I was talking with my friend Kathy over lunch who had a clever idea for a business but did not believe she had the skills necessary to execute it. This made me think of how most people believe successful people are multi-skilled individuals with jack-of-all trade talents and abilities. But the truth is one of the most ubiquitous trait of a successful business owner is being able to find and keep the right people for the right jobs.
Successful businesses attract the right talent. Therefore, becoming a talent magnet should be at the top of every manager’s list. Here are three habits you should cultivate in order to create a team of talented individuals:
1. Build relationships with talented people before you need them. Don’t wait until you need someone with a specific skill before engaging with such a person. For example, you might be able to handle your own accounting now, but when your business grows you’ll want a talented and reliable accountant to handle that end of your business. Never stop networking in your industry. Determine who has the talent are and what inspires them about their work. Cultivate these relationships early because they will come in handy later.
2. Emphasize [...]
By Ja-Naé Duane
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Posted in Business Tools, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Uncategorized
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Also tagged business, entrepreneurs, home-based business, leadership, small business, the freelancer, wahm, working from home
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I ran into an old friend at a recent networking event who has worked at an office for many years. Probably his biggest complaint about the business world is the constant meetings. How often do we hear about meetings where nothing is accomplished and everyone feels like they wasted their time? It’s become an office cliché. There’s even a website called meetordie where you can determine just how much money a business wastes on an unproductive meeting.
But, believe it or not, meetings were originally intended to serve a purpose. And, whether we like it or not, meetings are a necessary evil for just about any business to get work done.
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t improve on the concept of meetings and make them valuable to you and your attendees. Follow these four steps to make your meetings more meaningful:
1. The fewer the better. Getting everyone’s input can be valuable, but when time is of the essence it just isn’t worth it to invite that guy who works in the mail room. Keep attendance limited to just the people who are directly involved in the meeting’s objectives. Before sending out the meeting memo, ask yourself if all the people cc’ed [...]
My buddy Luke is having trouble collecting from a client of his. The client wants him to continue doing work, but has not paid him for the work he has already done. As a freelancer, every single dollar means the world to him. Like many small business owners, Luke has to feed his family at the end of the day.
Has this ever happened to you? Does it still. Well, you are absolutely not alone. Most of the entrepreneurs that I know deal with this in one form or another. Even me.
So, when you’re trying to do the right thing by your client and still keep yourself in business, where is the line drawn? What could you have done even before the work began?
Mike Monteiro doesn’t mess around when it comes to collecting payment. In his Creative Mornings video, “F*ck You. Pay Me” he shares some hilarious insight into his strategies for collective payment for creative service industries. Check it out:
2011/03 Mike Monteiro | F*ck You. Pay Me. from SanFrancisco/CreativeMornings on Vimeo.
Here are some familiar and irrational excuses he’s heard from clients. Do any of them sound familiar:
“We ended up not using the work”
“Really not what we wanted after all”
“We got [...]
My good friend Chuck is a big ideas guy. You know, one of those guys who has about 15 fantastic ideas a day. But when he starts to implement them, he often stops suddenly, usually right before the work finally pays off. Why? Maybe it’s a loss of interest, or new projects come up, or it’s just a lack of follow-through required to be successful. So, when we sit down and talk, he wonders why he isn’t as successful as he thinks he should be and cannot understand why.
Sound familiar? Maybe like someone you know or are.
Allow me to let you in on a big secret that I have learned through my own countless trial and error. Successful people do not necessarily have some incredible talent, skill, or ability that makes them a success. They simply have learned to deal with the biggest obstacle in the way of success, themselves.
Why does Chuck, and a lot of people you and I both probably know, so often abandon big ideas when they are so close to completion? The reason might be because of how we feel about our goals and dreams. Dreaming of success makes us feel better about ourselves. But if [...]
October 5, 2010 – 9:32 am
The newest trend in social media memes is to Autotune everything, often with hilarious results. One of my favorites is the Backin’ Up Song, with the eccentric coffee lady whose exhortation, “I’m backin’ up, backin’ up, backin’ up, ‘cause my daddy taught me good” became the catchy refrain. It’s ok that it gets stuck in my head because it serves as a valuable reminder to BACK UP!—your data, that is. It’s one of those things that enterpreneurs starting a business may not think about until it’s too late. In today’s podcast, “Back Up Your Data!”, I discuss why having a plan to back-up your data is crucial for small business or freelancers.
Let’s hear it—tell me your data loss horror story and how you keep it from happening again!
Connect with Ja-Naé on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
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Looking to start a business or own a small business? Please consider reading my book, How to Start Your Business with $100. You should find what you’re looking for.
October 4, 2010 – 12:44 pm
When I started my own business, one of the challenges I faced was how to effectively use social media to build a community around my brand. And that was before the Facebook-Twitter explosion! Now, with so many social media opportunities, it can seem a daunting task to the small business owner to create and grow a following. This is especially true for freelancers, whose services may appeal to a small níche audience. For my inaugural podcast to kick off my “How to Start Your Business with $100” Book Tour, I discuss “Ways to Build a Community”. Have a listen below, try out my suggestions, then let me know how it goes by leaving a comment.
Hope to see you on my tour! Remember to check out my companion blog, The Biz100 Tour, for tour dates and special announcements.
By Ja-Naé Duane
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Posted in Business Tools, Entrepreneurship
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Also tagged entrepreneurs, freelance, freelancer, freelancers, home-based business, how to start a business with $100, Ja-Nae, small business, social media, social media 101, social media basics
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People are always looking for the next big THING; the idea that will change the course of mankind; the thing that will change life as we know it. Most innovation comes from creativity. I would actually argue that all innovation comes from creativity. In today’s world, generating new fresh ideas is essential to survival. Whether you’re coming up with an integrated marketing campaign, the next Google or just looking for ways to innovate your life, here are 3 simple ways to feed your brain and get those creative juices flowing:
1. Lumosity is a site full of games to increase your attention span, improved your memory, and better your concentration. The site allows you to create a training course based on the areas that you are looking to improve upon. 10 minutes a day will do wonders. I love this site and cannot say enough about it!
2. Daydream Believer: Einstein did some of his best work while daydreaming. He would sit and stare out the window for hours. It was the secret to his revelations. If you have an idea that you are working out or trying to solidify, why not daydream about it? Write down your problem or your idea [...]
Many entrepreneurs and small business owners seem to be looking for “something.” They think it’s the solution to all their problems; that it will help grow their business overnight; that this one thing will be the answer to all of their problems.
If you’re starting a business or find that you’re one of these people searching for an answer, then I have a small secret for you: There is NO secret.
Instead, consider:
Making stronger connections to your network/community
Finding mentors who are willing to share with you all that they know
Prioritizing your company’s growth above your latté addiction
And if you need a step-by-step guide on how to start your business and how to market that business, consider buying “How to Start Your Business with $100.”
Like this article and want to read more, feel free to subscribe to my blog feed
In a recent Telegraph Finance article, Daniel H. Pink raises the taboo question of, “Is it okay for a businessperson to question their ability to achieve a particular goal?”
Thankfully, he does so using the adorable Bob the Builder as a model entrepreneur for the humble and self-reflective businessperson. In my experience as a life coach and home-based business mentor, I find that it is a fine line to walk between encouraging freelancers, entrepreneurs, and home-based businesspeople to think positively/dream big and helping burgeoning entrepreneurs set achievable goals in the midst of starting their own businesses. This same conundrum is present in various leadership arenas as well: I want to encourage my team without allowing them to set unrealistic expectations. My advice to those with similar dilemmas: your choice of words and tone to colleagues and team members should encourage positivity and self-reflexivity. Instead of asking whether or not something can be done, ask questions that encourage a scaffolded approach to a project or goal. Questions like, “How can you achieve ‘X’” or “Is there a way to reach ‘X’ in the timeframe we are allowing ourselves?” are better alternatives than, “So [...]
In order to succeed in business, you have to be unique and find the niche that works for you and the people you serve. Today at The Momentum Summit (#mosum, if you’re on Twitter), Ben Fischman, CEO of Rue La La remarked at his morning interview, “I believe in unique unfair advantages.” Rue La La has found theirs. What’s yours? Here are three steps to finding your unique, unfair advantage:
1) Ask: Why do people depend on you? What is it about you or your company that is working and happens naturally? How can you improve upon that? Survey your friends, clients, and colleagues for their feedback.
2) What’s Important? To Rue La La, exclusivity became important. The need to protect their customers, led to an unsearchable site. Of course, this resulted in an aire of mystique around the brand. Understand what is important to your customers and to your company and treasure it.
3) Experiment: What you perceive as your unique, unfair advantage may not actually be the case. Do some measurable tests to see what is working and what is not. Your experimentation may lead to an avenue you hadn’t thought of before.
What other ways can you find your unique, [...]
By Ja-Naé Duane
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Posted in Business Tools, Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized
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Also tagged creative strategy, imagination, starting a business, the creative mind, the freelancer, wahm
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