Who doesn’t love spring cleaning? It’s a chance to get rid of all the clutter, and the same could be said for your business. For a small business, organization is key. There are a ton of little tasks that can take up way too much of your time, quickly filling up your schedule and pulling you away from the work that only you can do. Well, it’s spring cleaning time, so hire a virtual assistant to help create systems that will set your business up for success! Administration & Client ManagementOne place where you can find a lot of unnecessary…
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When was the last time that you went to the mall? Didn’t it seem just a little emptier than it used to be? That’s because it is. eCommerce is quickly eating up much of the market share of big and small brick and mortar companies alike. If your business sells either products or services, you should be making a huge push online. By doing so, you will be able to reach so many customers that you otherwise would never have met. The Importance of a Digital Shopping CartIf you want to be able to make sales online, it needs to…
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Do you have the edge? If you look back at the history of successful businesses, it is often just a single, tiny edge that made the difference between the winners and the losers. In many cases, that edge can simply be that you have more time to focus on the things that are important, leaving the small things in the hands of others. If you are an established business with a multitude of employees, this is easy. You can just delegate. If you are a small business with limited, if any, staff, then you might find yourself having to do…
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Do you have a comprehensive business plan? If you don’t have one in your drawer, you should get to work! I’m a big believer in planning ahead. A business plan can give you direction, something to aim towards throughout the year. If you already have a well-thought-out business plan, then the new year is a perfect time to update it with your new goals for the new year! If you are thinking about starting out on a new endeavor, then figuring out a plan for your proposed business is a must. Here is my personal updated 8-step process, along with…
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The holidays are when everything can seem like it is spinning out of control for small businesses. Everyone wants to spend time with their family, but you still need to keep your customers happy while getting everything at the office finished by the end of the year. On top of all that, you should already be thinking ahead about the upcoming new year. By making some plans right now, you can get ahead of the game for your business and know exactly where you want to head starting January 1st. Here are a few ideas of things you can do…
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Boy, I remember my first few years of business… When I think back, I kind of cringe at some of the mistakes that I made in my first few years as a small business owner. Now, sixteen years later, I simply can’t believe that I ever made those silly errors. But the reason that I am still in business is because I learned from them. Every single mistake I ever made, I learned from. That’s how you make a small business thrive. December is the perfect time to take a good look back at your year, figure out what worked…
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Having to work when you are suffering through an illness is a nightmare. Every step, every thought, every burst of energy requires so much effort that it can feel like you are trying to run through a swimming pool. Everyone has had to do it at one point or another, no one enjoys it. But when you don’t have a cold, flu, or easily identifiable illness, we don’t really think about the our health or the energy we expend. We simply go about our day, exerting the necessary energy to complete tasks. As small business owners, we often put our…
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Entrepreneurs and small business owners have one of the most time and energy-consuming jobs a person can have. They throw themselves into their business, giving it their all and focusing entirely on its growth. This means that they can start to let their health slide when things start to get hectic around the office. Ask a doctor what the #1 thing is that you could do to improve your health, “Exercise.” The problem is that many small business owners and entrepreneurs just don’t feel like they have the time. The thing about an exercise routine is that it doesn’t just…
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Does this situation sound familiar? You’re a small business entrepreneur, doing it all yourself. You have a big project due by the end of the day that only you can work on. Unfortunately, you also have to post your company’s social media, finish up writing a blog post, sort through your emails, and build a sales page. And that isn’t even counting the hundreds of distractions that can occur throughout the average business day. How on earth are you going to get your big project finished with all of those little, non-specialized tasks in your way? The answer is that you…
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