The Simple Yearly Planning Worksheet is a great way to organize your thoughts around your goals and planned actions for the coming year. If you start the process by reviewing your progress for the past year (for example, what you accomplished, Read more (members only)

I’ve done a lot of partnering with other professionals on creating new programs and products or serving clients as a team. One key piece of my experience has been that some partnerships work well and some don’t work at all. After several false starts Read more (members only)

No, that’s not a typo in the title. Resolutions are easy; most of us make them at least once a year. A revolution, on the other hand, is something you may not have made since you started your business. Read more (members only)

“I have plenty of work coming in,” one of my clients told me, “but I’m not getting paid enough. Every project seems to take longer than I anticipated, and I end up putting in a lot of unpaid hours. How can I fix this?” Read more (members only)

We all want more people to refer clients to us, and one way to encourage more referrals is offering to pay for them. By offering cash instead of merely our thanks or a small gift, it’s possible to increase the number of referrals you will get. However, this practice isn’t appropriate in all circumstances, and may have some unintended consequences. Read more (members only)

This sample consulting agreement is designed to cover one or more projects for the same client over a one year period. It includes definition of the consultant’s independent contractor status, payment terms, expense reimbursement, termination, confidentiality, Read more (members only)

You’ve been in business for a few years (or 20) and have earned a certain degree of respect from your customers and colleagues. While some people struggle, getting new business is as easy for you as breathing. Yet you sometimes find yourself Read more (members only)

This planning worksheet can be used to lay out the details of any business or marketing project. It includes space to record an overall goal, resources needed, potential obstacles, time and money required, a task list, and the project’s timeline. Read more (members only)

This sample licensing agreement is designed for the author of a book, workshop, or other creative work who is licensing a portion of their creation to another person or business to incorporate into another product or service. It includes definition of the work Read more (members only)

This sample fee sheet for paid speaking engagements shows a range of fees for programs of different length and travel to varying locations. Also included is detail about travel expenses to be billed to the client. Read more (members only)

A virtual assistant (VA) is someone who works for you or your business virtually, from his or her own home or office. Having a VA can be a lifesaver for solo business owners who may not want a full-time employee, but if you’ve never used one before, it can sometimes be difficult to envision how someone in a remote location can work for you. Read more (members only)

Like many capable business owners and professionals, you may be great at what you do and not so great at –- nor thrilled about –- marketing your services. It seems we sometimes spend more time marketing than actually conducting business. Read more (members only)