Small Business

Having Trouble Getting to Work?

Posted by on Jun 15, 2017 in Blog, Composition, Small Business, Thoughts | 0 comments

I know I am not alone among my writer friends and colleagues who have a problem writing. This problem is what I call either the need to prime the pump or to get clear and free. You see, when my head is spinning with all sorts of things – to-dos, ideas, worries and other brain clutter, I can’t settle down enough to write. They spin and whip me into a frenzy that ties my muscles and brain cells into little knots. I have to calm down in order to move ahead – with anything. Likewise, if my physical space is chaotic, I have much the same problem. Only with this situation, it’s a glaring need to get it cleaned up and organized. It doesn’t necessarily have to be...

Read More

Putting in Time with New Apps

Posted by on Sep 22, 2015 in Small Business | 0 comments

In the last few weeks I have picked up three new apps to help me be more productive and organized. (Isn’t that how it all starts?) Now I know that I could probably find one app that would do the work of both Trello and One Note, but I use them for different reasons – or at least I have figured out that I should use them for different reasons. Trello has been grand for organizing all the projects I have pending for different clients and also to help me create processes and checklists for projects that are repeated. I created a template for each phase of a project and then refined it as I passed through the project. By the end, I had a procedure and a checklist...

Read More

Writing Ideas for Your Business are Everywhere

Posted by on Mar 3, 2015 in Composition, Content, Featured, Small Business | 0 comments

When I say things like that, I can hear the crowd behind me murmuring with exasperation at such a comment. When faced with a blank page, many people just freeze. Well, let me tell you, so do writers. The difference is that writers are resourceful and know where to look for inspiration. You don’t need a muse per se, but you do need something to tip over the bucket so the words pour forth. So, let’s get kicking some buckets. And I am going to share one little secret with you today. First, a little tidbit. When you write a blog post or create posts to publish on social media, it helps to include a nice image with it. It could be funny or beautiful, but an image draws...

Read More

5 Steps to Writing a Great Testimonial

Posted by on Feb 22, 2015 in Community & Relationships, Content, Featured, Small Business, Testimonials | 0 comments

The other day I heard a colleague on the phone with a service provider. They had been working on a project that I know both sides of that phone call felt had been the definition of forever pulling teeth from a wild boar. It had been painful. In that final call, I heard my colleague thank the vendor and then he said something that caught me by surprise. He said, “You have been so patient and helpful through this whole project. I thank you so much for that and I am going to write up a testimonial right away and send it to you.” Now, if you are a small business owner, you know people might appreciate your work or what you have done for them, but you don’t often have...

Read More

Simple Steps to Control Entrepreneurial Overwhelm

Posted by on Feb 25, 2014 in Blog, Focus, Small Business | 0 comments

Yes, workers have taken on extra duties and responsibilities after this recession thinned out the workforce, but that’s nothing compared to what small business owners take on. Making that transition has been eye-opening for me, that’s for sure. When the overwhelm starts to creep up my legs and before I feel like I am drowning, I take some steps to beat back the fear and anxiety. I have gathered some strategies that work best for me. You have to find your own “best practice,” but maybe some of these will find their way into your arsenal: First, reduce or eliminate distractions: Turn off the news. We get bombarded with every little happening and...

Read More