The main reason is to stop any potential lawsuits from happening! But do you know how many individuals I have talked to about this very thing? Many! Do you know what the majority have told me? They have locks and cameras, so they don't need anymore security than that!This is a mess waiting to happen, the reason is as follows. This attitude is the reason things happen in business establishments that prompt major lawsuits from those that get hurt...more
"Joan, I'm working so hard and I'm not getting anything done!" I have heard some version of this cry of frustration by many an entrepreneur. It's a common complaint voiced by those of use who sought the freedom to have complete authority over our schedules, only to find ourselves unwittingly shackled by old ways of operating. It does not appear to matter that we are independent professionals or business owners, we live in a world shaped by the...more
Steps and tips on marketing your business to the government.Fact: Federal, state and local governments buy over $450 billion combined in goods and services each year.Part of that can be yours if you know how to get it.Fact: Federal procurements under $25,000 never go through the bid/RFP process. The only way to earn these government procurements is to market your business wisely. You probably know there are huge opportunities for any business to earn government contracts. But how will YOU win them? It's easy to think of the government as a thing, an entity of inanimate form, but actually, the government is made up of people, hard-working business minded people just like you. With that in mind, marketing to the government is actually branding your name in the minds of the many thousands of government people who buy what you sell. If you will be doing business with the Federal government, the first step is to become registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). The CCR is a vendor database that collects and distributes data about potential contractors to government buyers. It helps Government Buyers know who you are and that you're a valid contractor. You can find it on...more
Outsourcing has become a controversial issue and a hot topic among presidential candidates this year. But have you stopped to think how your business can benefit from the efficiency, functionality and cost savings of outsourcing? If you have, you might find that, like many others, you are already outsourcing-and enjoying its benefits.What is...more
There are four different ways that audience members assimilate information. They are: visual, auditory, auditory digital, and kinesthetic. While all members of the audience will process information utilizing all four of these approaches at different times, each audience member will individually will individually tend to rely on one of ...more
al debt load and ROI, whether the industry as a whole is in a slump, whether there are too many partner or legal problems, whether future demand will materialize and so on and so forth. While these questions are certainly relevant, the most important question that a small or medium-sized business owner should ask him/herself is: "How else can I make a living and would I like it?" Yes, the advantages of being a corporate employee are great. Easy work, fewer hours, no stress, more security and all for more money than your struggling business (for now) can provide. But do you really want to go back to that? My grandfather was an architect who built boring glass boxes in overcrowded and polluted cities for obnoxious, cheap and arrogant millionaire and billionaire bosses and clients. My grandfather was also a poet who loved to write short, life-affirming sayings that raised the soul and redeemed the human spirit. He was on his way to making large amounts of money building these glass boxes, until one day he could no longer handle it another minute, so he stood up in a meeting while the billionaires were bickering, declared that he was quitting, packed up his office and...more
If you are already in business it is hardly likely that you will agree with my title. Aren't all businsesses different?When you think in broader terms, yes, of course you're right. I want you, however, to look , for the moment, only at the basics.All...more
The idea for this month's newsletter came from an unlikely encounter: I recently had lunch with a new friend named Rick Rockwell. You may remember him as the bachelor from the first-ever reality TV show, "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?"...more
If we want to fill our heads with the doom and gloom society seems to thrive on, all we need to do is turn on the local news at night. To make that quantum leap toward personal happiness and success in life, sometimes we just need to do what so...more
When I made the decision to do free workshops and book signings for my latest book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, I thought it would be easy to draw an audience. I had, after all, done all the right things to prepare for this big event: I...more
Okay Friends,It's time for a 'check up from the neck up'! It's time for an evaluation in each area of your life. Some of you may be saying 'I don't need one!' Well, you may be right. And you may not be. But you know what they say? The best time to go...more
Today's business environment isn't getting any easier, nor will it get easier anytime in the future. I'm not psychic but I have learned that business NEVER gets simpler. More competition, shrinking profit margins, increases in fixed and operating...more