A friend of mine recently asked me, “When your business partner is your spouse, what steps should you take to keep the business and personal relationships separate?” This is a very tough question. Many new businesses are started by couples, which can cause conflicts within the marriage. From my own personal experience, I know that [...]

Does this sound familiar, “I don’t have the money to hire an administrative assistant (or insert other service provider here such as PR expert, advertising agency, etc.)” It is the trap of the small business owner. You are so busy doing the work in your business that you are not working on your business. The [...]

In every newsletter I read, the message of outsourcing is prominent. In the past I have hired independent contractors to help me with projects or administrative tasks. I have had both good luck and bad luck with this endeavor. One of my independent contractors worked with me for almost two years. Another never showed up [...]

“No” is a new word in my vocabulary. While it can be very rewarding to say “Yes” to a charity or speaking engagement, for example, it is not always the best answer. Giving too much of your time (and money) or trying to fit it all in, especially in this economy, can create unnecessary stress [...]

Are you an entrepreneur or do you prefer to be an employee? Not everyone has the traits to be an entrepreneur and some folks don’t make good employees. In college a few of my friends had the idea that someday they would own their own business. I didn’t think I was the entrepreneur type. It [...]

In the current economic conditions, the small business owner is watching his/her dollar very closely. It’s possible that small business owners are doing their own marketing, bookkeeping, website maintenance, etc. to save a few bucks. But what does that do to their productivity? While they may be very busy, their time is being spent on [...]

Are you passionate about your trade? For many of us, we grow into our areas of expertise. Often it will start with an interest in a topic. For example, my good friend Marnie is an amazing photographer, Crescendo Photography. I met Marnie at a Chamber of Commerce event. She had a great personality and I [...]

Today it seems more people are following their passions. Many people in my network are pursing their business ventures based on what they love to do, and they are creating success. But there also many people who are reinventing themselves in this new economy. For the first time in six years I have a handful [...]