Your Small Business Checklist for 2016

By Jennie Lyon / February 23, 2016

There are so many little details that go into running a small business that it can be hard to keep track of as a new business owner. Knowing what you have in place already and what still needs to be done to keep your business properly organized and running smoothly is key for sustainable success. With that in mind, today we have a checklist of things you should have dealt with either when setting up your business initially, or on a yearly basis. Have you completed all of these? If so, congratulations — that’s a huge accomplishment that you should…

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Business Quiz: Is it Time to Hire a Virtual Assistant?

By Jennie Lyon / February 16, 2016

As an increasingly busy entrepreneur, how many hats do you wear? There are just so many aspects to the modern business world, it can often feel like you’re working 4, 9, 12, or even 15 or more different jobs. You’ve probably considered that eventually you’ll reach the point that you’ll need to get some help, or if you haven’t thought it about it yet, it’s a decision worth some consideration. It may be time to hire a virtual assistant. [Tweet “As an increasingly busy entrepreneur, how many hats do you wear? “] Here are some questions to ask yourself to…

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How a Virtual Assistant Can End Your Endless To-Do List

By Jennie Lyon / January 21, 2016
How a Virtual Assistant Can End Your Endless To Do List

We all know the feeling: your inbox is overflowing, you have a half dozen separate to-do lists, online, on paper, and on your smartphone or tablet. That doesn’t include the mental one you’re constantly updating. The endless seeming slog begins to creep in and make a job you were once passionate about into something you dread. It’s time you made some changes, don’t you think? For small business owners and entrepreneurs, dealing with the endless stream of tasks required to keep your operation not just afloat but productive, thriving, and successful can be especially difficult. There are only so many…

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What does Partnering with a Virtual Assistant Really Mean? Why the Trend Towards Virtual Is Here to Stay

By Jennie Lyon / January 12, 2016
What does partnering with a virtual assistant really mean?

What’s your reaction when you hear the world “virtual assistant”? Do you think smart, strategic, cost effective, expertise, efficiency? Of, if you haven’t fully internalized the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant yet, is your gut reaction more along the lines of relinquishing control and even spending (unnecessary) money? If your associations are trusting, I get it. The idea of partnering a virtual assistant definitely requires an archetypal leap, particularly for entrepreneurs and small business owners who are used to doing everything themselves. The concept requires a shift in perspective in order to really understand why and how partnering with…

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Take a Break After the Holidays to Launch Your Business to the Next Level

By Jennie Lyon / January 5, 2016

For many, the holiday season is a time to relax, be with family, and take a break from the ins and outs of the workplace. However, for small business owners and entrepreneurs, the holidays can be the busiest time of year. It’s an excellent time to reach out to clients, wish them good cheer, and keep them in the loop as to how your business is doing, and what you’re planning for the upcoming year. With all those potential customers and clients opening their wallets for Christmas, the stress of keeping them coming back can be a bit much. This…

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The Difference Between Managing & Micro-Managing your Business

By Jennie Lyon / December 18, 2015
The Difference Between managing and Mirco Managing Your Business

Are you investing your energy in the right parts of your business? As a business owner and entrepreneur, of course it’s very important to be engaged in your business. However, there is a crucial distinction between managing the big picture to make sure that your business is growing and moving forward, and getting tied up in the nitty gritty day-to-day details. Micromanaging does not necessarily mean that you’re micromanaging a person; it could be that you’re micromanaging the business itself. Really, the way to be successful is to step away from the minutia to shift your perspective and priorities. Nobody…

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5 Steps to Prepare for a Successful Virtual Assistant Partnership

By Jennie Lyon / November 6, 2015

When the time comes to grow your business, partnering with a virtual assistant can be one of the most beneficial, life changing steps that you can take on the path to your entrepreneurial success. A well-matched virtual assistant should be like a business partner who is invested in the success of your business. Investing in the proper systems and making time for the on-boarding process can be the key to accomplishing your business goals. When you prepare and invest in the partnership with your virtual assistant, it can be like joining forces, increasing your productivity by more than 50%. When…

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Top 4 Tools for Engaging in Meaningful Conversation on Social Media

By Jennie Lyon / October 30, 2015
Top 4 tools for engaging in meaninful conversation

The days of simply reading and liking social media posts are over. The most active and engaged social media users spend time asking questions, starting conversations about topics that are important to them, and sharing content that is meaningful to them. If your business wants to engage in meaningful conversation on social media, you need these top 4 tools. 1. Be Professional But Not StiffThink of social networking as virtual cocktail parties: charm, wit, and jokes are encouraged while maintaining professional boundaries and keeping the conversation relevant to all involved. There is an element to this type of conversation that…

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Time Management for Entrepreneurs: 4 Do’s and Don’t’s

By Jennie Lyon / October 20, 2015
Time Management Entrepreneurs 4 do's and don'ts

All entrepreneurs are busy—pretty much all the time. That part is not likely to change. The essence of effective time management is maximize results with the time you put in—in other words, working smarter and not harder. These tips on time management for entrepreneurs will help you do just that. DoRemember the 80/20 principle, which says that, on average, 20% of a business’ clients make up 80% of their sales. While mundane tasks like keeping up the books and ordering office supplies need to get done, the 80/20 rule says it’s smarter and more cost effective to outsource these tasks…

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The Small Business Launch Checklist

By Jennie Lyon / October 13, 2015

If you’ve ever started your own business, you know that there are—or at least seem to be—an endless amount of steps to take to get your business up and running. If we listed them all, this blog post would quickly turn into a book! In this post, I am taking for granted that you already know what services or products you want to offer and how to finance your venture, and are ready to get the ball rolling. The following is my small business launch checklist. 1. “Paperwork”All small business owners need to go through the “paperwork” process of starting their…

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