“Work smarter, not harder.” It’s a common saying and we hear it all the time. It’s true – and some people have absolutely mastered it – but sometimes working smarter is challenging, especially when you’re a business owner with projects, requests and questions coming at you from every direction. Here are three tactics that, when used together, can help you work smarter and keep your focus...

Thanksgiving is a special time of year that inspires us to slow down and think about what we’re thankful for – whether it’s family, friends, good health, a comfortable place to live or something more personal. But if you’re a business owner, Thanksgiving is also a stressful time that’s on the bleeding edge of the holiday shopping season and the end of the year. As we approach the next Th...

Social responsibility in business has become an important business trend across America, especially as employees and customers continue to raise their expectations around the companies they choose to work for and support. So how do you, as a business owner, find ways for your company to be socially responsible? The first step is to choose a cause. Think about the kind of mission you woul...

Building strong relationships is an important part of the success of any business, but when you’re a new business owner – or when you’re not an extrovert – knowing how to get started can be challenging. While relationships are complex and every relationship is unique, here are the four basic steps to creating, fostering and maintaining business relationships. Meet: Being an entrepreneur ...

Business owner burnout is an epidemic. Our society values entrepreneurs and business leaders who work tirelessly to build success, but working 80 hours a week, never seeing your family and never having a free second without feeling on call is exhausting. There are articles all over the internet – including this blog – about the importance of taking vacations, making sure your staff can r...

Sometimes mentorships come naturally and without a lot of forethought – like when a manager takes you under his or her wing and helps you with your personal and professional growth. But sometimes, especially when you’re trying to grow a business or break into something new, you have to work to find, and recruit, the right mentor. The key to finding a great mentor is research. You need to...

Competition can be scary. Whether you’re worried about a rival store opening down the street or you’re in an emerging industry watching other start-ups launch with a new twist, it’s hard to make sure you’re in the lead. But while competition might be stressful, it can also help you make your business better. Even if you don’t have any direct competition today, thinking about what that co...

A good movie is a perfect way to unwind after a long week at the office, but aside from being entertaining, some movies are packed with business tips, entrepreneurial motivation and the importance of balance. While there are dozens of blogs out there that highlight the best business movies, we scanned 10 of them to see which movies came up most frequently. Here are five that regularly ma...

December might seem far away, but the stores will be in full holiday mode starting in mid-October (whether you like it or not), and that’s less than 90 days away. Since there’s not much worse than trying to rush a marketing campaign during the busiest shopping season of the year, July is the perfect time to start turning the wheels on how your business is going to make waves this year. W...

Everyone’s preferences for a work space are different but, whether you’re in a cube farm or working from a home office, having your desk set up in a way that works for you is an important part of your ability to work effectively and efficiently. While you don’t always have total control of the space where you work, there are a few ways you can turn any desk into a power desk… Save the Pr...