Small Business

We have all seen at least a few empty storefronts in our towns or heard of friends or colleagues who have been forced to close their businesses in the last year or so due to economic conditions. Maybe you've spent more than one morning wondering about your business struggles and pondering, "How do I know whether to persevere or quit?"

If you own your own business, you know just how hard it is to create business systems from scratch. Those everyday systems that make your business go are crucial to your success, yet you don't want to spend time reinventing the wheel.

So, you're sitting in your cubicle feeling trapped and thinking, "I just want to get the heck outta here and start my own business." That can be a liberating feeling. I've been there. That said, just hating your job is not a strategy, and you really do want to get some things in order -- on the inside (of you) and the outside -- before you make the leap. So, if you only do 10 things before you make the career transition from employee to entrepreneur ... do these.

Businesses are concerned with making a profit. Very simplified, profit is what you make when your revenue or income exceeds your expenses. When expenses exceed your revenue, you have a loss. These elements are tracked through a profit and loss (or P&L) statement. Thus there are two ways to make or increase a profit: either bring in more money or spend less. This is often referred to as either top-line or bottom-line growth. Marketing helps you grow your top-line and can be used to manage some bottom-line expenses.

For many of us our days look like one fast moving train from one to-do to another. Down-time is hard to come by and often the stress level gets so high you can't stand it. Often, there are snippets of time in your day that you can claim to either get things done or de-stress. Believe me, if you capitalize on these little 10 minute miracle moments you can not only be more productive but also claim more free time for yourself.