One of the biggest challenges facing small business owners is staying organized and finding a system that works for them to keep all those projects under control. Without some kind of organizational system in place, deadlines get forgotten, clients feel neglected, and it’s easy to waste time on less important tasks. The solution to all of these problems is to use a project management software—it helps you by dividing up tasks by client and project, setting deadlines, and providing reminders about work that needs to be finished. Modern project management systems are usually web-based, with mobile or desktop applications available.…
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For an entrepreneur working with a virtual team to run a small business, communication is the single most important factor determining whether things run smoothly. It is absolutely critical to be able to communicate with your team members in an instant as things come up during the course of a work day. When there is seamless communication between your team members, you can set a more productive pace and get more accomplished. Email and phone calls have their uses, but for instantaneous communication, there is a popular new tool, called Slack. Slack is a platform for team communication that can be…
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Being an entrepreneur and a parent is always a balancing act! I know this well. my business and my son both turned fifteen this summer. Yesterday was the first day of his sophomore year, so finding my work/life balance just got real! Since most businesses start booming again in the fall (mine included), the best way to handle this change of season and workload is to alter the way you work. If you want to be around for dinner, to help with homework, and be there to listen to your kids talk about their day at school, getting up early might…
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Many small business owners first try out the services of a virtual assistant when they want to take a longer summer vacation and need someone to handle client care and social media while they’re away. While this is a completely legitimate way to utilize a virtual assistant, there are so many other things they can help with after the summer is over! [Tweet “A virtual assistant can free up large blocks of time, so you can focus on expansion.”] With September comes more business, and more work on a day-to-day basis. For a “solopreneur”, that can mean long hours and…
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Things tend to slow down for a lot of small businesses during late summer, but the smart entrepreneur knows this brief respite from constant client care and project work is the perfect opportunity to really work on improving systems and making changes to the way their business functions. When there’s less daily grind to get through, you have the chance to take a look at how your business is performing, plan for the future, and set new long-term goals. Last week we talked about how to use the slow period to integrate a new virtual assistant into your team, and…
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The slower summer months are made for taking on new employees for your business, such as a virtual assistant. While many folks are on vacations, and most customers or clients are too busy enjoying the nice weather and the many activities that come with it, you can take the time needed to help a virtual assistant become acquainted with your brand and business goals. Instead of waiting around, looking at your empty inbox, and wondering whether there’s anything more productive you could be doing than taking your third coffee break of the day, why not use this time to train…
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Sometimes the dip in work during late summer can seem defeating, but it can also represent a golden opportunity to devote yourself to growing your small business. Attracting repeat customers and new clients can be done year round, and putting yourself out there now can help to improve numbers for the rest of the year. Utilize the slow season to boost your business, read on for tips to get things booming again come fall. Network LocallyIn this day and age of being able to run a business almost entirely online, and rarely needing to have face-time with clients or other companies…
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So you’ve started your own business and things seem to be going well so far. That means you just need to keep doing the same thing to achieve long term success, right? Unfortunately it’s not quite that simple. Becoming established and initially experiencing short-term success does not guarantee you’ll be able to sustain long-term success with your business. Getting a business off the ground and running it over a longer period require two different skill sets—both of which good entrepreneurs will develop. Running a small business is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll need to look beyond the present and…
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Most small business owners probably think of green initiatives and sustainability efforts as something that only affects big business, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With our climate being more and more affected by global change—leading to increases in droughts, hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters—the onus is on all of us to take whatever action we can to help the planet. Living green has been a big part of my life for a long time, and I’ve been blogging about sustainability as a family activity since 2009. My business practices have also been overhauled to be more…
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As an entrepreneur, your time is one of the major limiting resources when it comes to your business, and having a good system for organizing your schedule is a must. In my own business, I use a number of systems to keep my business organized, allowing me to be most productive possible each day. In the past I have discussed steps for managing your calendar, so I wanted to check in to see how that is working for you. Do you feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks you have at any given time during the work week? Does the…
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