Starting a Small Business - Insurance Tips

 

Your Company and those like it is the anchor of this country. Almost all people assume large companies create most of the revenue the United States produces, although they just don't understand in total Small Businesses hire a lot more people and produce even more income compared to those large companies.

 

When you start your own business there are lots of elements you'll want to consider within your business strategy plan. An Insurance policy mitigates your risk, small business insurance is just about the most important factors within your strategic business plan. 

When looking in to Business insurance packages, there are many kinds of insurance you'll want to check into and now we can look at the various insurance policies. While we will look at insurance coverage's that are based upon many types of businesses, you might want to speak with an experienced insurance agent with regards to your businesses requirements.

Commercial General Liability 

This is the first protection you will want to take into consideration because it is on the list of needed insurance policies it is possible to acquire. The following insurance policy coverage that defends your company for both bodily injury and property damage claims. This means that this protects your company for accidents that your fault, and insures your company for scenarios when an individual or property is broken and / or wounded. 

Every business enterprise will need to have this particular coverage because this will handle many types of claim instances. This particular policy defends your business for libel and slander as well as slip and fall incidents. This type of coverage does insure you for several claim circumstances, it doesn't cover them all. The types of insurance not covered under your standard liability policy are; Liquor Liability, Assault & Battery, 

Commercial Property, Workers Compensation, Professional Liability or Business Auto. The coverage limits for this type of insurance policy goes up to one certain limit and for a limit on top of it, you will need an Excess Insurance Policy. An Umbrella Policy may also go over your Auto Liability as well as your Workers Comp coverage increasing those limits of liability. When deciding just how much Liability Insurance you must consider what amount you have to lose.

Small Business Property Insurance

Now you have a policy coverage which can protect you for both the building you own as well as the property inside of it. Generally, the following coverage plan covers the Building and/or contents for many kinds of incidents such as fire. This coverage doesn't insure property that leaves the premises, for that you'd need an Inland Marine insurance. An Inland Marine policy can cover small equipment to large construction tools or all kinds of other kinds of Property that would be removed from the businesses premises.

Small Business Auto Insurance

This coverage is auto insurance for your business autos. Typically a small business requires increased coverage limits of auto insurance compared to your own personal auto policy. Your small business auto policy would have increased limits of liability coverage, but the insurance coverage's are relative. Your typically looking at liability insurance coverage along with the following; Medical Payments, Uninsured Motorists coverage, Comprehensive, Collision, Towing & Rental Coverage. If you ever rent an auto or your have a staff member drive their own personal automotive on an errand, you need to have Hired & Non Owned Auto Liability. Whenever your LLC or Corporation owns the vehicle, then you should make sure the autos are insured on a Commercial Auto Insurance policy.

Workers Compensation

This particular insurance coverage, also known as Employers Liability, would be the coverage which protects the employees and can pay for claims in which any employee was hurt on the job. Yet again, yet another critical coverage considering that Medical Treatment is incredibly costly. Without having insurance you're self insuring and you will be liable for just about any healthcare expenses or law suit. This coverage does not cover discrimination or sexual harassment claims for that you'd will need an Employment Practices Liability Insurance.

Insurance is an important part of any Organization. It protects your business for various kinds of claims. It's important for you to understand just what you are getting, in which area's this insurance will cover you, and just what is not insured within an insurance policy. Make sure to always understand your policy. Insurance are generally complicated knowing that is the reason you really need to buy from an insurance broker that's versed in Small Business Insurance. 

Having been providing business owners like you insurance for more than 35 years, we have the experience to help you with all of your [http://www.smallbusiness-insurance.us]Small Business Insurance needs. Contact us for an insurance quote. We write insurance in several states and we can easily help you get the insurance coverage you may need.

http://Ezinearticles.com/expert/John-M-Dziak

Facebook Business Page Setup... The Quickest Way to Fuel Your Business Growth!

According to Facebook there are over 2.5 billion monthly users. Facebook is the largest social media network in the WORLD! In fact, 85% of consumers trust reviews that are posted online as much as personal recommendations according to Bright Local. And that it takes seven read reviews before a customer trusts a business.

Additionally, a 2017 study, it was found that 57% of consumers say that social media influences their shopping decisions. Out of that 57%, 44% said that Facebook of all social media platforms was most influential.

Keep reading as we walk you though a step- by- step easy to follow Facebook setup guide. You can have your Facebook business page up and running in 15 minutes- 30 minutes top!

Step#1. 

Log-in to Facebook.com/business this will take you to "Create a Page" viewed at the top. You'll be greeted with several business type options including local business or place, brand or product, and cause or community. Select the type of Facebook business description idea you're making the business page for. (which is your category) Click on get started

Step #2.

 After choosing your category, you should see the page below. Just fill in your information based on the choices you made. Input your business page name and category. As you start typing suggestions will populate. Choose the closest related business description. Type in your business profile information.

Step #3:
Add your Business Logo or a personal photo for your Facebook cover page. If you are branding yourself, as I am, then a personal photo of your choice will suffice. However, once you click "upload photo" it will ask if you want to set up your business page for appointment booking. It will look like the page below. If you click on "not now" it continues to upload your image. (The example photo is the next photo)

Step#4.

 Click on "upload photo" there you should see the image you uploaded. Next, Facebook will direct you to optimize your page.

In the little box, Facebook is requesting that you send a request to your friends to like your page. You can also click on the view all button and it will populate all the likes from your personal Facebook page.

Inviting your personal likes to your business page will give you a jumpstart on promoting your page. Moreover, it's the gateway to the Facebook vanity URL vault. This hidden advantage becomes accessible when you reach 25 business page likes.

Step#5.

 Click on Settings, then General, next Publish this Page... Finish! That's all to it. You built your Facebook page for your small business, a major step toward building your brand hence growing your business!

Now the real work begins!!!

Your Facebook page is up,it's time to share your page with friends and family. Likened this to opening up a brick and mortar. Plan your grand opening so that your target market know that you're open for business.

Furthermore keep in mind there are a few other tactics you'll have to learn. Optimization, promotion, and content creation is among the first. If you think about your page as an extension of your business you'll do just fine.

Lastly, like with any new strategy, there is always a learning curve. Keeping that in mind be sure to read the other Facebook marketing post at our website.

Deborah Pretty (A.K.A) P.Y. is a 40 years business owner.

She created https:// PYTalkbiz.com to help other small business
owners avoided the many costly mistakes and oversights
she made while growing her businesses.

You can check out her helpful resources by clicking on the link.
Helpful Resources.



Article Source:http://Ezinearticles.com/expert/Deborah_pretty

Useful Habits Required for Traders to Be Successful in Forex Trading

Forex is like a cutthroat jungle for new traders.Sometimes the difficulties in trading Forex make the skilled traders to pull their hair. Well there are many reasons for this kind of situations but after suffering from losses, such traders blame the system or broker. They enter trading without grasping the main idea. As a result, they suffer both financially and mentally. We highlights five habits that can help the new traders to survive and earn profit in Forex trading.

Planning:

Always think rationally and make a plan before making a decision in Forex trading. Buying or selling without a game plan obviously leads towards losses. All the expert traders develop a game plan or strategy to deal with the changing trends of the financial market. Trade with proper preparation and planning is mostly profitable. It is evident that when we enter into Forex Trade without any planning, we make mistakes that cost us easily avoidable failure and losses.

Stop Losses:

No one can handle or control the market trends, but we can control and manage our trade. Using the stop losses is an important requisite in this regard. We can adjust, lose or tighten our stop losses. It is a risk free measure against losses.

Maintaining the journal:

Maintaining and keeping a journal of our trades is also helpful for understanding Forex Trade. Same journal can also be used to evaluate and analyze our performance as well.It motivates us which eventually improves our performance.

Fixing Trading Time:

Fixing the trade time is also helpful for surviving in Forex trade. When we have specified the time for trade, we can be more focused as compared to 23 hour trading.

Specializing:

Specializing helps the new traders to determine the suitable strategies for them. It helps us to observe and note down specific conditions that suit us e.g. with which pairs of currency, we want to trade or what time frame works for us.

Intuition and Practice:

Understanding the market trends and then using them for a profitable investment is not a child's play. It takes time as well. No one can become an expert analyst of the market overnight. Traders who are considered as Ace in Forex Trading must have devoted plentiful time in understanding the trends of market. Obviously hard work pays off. Intuition also plays a vital role in this regard as well. Traders with strong intuition nail it in Forex Trading. Knowledge, Practice and Intuition are major factors that lead the traders towards success. Sometimes Luck also affects the profitability of the investment. In the end, Traders make their decisions on the basis of their understanding of the market trends.

Vantage point X - First Automated trading system empowered by Artificial Intelligence
   https://www.vantagepointx.com

Article Source:http://Ezinearticles.com/expert/Ahsan_Khan

Investment and Its Importance

Investment is important from many points of view. Before doing investment, it is essential to understand what is investment and its importance?

"Investment is an act of investing money to earn the profit. It is the first step towards the future security of your money."

Need of Investment

The investment can help you in the future if invested wisely and properly. As per human nature, we plan for a few days or think to plan for investment, but do not put the plan into action. Every individual must plan for investment and keep aside some amount of money for the future. No doubt, the future is uncertain and it is required to invest smartly with some certain plan of actions that can avoid financial crisis at point of time. It can help you to bring a bright and secure future. It not only gives you secure future, but also controls your spending pattern.

Important Factors of Investments

Planning for Financial investment - Planning plays a pivotal role in all fields. For the financial investment, one must have a pertinent plan by taking all rise and fall situations of the market. You should have a good knowledge of investment before planning for financial investment. Keen observation and focused approach are the basic needs for successful financial investment.

Invest according to your Needs and Capability- The purpose behind the investment should be clear by which you can fulfil your needs from the investment. In investment, financial ability is also a component that can bring you satisfaction and whatever results you want. You can start investment from a small amount as per your capability. You should care about your income and stability to choose the best plan for you.

Explore the market for available investment options - The investment market is full of opportunities, you can explore the market by applying proper approach. You can take help from financial planners, managers who have thorough knowledge about investment in the market. Explore the possibility of investment markets and touch the sublime height of success by the sensible investment decisions.

By taking help from an experienced, proficient financial planner and traders can also give you confidence to do well in the field of investment. Now the question strikes the mind that what are the types of investments?

Types of Investments

Mutual Funds- Basically the mutual fund is a managed investment fund in which money is pulled from the investors to buy the securities.

Commodity Market- In India, it is a popular place of traders to invest their money. The commodity market comprises of MCX (Multi Commodity Exchange) and NCDEX (National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange) both. In Multi Commodity Exchange market, you can invest in crude oil, precious metals as gold, silver and base metals as copper, aluminium, nickel, zinc and many more. While in National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange market, you can invest in all agricultural commodities as guar, soya bean, cotton, sugar cane and many more.

Stock Market- It is the place where various people trade globally and earn the maximum return on investment. However, it is essential to know the bull and bear of the stock market for investing in it. The Stock market for investment also includes the equity market and nifty market. You can invest in equities and nifty market and get good amount profit by focused approach and keen analysis of market trend.

Bonds - It is the best ways to gain interest on your principal amount. The interest and period of time depends on the agreement. In this, a holder lends a particular amount to the issuer (borrower) for a fixed period of time. At this time, you will get the interest from the borrower and after completing that fixed period of time borrower will return back your money. A long term tool for financial investment.

Fixed Deposits - The Fixed Deposit (FD) service is provided by various banks that offers investors a higher rate of interest on their deposits as compared to a regular savings account. Fixed deposits have the maturity date to gain the return on investment.

Real Estate- One can also invest in the real estate and deal with the residential and commercial property. This is also a trending way to earn a good return on investment.

There are various financial planners, financial managers, trading tips provider who can give you numerous options for investment in the market. But it is essential to choose the options wisely.

During the investment it is quite essential to understand the need and trend of the market by which you can make your investment seminal for you. For a common person it is impossible to predict the market exactly. In commodity and stock market you can take the benefit of mcx tips, stock tips, [http://www.bourseindia.com/equity.php]equity tips, nifty future tips provided by experts.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Doyal_Rawal

How to Hire a Part-Time Controller

An experienced controller can provide considerable benefits for a business, but they often come with a high salary range. If your company needs the financial guidance and support from a controller, but you also need to save money, a part-time controller is your answer. Hiring an outsourced controller or CFO for the first time can be difficult to navigate if you are unsure what to look for in a controller. Keep reading to learn the top tips for hiring a part-time controller.

Understand the role of a controller

It is important to understand exactly what a controller can offer your company. When employed in a full-time role, a controller often leads the accounting or finance departments of a business. Both accounts payable and accounts receivable fall under their jurisdiction. If your company has a CFO, the controller reports directly to them.

When searching for a controller, freelance or full-time, there are certain credentials he or she should hold. Narrow your search to controllers with a degree in fields such as accounting, business administration, or finance. They should also hold a certification as a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Master Accountant. If your company needs an experienced financial advisor, look for professionals with ten or more years of experience. The level of responsibility the controller will have in your organization can help determine how much experience is needed for the role.

How does a controller contribute to the business?

A controller takes on many responsibilities in an organization within the finance and accounting departments. From financial planning and reporting to administrative tasks and financial managements, the responsibilities of a controller will depend on your business needs. Common roles and functions include the following.


Management responsibilities: If you have not had a controller or CFO in the past, a part-time controller can help establish the policies and procedures of your accounting team. A controller can select accounting software, establish financial benchmarks for the organization, and manage control systems. These management duties can set your team up for success, even when the outsourced controller is not on the clock.

Financial reporting: A controller can manage financial statements and reports, including annual updates, reconciliation, budgets, and more. They can provide detailed reports to a board, executives, and investors. Based on reporting, the controller can provide valuable insights into the health and future of your organization.

Company transactions: Accounts payable and accounts receivable report to the controller, and payroll falls under their duties as well. If you have not had a controller in the past, your part-time controller can establish and maintain the general ledger for your company as well as a filing system.

Compliance needs: If your company is publicly held, you must complete filings with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). A controller can file these reports and ensure compliance on behalf of your organization or CFO. During the auditing process, the controller manages documentation.

Tips for hiring a freelance controller

If you are looking to save money without sacrificing expertise, hire a freelance or part-time controller. You only pay for services when they are needed instead of committing to a full-time salary. Freelance controllers also tend to have considerable experience across industries and company types, from startups to large organizations.

Set clear expectations

The specific role and responsibilities for a part-time controller will depend on the needs of your organization. Small businesses and startups cannot often afford the full-time services of a CFO, so a controller takes on that role. If a CFO is currently on staff, a controller can help manage the direction of the accounting department.

Before you search for a controller, determine the needs of your business. If your team consists of experienced accounting staff members, you need a controller who can fit in seamlessly with the existing team. If your team is relatively small or inexperienced, a controller may need to step into a leadership position.

Decide on a budget

Outsourced controllers can work on a project or hourly basis. When you are looking for a part-time controller, consider your budget and scope of work. These factors can help you narrow down your search considerably and provide potential candidates with relevant information. If you are hiring a controller for a specific project, an experienced controller can help estimate the hours needed to complete the work.

Look for relevant experience

Limit your search to controllers who have worked with companies within your industry. Industry experience means that they are familiar with the policies and procedures necessary to run your business. They can also offer guidance for your finances based on the current state of the industry.

Your controller should also have experience with companies similar to the size and structure of your own. This experience will help them fit seamlessly into your organization and better understand your needs. Financial best practices, benchmarks, and reporting will also be specific to the size of your company, and prior experience ensures the controller is up to speed when they join your team.



Align software experience

If your company already has a preferred accounting software in place, you need to hire a controller that is skilled with that software. Hiring based on this criterion can save both time and money when it comes to training someone on your software and getting them up to speed. Freelance controllers can also provide valuable guidance on best practices for software and how to maximize your efforts with the resources you already have.

Consider company dynamic

Your freelance controller may not spend every day with your team, but it is important that they work well with your staff. Someone who fits in with your team can save time by avoiding unnecessary friction or miscommunication. When interviewing controllers, it may be beneficial to introduce them to your team or ask your team's opinion on various candidates.
Rely on a contracting service

Professional controller agencies can provide top-notch controller services that meet the needs of your business. With multiple experienced controllers on staff, agencies likely have consultants that already know your industry and work with similar companies. An agency, like    [https://www.k38consulting.com/]K-38 Consulting, can match your business needs with the right freelance controller.

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of K-38 Consulting, a consulting firm that provides part-time and interim controller services, CFO services, SOX audit services, SOX compliance services and general accounting services. To learn more about K-38 Consulting, you may visit their website at    https://k38consulting.com or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA 910 262-4412.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dallas_Alford

How a Part-Time Can Resolve 8 Common Business Cash Flow Problems

Most professionals understand that to be profitable, money coming in must be more than money going out. Cash flow is crucial to the success of a business, but it is often a sore subject for business owners. A whopping 82% of small businesses fail because of cash flow issues, making it the number one reason small businesses fold. But cash flow is far from simple because it can cover a wide range of problems. Keep reading to learn about the eight most common business cash flow problems and how CFO services could help you solve them effectively.

Why is cash flow important?

Positive cash flow enables you to grow your business, investing in new ventures or hiring new employees. Negative cash flow means that more money is going out than coming in, which ultimately leads to failure. Cash is the lifeblood of your business, ensuring that payments are made for inventory, salary, rent, and additional operational costs. If your cash flow is suffering, CFO services can help identify the problem, which is the first step towards finding a viable resolution.

1. The cause of the problem is unknown.

Identifying that you have a cash flow problem is usually not difficult. When spending exceeds available cash, it is obvious that the lack of cash becomes a problem. If you want to tackle the issue, though, you will have to identify the cause. For many businesses, a lack of cash can arise without an immediately clear source.

Planning and organization are crucial to understanding your cash flow. Start by categorizing your spending and noting the percentages for each category. If the current distribution of cash does not make sense for your business goals or operations, you may be overspending in one or more categories. Focus your efforts on reducing spending or making adjustments in the higher categories first.

A financial professional, such as a part-time CFO, can provide valuable insight for your cash distribution. They can offer expert advice on the current state of your cash flow distribution and suggest improvements. Also, by hiring a part-time CFO, you can benefit from financial expertise without committing to a full-time executive salary.

2. The books are not organized.

Entrepreneurs and business owners are busy, so bookkeeping often takes a backseat on the priority list. Unfortunately, disorganized books can cause a headache in the future. Inconsistent invoicing, a lack of payment records, and disorganized billing can result in money lost and serious cash problems.

Organizing your books takes time, but it can help you identify unpaid invoices or other inconsistencies that lose you money. Putting an accounting system in place can help ensure your books are always up to date. This system can also generate reports that provide insight for both you or your accounting team on the financial state of your business. If your team does not have the necessary talent to maintain sufficient accounting records,, a part-time CFO may be a worthwhile addition to your team.

3. Cash flow benchmarks are not in place.

Are your budgets based on data? Allocating money without a clear goal or reason is dangerous and often leads to cash flow issues. It is easy to start a cycle of overspending, which makes it more difficult to cut back later. Researching your industry and the spending of similar companies can help provide a benchmark for your cash position. Make sure to identify companies in a similar lifecycle stage for the most accurate benchmarks.

This is another area where a financial expert can be valuable. Part-time CFOs have a wide range of experience with many companies. They can offer guidance based on their experience, especially when it comes to benchmarking your cash position.

4. Expenses are too high.

A lot of companies deal with this issue from time to time. Expenses can easily climb over time, often going unnoticed until a cash problem arises. To combat this problem, it is important to scrutinize your expenses on a regular basis. Understand the expenses your company pays on a consistently and determine which items can be cut or renegotiated. After you complete your benchmarking, you may notice that you are overspending compared to your competitors or industry. This information can be used as leverage to renegotiate contract terms for large expenses.

5. Bad debts are piling up.

If a small business does not have a credit control system in place, bad debts can pile up quickly. When customers owe money that cannot be recovered, cash flow issues are bound to occur. Once you have organized your books and put an accounting system in place, adding a credit control system is a simple next step. From email reminders and letters to working with a debt recovery firm, there are many ways to reduce bad debts.

6. Credit terms are out of sync.

The periods for paying your suppliers should align with the terms for your customers. By syncing your credit terms, you can better control your cash flow. When credit terms are out of sync, unexpected expenses have the potential to ruin your business or seriously cripple your cash flow.

Renegotiate terms with your suppliers and customers if necessary to bring your credit terms in sync. This may be a large and time-consuming project, but it is ultimately worth it to even out your cash flow.

7. Cash flow is tied up in inventory.

If your cash flow problems are not related to overspending, your inventory or sales cycle may be to blame. Housing inventory for long periods of time ties up your assets, reducing your available cash and storage space. You should have the necessary amount of inventory on hand to fill orders while holding items for the shortest time period you can manage. It may even be necessary to analyze your sales and determine which products or services have reduced margins.

Your sales cycle can also help predict your cash flow. Understand your sales cycle fully to accurately forecast your inventory needs and cash influx over time. It is also important to identify seasons of flux for your sales cycle, so you can prepare in advance. A part-time CFO can assist with this task by compiling various models and forecasts based on your company and industry.

8. Growth is happening too quickly. 

While growing your business is typically a positive thing, uncontrolled growth can lead to cash flow problems. Hiring extra staff or increasing your supplies in anticipation of more business may leave you with wages or bills you cannot pay. Uncontrolled growth results in higher expenses before you receive payment from customers, and these cash flow problems can cause your business to fail.

If you are interested in growing your business, a financial advisor can offer valuable insights. With a wide range of experience, part-time CFOs can guide you through the process of growing your business at a steady rate that is sustainable over time.

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of K-38 Consulting, a consulting firm that provides part-time and interim controller services, CFO services, SOX audit services, SOX compliance services and general accounting services. To learn more about K-38 Consulting, you may visit their website at    https://k38consulting.com or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA 910 262-4412.

The Importance Of Having Time For Yourself When Running A Business

One of the notable benefits of owning a business is being able to take time off whenever you need it. But a lot of business owners spend and devote countless hours to making their business succeed. Time and devotion to the business are obviously important in order for it to be successful, but one only has so many hours in the day to work from. There are a lot of good reasons to take time off for yourself even when you want your business to be a success and this article will discuss a few of them.

#1: Nothing Is More Important Than Your Health And Well-Being

Your health is important on many levels such as your physical health, mental health, and social health. When you spend so much time on your business and none for yourself, each of these three areas becomes affected. Your physical health suffers because you haven't given yourself any rest. Your mental health suffers because of all the stress you put on yourself by working so many hours. Your social life may suffer because you haven't spent any time with friends or family. Your health suffers in so many ways which will hurt you in the long run. Thus, you must make sure that you make time for yourself so that your health and well-being will prosper in the years to come.

#2: Giving Yourself Time Off Gives You The Opportunity To Recharge

As previously mentioned, working a lot of hours without rest causes your mental health to suffer. As your mental health suffers, you cannot think straight and thus, you can't always operate the business at the full efficiency that you need. It is always better to take time off so you can step back and see things from a big picture perspective.

Perhaps you've been working a long time on developing a marketing strategy in order to improve sales but you haven't been able to put all the necessary pieces together. Taking time off would give you a chance to recover and perhaps gain some inspiration as to your strategy. You might decide to evaluate your strategy from a different point of view or you may decide to simplify things once you return from your time off. The important thing to remember is that giving yourself time off is a great way to think straight so that you can come up with the best business ideas and strategies. http://www.projusticeweb.com

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/Sohaib_Azam

Are You a Thought Leader

It's time for you to step up and step in.

Around the globe we are witnessing businesses, cities and countries come to a complete standstill. Rewind the clock to end December, we would have never guessed that the world is in the state that it is today. This because of an invisible predator called COVID-19.

Every government, every business, and every family are navigating uncharted waters. Each day senior government leaders ask, how will we run the country today? Families ask, what do we need to do to protect and educate and feed ourselves and our families. Businesses ask, how will we manage to stay afloat when we have no business.


It's a time in crisis when people look to their leaders for guidance and direction; to lead by example; to inspire and give hope.

But what happens when there is no top-down message of reassurance and guidance, no words of encouragement or no plan of action?

As a CEO, small business owner, parent, manager, educator, employee, you ARE a leader. The question is, are you going to wait for others to tell you what to do? Perhaps you're taking a wait and see attitude? I applaud people who seek other opinions; however, opinions are just another form of information.

It's easy to adopt a herd mentality. I say forget about following the crowd. For those of you in leadership positions or running a small business, it's time for you to become a thought leader-It's time for you to step up and step in!

A thought leader is someone who offers guidance and insights to those around them.

If you're looking for someone else to tell you how to run your business, you're in big trouble. No one knows your business strategy, your clients, your staff, your industry, your business better than you.

You have a front row seat to witness all that goes on in your organization and industry, so tap into that knowledge.

When it comes to thought leadership, people often wonder if they have something worth saying that would add value to those around them. Perhaps you've had thoughts and ideas but were just afraid to voice them out of fear of what other people will think. My response to that is for you to get out of your own way and begin sharing.

Here are a few things for your consideration to put you on the path of being a thought leader to those around you.

Read or watch the news about what is happening without emotion.

Listen or read about what is happening internationally, your state and not just your local community. Often you can gain insights about what is likely to happen within your own country based on the actions of others. Ask yourself, what is the implication of this information to my business, to my family, to my community? What are the pluses and minuses of this information?


Think about your clients.

As a business owner, you need to focus on your clients. Ask yourself, how can I be of service to my clients? What do they need right now? What's happening in their industry and how can you pivot to adapt to their immediate needs.

It might be something as simple as providing a listening ear.


Demonstrate empathy.

Now is not the time for the hardcore direct selling. Unless you sell a product that consumers or your clients need, then dial down the in-your-face-selling. I'm shocked by the number of travel companies that still push the luxury resorts and holiday destinations to my inbox.

I'm not saying that you should discontinue your marketing efforts-heavens don't do that. Just rethink what you're putting out to the world with empathy and through the lens of your clients.


Being a thought leader might be new to you, yet I know you can do it. You possess thoughts and ideas that may be of great value to others. You'll never know until you give a voice to those thoughts either verbally or in writing.

Now take a deep breath. Take another one. Now step up and step into your leadership role.


Pamela Wigglesworth, CSP in an international entrepreneurship coach, speaker and CEO of Experiential Hands-on Learning. Residing in Asia for over 20 years, she is The 50-60 Something ™ Start-up Entrepreneur and supports encore entrepreneurs in their business development and growth.

To learn more about Pamela, visit the Experiential website at http://www.experiential.sg or email her at  [mailto:courses@experiential.sg]courses@experiential.sg

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/p-Lorraire Wigglesworth

How to Overcome the Fear of Starting a Business

Self-doubt, uncertainty and fear are all emotions that can impact a person's ability to start-up a  new business . Many entrepreneurs feel the pressure of investors, partners and employees relying on them. In order to overcome the mental roadblocks that can slow progress, there needs to be a wholehearted commitment in every area of building a successful business.

Here are a few things to consider in the process of starting a business:

Set attainable goals
A first step to starting a successful business is to create an overall company mission, which is then broken down into a series of achievable tasks. These small tasks can be used much like stepping-stones in the process of reaching the final target. Plus, this will make the process of starting a business seem less intimidating and also gives a clear outline of the work that needs to be completed as the business grows.

Also, in the early stages of starting the business it isn't necessary to be a perfectionist. Start to set-up a professional looking website and test the service or product. Any fine tuning can be completed before the service is finally launched to the public.

Build up a solid foundation

Building a solid foundation and passionate community is essential from the very early stages of putting a business together. It is essential to have the right support in place to give time to reach the intended goals. While a lot of passion and determination is great, there is also a need to have a certain level of financial stability. The basic foundation to have in place is likely to include the keen customers, partners and investors. Each of these groups will help to achieve the desired financial success. Talk to as many people as possible when starting out to create a useful support system that will help build a lot of confidence and guidance.

Invest the right amount of time

In the early stages of starting a business it can be difficult to set the most ideal work-life balance. In the beginning, there will be a need to invest a lot of energy and time into the business to see the successful results. However, in time the business will start to have less of an impact on relationships and personal life. Plus, with a proper support system in place, this will further help to make a business owner's day-to-day life easier. It helps to have an understanding with other people in your life that won't leave you feeling guilty about the amount of time spent working.

While many people will think up ideas for a business product or solution, only a very few will actually take the leap and attempt to pursue their dream and build a business based on that idea. Questioning and vulnerability are typical with all types of decisions, but with the proper focus and commitment there is every possibility of getting a successful business up and running.

Learn more about coaching, overcoming your fears and being the person you want to be by visiting http://www.awakei.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverley_Vaughn

How to Make Your Small Business Grow Fast

Growth is a continuous process and business growth is no different. You need to put certain things in their right places in order for your small business to experience a meaningful level of growth and possibly catch up with bigger businesses. If you get things right your business can really grow very fast even beyond your expectation.

                                       What do you require?
 For your small business to grow at a fast rate you must carefully implement the following rules:

 1. Have a predictable timetable: If your small business is located in a particular spot and you expect customers to patronize you regularly then you need to run it in such a way that your customers are able to predict when you should be in the business premises and when your shop is closed. Have a regular time of opening your shop and a regular time to close for the day. If a customer is beginning to build a relationship with you and he comes from a distant place to buy only to get there and your shop is under lock and key he may never come back next time. He would rather go to a place where he would not waste his precious time and transport. When your customers know your timetable they understand when to come for business and when not to come.

 2. Do a special packaging: You should package your goods in such a way that it is distinct from others around you and this will attract customers who are always looking for something unique. You could use specially designed labels, or you could use polythene/nylon that carry your business name, address, etc to package what they buy from you. This gives you an edge over people who use general packaging materials. It makes yours look special and valuable to them and they handle it with pride.

 3. Give gifts to your customers: Know how to say 'thank you' to your customers by giving them special gifts when they come to buy from you. The gifts may not be expensive but they speak volume when you tell a customer you appreciate his/her patronage. The gift items could be pen, jotters, openers, key holders, calendars, etc - but make sure your business name and address are printed on them. It is another way of making them remember your business each time they use those items. It also helps to spread the good news about your business to others who would see them use those items and encourage them to patronize you too.

 4. Deliver on time: You may do a hand delivery of goods ordered by customers to their doorsteps if you have the time. When customers place an order by phone and you promise to deliver their goods make sure you actually deliver as promised (on time). This builds the confidence of your customers. When you run out of stock tell them precisely when to expect the new stock and make sure they are there by the expected date.

 5. Value your customers: Each time your customers come to you for business you must learn to treat them as people with value - give them seats, make them comfortable; if possible slot in an interesting programme for them to watch while you attend quickly to them (first come first served). You can also give them soft drinks while they wait. Never keep them standing and never ignore them while you attend to one customer. Find out what they need and make them sit down comfortably as they wait for their turn. That will make them feel respected and valued - they will come again.

 6. Advertise your business: Use every available source that would cost you less to advertise your business - use word of mouth to get people to know about your business; use niche newspapers advert that would not cost you much, use social media sites online, use articles marketing and write your own e-books with your business links and give them out freely online. Make sure any gift you give out offline has your business name printed on it. That would help attract more people to your business.

 7. Be honest: Try as much as possible to be honest to your customers. Don't try to deceive them to buy a particular product. There are times you may have a low quality product in stock; let them know of it and leave them to decide either to buy or not. When they decide by themselves they won't blame you for it because the decision to buy was entirely theirs. But if you deceive them and they find out you will never see them again.

 8. Reinvest your profits: The little profits that come into your business should be reinvested, by so doing you gradually expand your capital base. Don't use your profits to buy luxury goods, and don't also eat all your profits. If you eat your profits in no distant time you will start to eat your capital and within a short time your business would be gone.

Joseph Ezie Efoghor is a professional nurse with years of practical experience. He writes on variety of topics which you may find beneficial to you. For more on his write-ups visit http://smallbiztricks.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joseph_Ezie_Efoghor

What Should You Do When You Are Relocating Your Small Business?

If you are relocating your small business, then this task might seem extremely daunting to you. However, here are a few tips that will help you in making this transition in a smooth and effective manner.



Steps to take care of when relocating your business
• Evaluation of the business - Make sure that you conduct a deep analysis of your business office. This will help to decide what needs to be carried to the new office and what needs to be left behind. Also, this will enable you to plan where to place what in the new office. Thus, you must conduct a thorough search of your office.

• Make a list - Making a list when you are on the move is absolutely essential. This is because the process of moving is a huge responsibility and there might be a few important tasks to do that might slip your mind. Thus, if you make a to-do list, it will help you to remember the tasks that you might have forgotten otherwise.

• Hire professionals - It is highly recommended that you contact a good business moving company and hire them to do the task. Hiring professionals for moving is a great idea as it makes the process of moving a lot easier. And since they are professionals, they are better equipped to do the task.

• Be more efficient - Though it is the company that will be handing the task of moving your business, you can help speed up the process by being more efficient. For example, you can put your things into plastic boxes and label them accordingly. This will help you keep a track of what is where and also, help you decide what should be moved first.

• Clean before you move - Before the process of packing and moving starts, you must take a few days off and get rid of all the waste and useless things that you do not require anymore. This is important to do because if you do not get rid of all the waste, at the time of moving, you may have to carry all these useless items which would not be of any use at all.

• Inform the vendors - You must inform all your vendors and dealers about your new location so that any bills, letters or other documents get posted to your new office address and not the old one.

• Let your customers know - Let your customers know about your new location. Drop them an email or tell the ones that visit your office. It is necessary to do so, as you do not want your customers to go to your old address and return angrily.

Following these few tips will ensure that your moving experience is free of any hassle and tension.

Do you need a Los Angeles moving company?  Hire us!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rajesh_B_Sanghvi

How to Pick a Good Store Location

If you are selling products, rather than services, at some point, you must decide whether you will be selling your products out of a store location. If you decide you need a store, there are several factors to consider when deciding where to establish your storefront.

You want to find a town that has reasonable rents (and other costs that you will incur with renting), that has low taxes, the right zoning and other regulations, and enough available labor to staff your store. Is there public transportation that runs through that town or is that not an issue for your customers?

The location within that town is also important. Is the location consistent with the image of your business, is the neighborhood safe, is there sufficient parking nearby, will your customers have to feed parking meters or can they shop as long as they like, is there enough foot traffic in the part of town in which you are interested, are there other stores nearby who will attract similar customers? Is the commute easy for you on a daily basis?

Once you have found a part of town that suits your business, can you afford the rent? Frequently, business owners must make a trade-off between the amount of rent they can afford and locating their store on the most heavily trafficked streets. Do your types of customers need special amenities that are available in that part of town and will they be available in your store? Will your store be able to be seen from the street?

Before you sign a lease, talk to other store owners in the area. How is business for them? Is there any construction in the area planned in the near future? Are there any competitors very nearby? Are there any other stores that would complement yours and feed you some traffic? Talk to other store owners who would have the same landlord as the one you are thinking of renting space from. How is the landlord to work with? Does it (or the management company) respond promptly to problems? Will your store need special wiring or fixtures installed and will the landlord provide them?

Give yourself plenty of time to choose the right location. It may take months to find and you do not want to have to settle for whatever is out there because you are in a rush. When you finally choose your store location, consult with an attorney who will, at the least, point out the problem areas with the landlord's lease. If you can afford it, have your lawyer negotiate with the landlord to get the best deal possible.

Call me at 201-251-8001 or email me at  RGronsky@Gronskylaw.com for a FREE Report on 5 Expensive Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Make That Can Kill Their Business. And sign up to receive my newsletter at http://www.Gronskylaw.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Robin_Gronsky

6 Best Practical Tips For Business Start Ups

Cash flow is mega important and is the single most problem for small and developing businesses. Lack of cash flow is the number one reason for small businesses failures. Always make sure there is enough money in the bank to enable you to carry out the day-to-day basics needed to run your business. If cash flow is restricted then try raising funds from sources such as banks, family and friends, crowd sourcing or even local companies who often invest in small business for the benefits of publicity. If you know that you have a cash flow or liquidity issue you need to address it now as leaving it to chance or opportunity will lead to business failure. Far too many business owners run their business as an extension of their own personal finances. This is a really bad idea, learn to keep the two separate.

1-  ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS
First of all, acknowledge that you don't have the skills to do everything that you need to do to run a successful business. None of us actually knows everything about everything even if we'd like to think we do. With this thought in hand it's a good idea to decide were your skills are lacking and undertake a small amount of training just so you understand the basics, then hire someone who can. You don't need to hire employees which will increase your overheads significantly; you can in fact hire really good freelancers from online sources such as Fiverr and Upwork.

2-  ARE YOU YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY?
Most of us like to be in charge of our own futures and definitely our own business. Handing over control, even just a little can leave us feeling empty and scared. It doesn't have to be like that. You can maintain control whilst allowing those who can to perform the duties that they need to perform. Freelancers are very capable people and know their subjects well, hiring freelancers rather than employees may help you to maintain the control over your business that you desire whilst getting the job done quicker and cheaper.

3-  LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
Why do we tend to think that we know what our customers want, we don't because we very rarely listen. All too often we continue to look at it from a sales point of view rather than a consumer point of view. Once you put yourself into the footsteps of the buyer and pay attention to what the customer actually wants and needs you'll probably find out that what you are delivering needs to be readdressed.

It's all about the customer, what the customer wants and what the customer gets. In a nutshell all the customer actually wants is a product or service that fits their needs, is value for money and is administered through amazing customer service. It actually amazes me how little most small business owners value their customers. Not only is their feedback critical to you delivering what your customers need but also for their referrals and repeat business.

4-  LISTEN TO YOUR GUT FEELINGS, THEY'RE NEVER WRONG
Our own instincts or gut feelings are seldom wrong; the issue is that most of us ignore them rather than use them as a valuable decision-making tool. We all too often are left saying; 'if only' when we make a bad business decision. My advice to you is to listen to your gut feelings, do some research and then act on the facts.

5-  RUN YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS
If you don't know your revenues, expenses, capital requirements, profits (gross and net), debt, cash flow, and tax rate you're off to a bad start. First principle of business is getting the money right. Once the money aspect is operating as it should do you will be free to work on other aspects of your company.

If you don't learn to work effectively with other businesses.i.e. through effective agreements and contracts, you will come unstuck sooner rather than later. People always have good intentions but life sometimes gets in the way and people tend to not keep their side of the bargain. Protect yourself and your business with effective contracts and agreements. Always protect yourself when trading with both companies and customers alike.

6-  If you have intellectual property make sure that you protect it. If you don't have the funds to copyright or trademark you IP then you can protect your own IP on a shoestring. You just need your designs, two envelopes, a lawyer/solicitor and a stamp. Secure your signed and dated designs in an envelope marked,' for court action only' Date and sign the envelope. Place it into a further envelope and send it by post to your solicitor with a message on the seal stating, 'Only open for court action'. Create a duplicate, mark it with copy and send it to yourself. Don't forget to inform your solicitor that the letter will be arriving and needs to remain secure in their safe until needed or they may open it and you'll have to start the process again.

I hope that these six tips for starting and growing your business have been helpful. 

10 Easy Ways You Need To Know To Grow A Business

How many months have you been investing in your business to see no results?

Here's the interesting thing I've learned from being in business and coaching other small businesses to grow.

All the marketing and sales strategies work... in their own time. 



Chances are that you have worked hard and doing the 'right' things to grow your business. You just have focused on the big sexy strategies that bring in business in the long-term, but have you hearing crickets in the short-term.

If that's you, know this - you aren't alone. In fact 85% of the businesses I work with are doing the same. If they can change things around and see results in the next 90 days - you can too. Here are the top 10 ways you can grow a business easily and quickly.

1. Balance out your marketing mix to include short-term (results in 90 days), medium (results in 90-180 days) and long-term (results in 180+ days).

2. Be more active in your marketing. If you wait for your phone to ring, you need to do more marketing that boosts your "Know, Like & Trust Factor". The fastest way is through being were your clients are and talking to them. If you need to grow your business, don't wait for business to come to you!

3. Build Out Your Circle of Influence.  Have you ever played the game '6 degrees of Kevin Bacon'? Think of the people who through the course of their work touch your ideal client. Seek out partnerships and alliances with those businesses who best represent how you like to do business. Developing relationships with a few key people is a quick path to cash

4. Ask Your Clients To Buy Again. It's easy to focus on getting new clients and new projects in the door, but your existing clients are more profitable. Reach out to any previous client who hasn't purchased in the last 6 months or a year. Let them know how valuable they have been to you and see if there is anything you can do for them now.

5. Ask Your Clients For Referrals. If you love your clients, then you'll probably love their referrals. Always be asking for referrals as a course of business, but even if the client you just called in #4 doesn't have work for you, Then ask, "Who do you know who... ?"

6. Raise Your Price. I know this seems simple, but most people don't adjust their pricing in accordance to their costs. I had a client who lost 20% in gross profits because she unknowingly she had undercharged. The change in her business puts $100,000 to her bottom line. I know this is a sensitive area, but know most buyers won't even register a 10% increase in price.

7. Re-evaluate Your Profitability Priorities. It's easy to say yes to subscriptions and little extras in your business - but you could be nickel and diming yourself to death. Cancel any unused subscription no matter how good of an idea it might be, trim back on the nice-to-have expenses and create cash to put into the growth of your business.

8. Stop Being Busy, Start Being Effective. Take a good hard look at what you do with your day. The top three things an entrepreneur or small business owner needs to do is 1.) Find The Money, 2.) Sell The Money & 3.) Serve The Money. How much green is in your calendar? If it isn't a revenue generating task - dump it or delegate it.

9. Stop Doing It By Yourself. Gone are the days when small businesses can be successful in a silo, You get no trophy for doing it on your own. Invest in people who want to invest in you through accountability partners, masterminds or coaching. You will leap-frog your competition when you stand on the shoulders of giants.

10. Don't Make It Harder. Simplicity and ease is what wins in business. If it sounds to hard, it probably is - especially if you are doing it alone. It's better to keep things simple when putting together a growth plan for your business. Doing small things every day add up to a big result in the end. The easier things are, the easier they are to be consistent and sustainable. Most businesses stall out because they can't sustain their efforts - don't be one of them.

Use one or all of these strategies to kick-start the growth of your small business!

Leslie Hassler, business coach and owner of Your Biz Rules, helps women business owners to become the HERO in their business in a way that gives them more freedom to grow their business and be with their families. As a business growth coach Leslie helps smart businesses across industries avoid the pitfalls, get real results quicker in a way that is about working smarter, not harder. In her practical and grounded approach, you learn how to zero in on what works, generate results and create a business that is a win for your clients, for yourself and your family.

Contact Information:

Leslie Hassler

Your Biz Rules

Dallas, TX

972-892-3385

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Leslie Hassler

Balancing Your Day Job With Your Small Business

For some people, owning a business is a full-time job in which more than 40 hours are devoted towards running it. For others, running a small business is something that is done as a side job on weekends or during weeknights. For those in the latter, balancing the two jobs is never an easy task. This article will present some insight as to how you can be successful at both through proper time management and understanding of priorities.

#1: Make A List Of Things You Need To Do For Your Business During Any Downtime During Work

During the day, your day job should be your number one priority, but you will always have some downtime. It's important to make good use of this time to think about your business and what tasks have to be done. This list should be written but if that is not possible, make sure you keep the list in your head. Making a list will help you prioritize which tasks are the most important and which can be put off for later if time is an issue.

Learning to prioritize responsibilities for your business is key to its success. If you understand which tasks are most important, you can focus the limited time you have on accomplishing those tasks.

#2: Be Ready To Spend A Lot Of Time To Make Your Small Business Work, But Make Time For Yourself As Well

A small business requires a significant time commitment in order to be successful. The amount of time varies between businesses, but you can expect to spend at least 16 hours each week to make the business successful. What will make this challenging is that you don't have as much free time to work with so you will need to plan carefully. You will also have to deal with possible burnout since you are working hours on top of your day job. This leads to the second part of this point and that is making time for yourself.

A small business requires a significant time commitment but you also need to make time for yourself. While you are required to devote time to the business, you are also required to take care of yourself and make sure you have the mental and physical stamina to work in an effective state. This might involve taking some time away from the business if it is possible or just spending a few hours each week doing what you love. The important thing is to give yourself time so that you don't wear yourself out. http://www.projusticeweb.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sohaib_Azam,_Esq/2182390E

9 Attitudes of Successful Business Owners

Your attitude that you show up with each day has a lasting impact on your behavior that affects your outcomes. A person's attitude is an expression of their mindset at any time and in any given situation. Your attitude represents a feeling that can be changed instantly or maintained for a lifetime.

Why is this important?

It is important to understand the attitudes of the most successful business owners so you can emulate them and move your business forward.

Let's begin.

1) Success Business owners are passionate about the success/value they can create. Unsuccessful ones are more passionate about watching people on TV live out their dreams in sports, movies shows etc. than actually going out and creating the life they want.

Action Steps:

Consider any major success story - what did they have in common?

� Passion for the value they could create.

� Ask yourself am I really passionate about my project?

� Is this passion sufficient to take me through all the ups and downs that I can expect in growing and scaling my business?

� If the passion is really not there - stop and rethink your next move carefully.

� As the old expression goes - "Don't climb your business ladder to only learn it is leaning against the wrong wall".

2) Successful owners maintain a positive mental attitude as a steady state condition. Unsuccessful ones have a mental state that changes and varies with outside circumstances.

Why is this important?

Many times in life you rise and fall to your level of expectations.

If you start with a Negative Mental Attitude you are likely to not fully apply yourself and get results consistent with your expectations.

Life is too short to be grumpy and you will attract other people who are also grumpy and will pull you down.

A positive mental attitude is not sufficient but it is a requirement to succeed.

Action Steps:

� Change your attitude right now by focusing all your thinking on what you are grateful for.

� You cannot maintain two completely different thoughts in your mind at the same time.

3) Successful owners are hyper consciousness about what they are thinking and their attitude at any given point in time. When they feel their attitude turning towards the worse they take massive evasive action to change their attitude since they know their attitude determines their altitude in life. Unsuccessful Business owners allow their emotions derived from their environment to run unchecked. They pay little attention to what they are thinking about and emotionally move with the current. Unsuccessful Business owners are not in control of their mental state.

Action Step:

� Take time at multiple points during the day and ask yourself: "What are my thoughts and feelings on ________ (the most pressing issue for you right now).

� Journal those thoughts and then analyze why you think the way you do.




4) Successful Business owners understand the importance of understanding the root of fear so they can eliminate it before it impacts their attitude. Successful Business owners have an abundance-oriented attitude and believe there is more than enough for everyone. Unsuccessful ones never get to the root of their fears and correspondingly their attitude is impacted. Unsuccessful Business owners have a scarcity-oriented attitude and believe that the pie is only so big - for them to prosper someone must suffer.

Action Steps:

� Write down a list of what you are fearful of.

� Separate the fears into two columns.

� Those that are rational with real consequences and those that are not rational without real consequences.

� For example jumping out of a perfectly good airplane to sky dive is a rational fear - you could die.

� Speaking to a group of 1000 industry peers at a conference is an irrational fear.

5) Successful Business owners have a can do attitude and focus on what they want irrespective of the odds. Unsuccessful ones allow the statistics of others to shape what they believe is possible and often settle in life.

Action Steps:

� Write down very clearly what you want and why you want it.

� Now go deeper and ask the question why again - you will soon discover your internal core motivation and it is this motivation that you need to harness to drive you through to achieve what you want.

� Pay no attention to the Nay Sayers and those that tell you why the odds are against you - they have already given up on their dreams and consider themselves to be "practical".

6) Successful Business owners maintain an attitude of true collaboration and cooperation with others because the notion of competition while important is not the primary focus. Successful Business owners preoccupy their mind with offering incredible service as a way to differentiate themselves and be selected by the market. Unsuccessful Business owners believe that competition is the primary focus and their attitude is they must beat their competitors into the ground. Unsuccessful Business owners preoccupy their mind with how they can hurt the competition and by accident win new customers.

Action Step:

� Develop the ideal customer journey path for your client.

� Vividly imagine how a district and delightful experience can be crafted to meet your customer where they are to help them get to where they want to go.

� Focus 100% on the customer problem and anticipating their needs because you understand them so well.

7) Successful Business owners maintain a balanced attitude and seldom allow events in life to be taken personally. They look at life's events objectively and are careful with the labels they use. Unsuccessful Business owners love to assign labels to everything and often get very excited because they take everything personally.

Action Step:

� Exercise your intellectual asset of Perception - whenever you examine a new idea - turn it over in your mind to see things from all perspectives.

� Be very careful before you assign a label to something as being "good" or as being "bad" because these choices impact your thinking downstream.

� For example if you lose a key customer and associated this as a "Terrible Loss" you cut your mind off from understating why they left and what can be done to improve the customer experience to:

� retain the rest of your clients and

� To innovate your service to attract more clients.

8) Successful owners maintain an attitude rooted in humility. Their inner self does not need this validation. Unsuccessful owners win so seldom that they want the whole world to acknowledge how great they are when it happens. Their sensitive inner self needs this validation

Action Steps:

� Objectively look at how you respond to wins and loses relative to your interactions with others

� Do you boast about your wins or are a quietly confident individual?

� Consider asking those that are very close to you this question and see what they say.

9) Successful Business owners maintain an attitude that is open to being wrong. Unsuccessful Business owners believe they are seldom wrong because they are so smart and accomplished

Action Steps:

� Make a list of mistakes you have made or were wrong about your business.

� Take a look at your financial statements and ask yourself this question again. If you struggle to see your weakness you will never address it or compensate for it through smart hires.

When you change your thoughts, actions and habits your whole life and business will change. To move you through this process, I regularly share ideas and strategies that you can implement today. One aspect of success is your career and business. Individuals who have joined early stage companies or decided to start their own company have created the majority of financial wealth. Click on http://www.RayStendall.com to watch a short video lesson about how you can drive profitable growth through building, marketing and selling products so you too can have the life you have always dreamed of.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ray_Stendall