5 Steps for Choosing Your Small Business Idea

By Jennie Lyon / December 19, 2014

The decision to go into business for yourself is an exciting, liberating one that often sparks an endless stream of creative, imaginative business ideas. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, the brainstorming process is a fun and important step in making your dream of independent business ownership a reality. In the end, though, you’ll have to settle on one—at least to start with! Because entrepreneurs tend to be high-energy, inventive people, it can be a challenge to settle on one idea and to make sure the one you’ve chosen is the right one. By following these five steps, you’ll be well…

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Which is Right for Your Business: Consultant or Contractor?

By Jennie Lyon / November 28, 2014

There comes a time when every small business owner realizes that she needs expert input and if you’ve reached that point in your business you have probably asked yourself whether it is time to hire a consultant. The terms “consultant” and “contractor” are sometimes combined these days with so many entrepreneurs offering independent services to businesses. If you realize you need outside help but the sometimes vague distinction between contractors and consultants has you scratching your head, this brief overview of the differences can help. [Tweet “If you need specialized expertise for a temporary project hire a consultant.”] ConsultantIf you…

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3 Ways for Busy Entrepreneurs to Build Relaxation into Their Work

By Jennie Lyon / November 20, 2014

Anyone who is dedicated to their job, especially an entrepreneur, tends to throw everything they’ve got into their work, sometimes logging 60+ hours per week and giving 110% of themselves. While this kind of dedication can result in a handsomely rewarding career, it can also throw off work/life balance and cause burnout. I know what you’re saying—“But, the work’s got to be done!”—and you’re right, it does. While this is true, we can accomplish a lot more when we’re rested, calm, and focused than we can when we are frazzled and constantly burning the candle at both ends. Fortunately, there…

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9 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Save You Time and Money This Week!

By Jennie Lyon / November 12, 2014

If you are like most small business owners, you want to focus the majority of your time on building your business. Yet, you may be finding that you are spending an exorbitant amount of time on tasks you shouldn’t. Even if you find that you are getting sucked into these tasks and they are taking away from you really building your business – it’s time to get a team in place. The first team member that I would suggest that you hire is a virtual assistant. Read on for a quick rundown of 9 ways our team can save you…

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11 Ways a Website Virtual Assistant Can Manage Your Website

By Jennie Lyon / July 25, 2014

As a busy small business owner or self-employed entrepreneur, managing your website and blog can seem like too much to deal with. You need a website virtual assistant! Why? Although you have all of these amazing ideas and the best of intentions for sharing them with your community, doing so keeps falling to the bottom of your to-do list each week.  Between finding the time to write your blog post, post it with an amazing photo, and schedule your week’s social media, it can all seem overwhelming. On top of that, there’s putting your blog posts into a newsletter to go out to your…

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Does Your Business Have a Procedure Manual in Place?

By Jennie Lyon / June 7, 2014

When I start working with a client, one of the first questions I ask is whether they have a procedure manual in place for their business. Nine out of ten times, the answer is either 1. No, or 2. What is a procedure manual? A procedure manual is one of the most important documents to have in place for the people who support your business. It allows your virtual assistant, in-house assistant, web designer or technical support team to quickly access whatever information they need to support your business from your procedure manual and get the work done instead of calling or…

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How to Hire the Right Virtual Assistant for Your Business

By Jennie Lyon / May 30, 2014

If you are looking for a virtual assistant to help you manage your business, you need to know how to hire a virtual assistant without wasting a lot of time or energy. You can find virtual assistants on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for starters. Anyone who considers themselves a virtual assistant should have a website so a Google search is another great way to get started. Also, asking other business owners for recommendations can be THE best way to find a great virtual assistant. Once you have compiled your list of virtual assistants to interview, I highly recommend only interviewing…

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What is a Virtual Assistant and Why Do I Need One?

By Jennie Lyon / April 18, 2014

What is a Virtual Assistant? A VA is an online assistant that works remotely. A VA provides business owners with an assortment of services to help keep their business running smoothly. You can hire a VA to work on a specific project or you can partner on an ongoing basis. Why Do I Need One? The most important reason for needing a VA is to ensure that everything on your to-do list is getting done each week. If your business is disorganized, and your to-do list just grows each day – it’s time to get a team in place to…

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