How to Become "Unstuck"

Hello Entrepreneurs! I am recovering from a severe case of writer’s block which has held me hostage for the past several weeks. Truth is, I have been literally “stuck” in neutral for the past month or so. But of course, we’ve all been there -- nothing new in the idea department, business is down or non-existent, the phone is not ringing and the mounds of crumpled paper representing frustration, have taken up residence in the corner of your office. So what’s an entrepreneur to do?

I could you tell you that I sat down and made a “to-do” list and tackled everything on it right away – but I did not, because I knew it would end up in the pile with my other lists. I could tell you I met with some fellow entrepreneurs in my favorite coffee shop for an “idea session” and came up with some wonderful and innovative ways to increase business – but I did not, because just like me, they were also “stuck”. So what did I finally do to get things moving? I began cleaning up approximately 22,000 e-mails. These were not business e-mails but those “potentially interesting reads” I vowed to peruse before the end of the century. Trust me – I will not. Sooooo, I created a folder for each month of the “current year”, deleting anything outside of the "current year" and ended up with a group of folders, pared down to a more manageable state. The end result – albeit 4 ½ hours and 1,940 e-mails remaining in my In-Box is the post you are now reading. Share with us how you shift out of neutral and get back on track. In the meantime, a coffee run is definitely in order. Enjoy!

SIMPLE ADVICE FOR TWEAKING YOUR BUSINESS WEBSITE

I am “launching” my business website again.  As business owners, we all do it -- revamping, re-inventing, re-thinking, re-designing, re-launching -- because we (the business owners) are convinced that we have not made the world aware of our on-line presence. Let’s just stop right now.

Take a look at your website, as a consumer, and try to be very, very objective.  You are now the “customer” here.  Is your site functional?  Does it take you, the customer, to where you need to be and does it offer products and services you can use and easily purchase?  If you answered “Yes” to both of these, then you are on your way; get some sleep.  If you answered “No” to either one or both, you still have a little work to do, but still – get some sleep. Start fresh the next day with a clear mind and a great cup of coffee.  Signing off at 4:55 a.m.  (Not good).

The Business Benefits of Working With A Virtual Assistant

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or currently run a home-based business, are you in a position to hire support staff?  One person, maybe two?  If you're like most small business owners starting out, the answer is probably "No"!  That's OK because there are solutions.  Virtual Assistants to the rescue!!!