December 2011 Blog Posts (10)

Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents or anyone else that was at least 2 years older then you told you to “start acting your age?” Well guess what…they had it all wrong. It’s time to stop acting your age!

Act your age. What does it mean? Slowing down, getting…

Most people who start a business online already work "9 to 5" at another job. If you're one of the people who have another job while you're starting your business take heart, you can do this! The fact is, being hungry is a key ingredient to your success. If you're hungry to get out of the rat race and leave the grind behind, you will work that much harder to create a business that allows you to do, just that.

Do the right things first…

Many of us look forward to retirement as a sort of magical time of leisure without devoting much energy or thought to the specific challenges we might face once we get there. Among my clients, one of the biggest challenges I've seen is that of developing faith during the retirement years.

Overcoming this challenge by learning to develop faith (either in the context of a specific religious tradition or in a more general context) can bring fulfillment, joy, and…

In his popular book, How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients, the salesperson who brings in the big dollars, Jeffrey Fox boils down successful sales to asking six questions.

Killer sales question No. 1 "Do you have your appointment calendar on hand?"

Killer sales question No.2 "Would…

Twenty or so years ago, the question of personal growth in retirement hadn't really entered the mainstream consciousness. To most people a generation ago, retirement was an ending, not a beginning. But as with everything else they've encountered, the Boomers are challenging that view of retirement.

With the help of improved medicine and nutrition research, Boomers are expected to live longer than their parents, and they anticipate better health in their golden years. Understanding…

Chances are, you started your business because you saw a clear need for the products or services you offer. But between that ah-ha! moment and today, you've probably encountered plenty of challenges and obstacles. If you aren't sure how to deal with those obstacles, they may leave you questioning whether your business even has a chance to succeed.

I've seen people facing this kind of frustration and despair many times, and more often than not, a little refocusing allows them to work…

Did you know that many super successful businesses have been started during economic downturns? Hyatt, Burger King, IHOP, The Jim Henson Company, Microsoft, and even MTV was started during an economic downturn.

These are very successful businesses that started on a wing and a prayer with low start up costs, even in the garage of a parent's home, and are now recognized the world over just by their name.

 Aside from these well known…

You know the old saying: "If you feed a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him to fish, you'll feed him for a lifetime." While many people in our society need lunch, they also to learn to catch, clean, and cook the fish and become self-sustaining in the future. They may even need some ongoing lessons to make sure they learn to do it well.Teaching the skills and following up to make sure they absorbed them correctly is what mentoring is…

Are you alone and wondering how you'll be celebrating the holidays this year? Whether you're divorced or widowed, a single parent or the spouse of a deployed serviceperson, it most likely seemed easier when you had a partner to share in the planning. But now that you'll be the one creating the holiday mood, take advantage of the freedom you have to develop customs that are just right for you. 

1. Recognize that it won't be easy. Perhaps you're feeling more…

If you've never spent time thinking about your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), or if you haven't devoted much thought to your USP in a while, now is a great time to (re)visit the concept. Your USP is what sets you apart from people offering services or products similar to yours. In fact, if you get it right, your USP is what lets clients sell themselves on you.

That's a big job.

Developing an…