I know some of you are not going to believe this, but for the first seven years I was in business, I got up every morning and put on business attire whether I had a meeting outside the office, or not. This may seem silly, but I believe it allowed me to walk the walk. If I [...]

I met Louise Crooks the Keys to Clarity Coach on Twitter and it turned into a wonderful and fun interview (podcast) about how coaches can find the right Virtual Assistant. Enjoy! http://bit.ly/b2Fa2v      

Both my husband and daughter struggle with this one. They are both very stubborn and when their mind is set they refuse to let go. Having your own business does allow you to be the one and only decision-maker, however, you do have to interact with clients, prospects and peers, all of whom have different opinions, personalities, [...]

This to me is HUGE. So many of the VAs I work with who don’t stay in business, or whose business stagnates, are those with low self-esteem, or negative attitudes. Remember earlier when we discussed surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people? You have to be positive and supportive, too. When I started, I didn’t have extremely low [...]

This is a biggie! The definition of entrepreneur is: “One who organizes and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise.” – and the buck stops there. You are totally responsible for every facet of your business. It’s all on your shoulders. Any mistakes that are made – your mistakes. Any successes or achievement, yours. But having a true entrepreneur’s mindset is [...]

Many small businesses start by offering to be the ‘lowest priced’ service provider. What could possibly be wrong with this thinking? Won’t you get all the clients you ever want or need? Won’t they be loyal to you as long as you keep your prices low? This methodology can be extremely damaging to the long-term health and wealth [...]

We’ve already discussed the risks of starting your own business, but another thing that many times may hold you back from true success are your beliefs. If you believe that you can only make a meager living in this business, then you most likely will. When I first started my business it was meant to be [...]

The most successful entrepreneurs know that their success is in no small way a result of being able to solve the problems of their clientele. I remember a sales manager a long ago telling me that every discontented client created two opportunities for me. It created an opportunity for me to solve a problem that could benefit [...]

Having your own business is the ultimate in power. You totally control your lifestyle when you’re an entrepreneur. It’s your call. You found the power within yourself to get this far – you know you have superior skills; you know you have value; you know you can eventually spend more time with family and friends once you establish [...]

I think I may have heard or said them all, those nagging excuses we come up with to avoid what’s really going on. The economy’s too bad, my dad liked my sister better, I didn’t go to college, or I’m just not able to sell myself. Whatever encompasses your list of excuses, get over it! There’s no [...]