Below are some words of wisdom from my friend Larry Barkan. It was in his email newsletter and I thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy. I visited a friend the other day. He is a brilliant marketing strategist who consults with and teaches marketing to companies all over the world. In just the last month, [...]

The prolonged economic downturn has forced many entrepreneurs to reevaluate their businesses. Cutting expenses wherever possible, seeking new revenue sources, or creating unusual partnerships. But what happens to the business and to the entrepreneur’s family members when the unthinkable happens? What if the entrepreneur is an a devastating accident and cannot work or worse, he [...]

Today I had lunch with a gentleman that I had met about six years ago in a professional networking group. He was shy and timid when I first met him, but very competent in his field. Today, that same man is no longer shy and timid. He is very sure of where he belongs and [...]

My husband is one of those people who achieves every goal he sets. He rarely encounters an obstacle that gets in the way of his goals. For years I was envious of his easy success. But I have come to accept that it is his mindset. And I’m changing mine. Recently I submitted an application [...]

The beauty of entrepreneurship is that it is available to anyone. Many new business owners start their business without any legal entity structure, such as a Limited Liability Company, S-Corporation or Corporation. While an entity structure is not necessary to operate your business, it does protect you and your family. Some of the benefits of [...]

Two different cases of mixing friends/family have come up in conversation the past two weeks so I decided it was time to address this issue via a blog post. Contrary to what you may believe, business and friends/family do not mix well. When you start discussing the idea with friends/family they might get just as [...]

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 [...]