Work hard, play hard.

Every Entrepreneur Goddess needs and deserves time to play. A few days or weeks away from the office and rat race does a body, mind, and spirit good. When you return to the office and everyday life as you know it, you’ll be that much more productive.

I’ve escaped the rat race for a few days at Mt. Shasta…and beyond!

Stay tuned.

On a daily basis, or so it seems, I’m inundated with requests to volunteer, donate, or give back in some way or another. From donation canisters at checkout stands to Girl Scout cookies and wrapping paper at my door, the requests seem to be never ending. You help and turn around only to find another request.

As human beings on this planet, especially in such fortunate positions (we are, after all, using the internet which is more than most can afford) it is vital we give back to our communities and world.

Because the guilt factor can be so strong (it’s really impossible to give to everyone), it’s important to find your style of giving. Are you most comfortable spreading your pocket change out among various people and organizations or do you prefer pooling your resources (time and/or money) into one specific area? Both are great ways to help, just know your style.

I enjoy the art of giving and have donated thousands of my own hours and money throughout my life. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in giving that we forget about our own needs. I’ve seen businesses close because the owners are a bit too generous. If a business closes because they aren’t getting by, they are helping far fewer people in the end because their efforts are not long term and sustainable.

The Lesson: Businesses need a PLAN FOR GIVING.

(Originally posted at Twolia)

Have you ever welcomed the arrival of Friday only to look back at the week and realize there were a few things that somehow got off your radar? This week, there are no excuses. The goal: By the end of this week, everything we can realistically accomplish will be checked off our to-do list.

How will we ensure there are no excuses?

Carefully organize our time.
This week, we’re taking extra pains to organize. Perhaps we need to wake up an extra hour early to get in that workout or plan dinner menus and shop ahead of time so we can spend quality time with our families each evening.

Our agenda book is our friend.
This week, we’re going to carefully schedule (and not over-schedule) or time. Take a look at what you did or didn’t accomplish these past few weeks. Do you have a habit of over-sheduling or a habit of making excuses. Avoid these types of mistakes when planning for the week because this week, there are no excuses!

Take a few tips.
Have you ever met someone who seemingly has time for everything? How does s/he do it? If you don’t know, ask. Trust me, they’ll love your question and be more than willing to share a few time-management secrets.

Get off your rear.
Sitting on your behind and not doing anything is precisely what, later on, causes you to create excuses as to why something is not done. This week, there is no sitting on your rear.

Remember: This week, there are no excuses. Make the most out of your time and remember to have fun and also take time to relax. You’ll be more productive if you do.

Image Credit

Quite frankly, it’s hard not to take business personally. When someone compliments your business, your heart swells with pride just as your heart sinks when someone has something negative to say. It’s human nature, and perhaps as women, we tend to internalize these feelings a bit more.

Here are a few ways in which you can stop taking business so personally:

“Cut to the chase” mannerisms:
For some businesses, relationship building is the key to success. In other companies, fast turnover is what brings in the cash.

I run into a lot of new small business owners who don’t quite grasp this concept.

Looking back at the earlier days of my solopreneur career, I was intent on lunches, cocktails, and coffee all in the name of establishing business relationships. The reality is that I could have cut out at least half of those outings and been just fine. But, live and learn.

Now I think before making the effort. I assess:

1.    What’s in it for my business? Is this person a potential client or well-connected? What am I looking to gain from the meeting? Can I do this over the phone or would it be beneficial to meet in person?

2.    What is in it for them? How can I help this other person? Do I have potential connections for them and if so, can I do it over the phone or by email?

Lesson: Don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t feel that it’s necessary to meet face-to-face for the moment. This is business and people need to consider their bottom line. Time is money and money is time.

Rates:
Too many people get unnecessarily worked up over pricing issues. It’s unfortunate when friends and family expect (or assume) a discount when they should be the ones happiest to fully support your business.

As a business owner, you are the one who determines your value based on your skill set, time, effort, and overhead costs. It’s important that you stick with those rates if you want to stay in business. I’ve seen too many entrepreneurs go out of business from spending their own time and money on friends and family.

If the person you are doing business with doesn’t want to give you a discount just because they know you from such-and-such, don’t push the issue.

If you’re doing business with a close relation or someone you know socially, here are a few tips:

1.    Assume you are going to pay the full price or fee. Want to pay them for every penny they are worth.

2.    If they offer a discount, tell them you’re happy to support their business and work by paying like any other client.

3.    If they still insist on the discount, graciously accept.

Lesson: Don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t want to give you a discount. Business is business and they need to do business to stay in business. Get it? Got it? Good.

Criticism:
No matter who you are or what you do, one thing is certain: criticism is inevitable. There will always be someone who doesn’t like your work or the way you do business. That’s life and there is nothing you can do to change their mind.  As hard as it is to not take the criticism personally, you have to stay strong. If you let every person like this get you down, you’ll spend your whole life in fear and feeling bad.

What you can do, however, is look at the criticism objectively:

1.    Is the criticism from a purely artistic standpoint? If so, there’s not a lot you can do about it. Some of us like Monet whereas others prefer Van Gogh. It’s that simple. Instead, find them a competitor who might be more their taste or style. You have nothing to lose by losing them as a client.

2.    Does this person have a valid point? We all make mistakes in business and if the person is upset because of the way you handled a situation, you need to take the steps necessary to fix it.

Lesson: Criticism can sometimes result in great learning experiences. Either way, don’t take it personally, it’s business and we are all human.

Want to read more about handling criticism in the business world? I recommend this article for another point of view:

• Nataly Kogan: Business is Personal and Anyone Who Tells You Otherwise is Lying