It often seems that it’s the destiny of the independent professional to exist in a constant state of feast or famine. Either you are working day and night to keep up with client demands, or you’re wondering how much is left in your savings account and whether the phone will ever ring again. Read more

It’s the end of the year and you’re likely reflecting on what this year brought, as well as what next year holds in store. If you’ve got some curiosity about what the next big thing in business and life is for you, these questions can help get you moving. Read more

As a business owner, there are a lot of things vying for your attention. Some days it’s easy to see what to do next; other days you’re lucky if you can even figure out where to start. Call clients back, do proactive marketing, have lunch or coffee with referral partners, follow up on leads from that networking event -– these are just some of the things on your to-do list. Read more

Several years ago, when Starbucks used to run quotes on their cups, I received this message on my cup one day:

The Way I See It #76: The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating – in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.
~ Anne Morriss (Starbucks customer from NYC)

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Have you had a talk with your business lately? It’s easy to think of your business as something you thought up and that you control. Turns out, that’s not the whole story. Read more

Recently I taught a class at the Small Business Administration, where we discussed many characteristics of successful business owners. When discussing communication, and differing communication styles, it became apparent that most of us assumed that others communicated the way we did — or at the very least, could hear and understand what we were communicating. Turns out that’s an assumption that isn’t always correct. Read more

What’s all the fuss about work? You scheme about it, dream about it, suffer through it, suffer for it, lie about it, cry about it, hope for it, act like it’s gonna save you, hide in it, hide from it, blame it for things you don’t want to take responsibility for, wrap your identity up in it, use it for status. Why is it such a big deal? I mean, really, seriously, who cares? A full-time employee spends 2000+ hours a year working; if you’re gonna spend that amount of time and energy on your business, don’t you think you oughta darn well like it? Read more

Q. When is it time to get help in my business?

A. Look sooner rather than later. The best time to look at getting help is before you need it. By the time you decide you need a hand, you may already be so overloaded that you don’t have the time to find it. Every time you make a choice that expands your business, consider what will happen if your expansion is successful. Read more

Do you sometimes have trouble knowing when it’s quitting time? Do you fall into the “I’ll just do one more thing” trap? Or do you tend to think that if you spend a little more time or give it one more pass, the final outcome will be better? Read more

I’m often asked by service business owners how to go about setting appropriate hourly rates. Entrepreneurs are often advised to compare their rates to the competition, but this isn’t the whole answer. As one business owner told me, “My competitors are charging anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour!” So what other factors should you be considering? Read more