Motivation – Get Rid Of The Employee Mindset – Part 1

Being self-employed takes a little getting used to.

Obviously, one of the biggest changes you will find is that you no longer have to report to a boss. You won’t have anyone watching over you to make sure the job gets done. There will be no one telling you what to do and no one to check your work. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

However, this can be a doubled edged sword. Continue reading »

Freedom – There is Nothing Like It!

What’s your motivation for starting a business of your own?

It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times over the years. One thing I can tell you is that there is no right or wrong answer – everyone is a little different. Actually, over the years, my reasons for starting and maintaining a successful business has changed dramatically. I suppose maturity has a lot do with it.

In short, my interests have changed from simply making all the money I could, to concentrating on my actual quality of life. One thing I have learned is that money does not necessarily equal happiness. Continue reading »

Window Cleaning – Making Money on My Schedule

Starting a window cleaning business was one of the best decisions I ever made. Actually, I’ve been off and on with this business for the past 18 years and have never really run it full-time. Though there is no doubt in my mind that I’d be able to make a decent living working only 8 months out of the year. Continue reading »

Starting a Window Cleaning Business

In 1990, I was just starting my career with the company I’d wind up giving 18 years of my life to *shudder*. Starting out then, I was living pay-check to pay-check and never had any money left over at the end of the month. Though I knew that after a year or so, my wages would be brought up to standard, I was struggling to make ends meet. Continue reading »

Analysis Paralysis – Just Do it Already

One of the biggest mistakes that a new business owner can make is to start analyzing things to death and getting stuck in the planning stage . Of course you want to be sure that you’ve got all your bases covered, but how much is too much?

You can get SO bogged down with details. Believe me, I know. In the early days, it seemed that all I ever did was register one business after the other. For each business, I would set up a bookkeeping system, open a business bank account, and send my order to the printer for my business cards, letterhead, and envelopes. Continue reading »

Anyone Can Start And Run a Business

Can an average person run a successful business?

That really is the million dollar question, isn’t it? I’m sure that many individuals with dreams of business ownership are stopped abruptly by their own negative thinking and this question, in particular.

Perhaps the question ought to be: What qualifications do you need to start a business?

Honestly, it depends on what you plan on doing. If your goal is to eventually incorporate and massively scale your business to include employees, a commercial location, and the whole nine yards, then I would say, yes, you should have some formal business training. After all, most CEO’s have a formal business background (but not all). Continue reading »

Part-time Business Success

I would venture to guess that most “employees” have thought about running their own business at some point in their corporate career. I really have to applaud those that take the initiative and make something happen. It shows that they also know how to walk the walk and are willing to step out, just a little and take action towards a better life – whether that means more money, time, freedom, or a combination of all three. Continue reading »

Wage-Slaves Have Dreams Too

So what’s the preoccupation with starting a business?

I suppose that I’ve always craved the freedom that business ownership can bring. Even though I spent over 18 years in the corporate environment, I never stopped thinking about what it would be like to, someday, break those shackles and start charting my own course. Continue reading »