVE contributor Tara Spicer