As business owners, we are frequently offered “opportunities” that may deliver a significant return, but also have the potential to take up a great deal of time. You may be asked to provide your professional expertise, collaborate on a project, help with organizing an event, or Read more (members only)

While it’s true that many business owners never take time to write a business plan, it’s also a fact that two-thirds of all new businesses fail in the first five years. The majority of failed businesses never had a written plan. Read more (members only)

A curious thing happens to entrepreneurs in the spring of every year. They wake up one day and realize they had better figure out how much money they made last year so they can pay their taxes. But wait, shouldn’t a business owner already know how much money he or she made last year Read more (members only)

Many business owners start the year with a written list of things they intend to accomplish, yet by year’s end these goals have either been forgotten or left by the wayside, ready to be recycled for the coming year. Read more (members only)

We self-employed professionals are constantly faced with difficult choices about how to best grow our businesses. Should I pursue this line of business or that one? Would it serve me better to choose Niche A or Niche B? Read more (members only)

If you’ve been operating a successful professional services firm as a solopreneur, it can be a smart move to leverage your experience, contacts, and track record in the industry by adding other professionals to your team. Read more (members only)

Evaluating a new business concept is one of the least glamorous aspects of launching a new product, service, or enterprise. When you are excited about a new idea, you may not want to take the time to stop and examine it critically. New business ideas sometimes seem Read more (members only)

Do you choke on your words when it’s time to tell a prospect your fees? Do you find that you’re doing more than you contracted for without being paid for your efforts? Do you notice that your clients don’t do their part to make the most of your work together? You might be devaluing your services. Read more (members only)

In a national survey of independent professionals, almost 50% of the consultants, coaches, and other professionals declared that they were currently not earning enough to meet their expenses. This result shouldn’t be surprising, since according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of all small businesses fail Read more (members only)

Does it feel to you like you work all the time, yet there’s always more to do? It seems that in order to do well financially, you must work through the weekends, ignore your family and friends, and leave no time for yourself. How can you get your working hours under control? Read more (members only)