Tag Archives: growth

What is Stopping You from Taking the Next Step?

Something is holding me back…is it nervousness about taking a risk? Is it that I have become comfortable with where my business is at right now? Is it fear of failure or success? Do I feel as though I don’t have the resources, energy, or intelligence to do what needs to be done? Many of us home business owners get to a place in our businesses where we know that growth and progress require us to take the next step—but something is holding us back… Soul-searching is not my favorite activity. When it comes to my business, I tell myself … Continue reading →

I am NOT the Same Parent I Used to Be

Just as my children have grown and changed over the years, I know that I too have changed quite a bit. Sure, there are some core values that have remained but parenting has changed me. Other life adventures have had their way with my personality and personal skills as well, but I think it is important to acknowledge that I am so not the same parent I started out as all those years ago. I think we have a tendency to think that our children have changed and we have “always been the same” or that when we reach adulthood, … Continue reading →

Moving On to Different Stages

I realized the other day that I have been operating my home business for over two years. If I throw in the 3 years a half-decade ago when I ran my own consulting firm out of my home as well, I really cannot consider myself a beginner. That came as a bit of a surprise to me—I think it can be pretty common for us to get “stuck” in a certain stage with our businesses and not realize when it is time to move on… When does our business go from a struggling start-up to an adolescent company? How do … Continue reading →

Expanding Your Market? Is it a Good “Fit”?

Recently I was working with a client who wanted to expand their existing market and reach out to what they saw as “compatible” markets. Other fields and areas of interest that they thought would be in the same “general interest area” as their existing market base. One of the things we needed to examine and consider was whether or not those new individuals were really a good and compatible fit with the existing ones? It may seem like a no-brainer—you might be thinking if our customers all like X, and there are other people over there who like Y and … Continue reading →

Ask For and Nurture Referrals

Sure, sometimes new customers and clients fall out of trees or present themselves on our front door without our having to do much at all—but it doesn’t happen very often. What is more likely is that we have to work for our new prospects and customers and that means asking for those referrals and then nurturing them along until they are ready to become full-blown customers and clients. Asking for referrals can be the hardest part for some people. You may feel as though you are being pushy or “too obvious”—but this is the way business works. It does not … Continue reading →

Coming Up With a Formula

Do you feel as though you are reinventing the wheel on a regular business as you work to build your business? Are you still trying all sorts of things to see what works best? Some of the most successful businesses are those who find a certain “formula” that works and sticking to that in order to build up the business. When you think of “formula” you might be thinking boring, but there are some really dynamic businesses that have been built on basic formulas. This is one of the reasons that franchises can be a popular form of business for … Continue reading →

Revisit Old Ideas

If you are anything like me, you might be someone who comes up with all sorts of seemingly “great” ideas for your business—only to get caught up in everyday responsibilities and leaving those ideas to languish unexplored. I think that most of us have all sorts of fantastic ideas to improve our businesses that never see the light of day—simply because they fall off our plates or we never get around to trying them out. Who knows? There may be an amazing morsel of idea just sitting around in our notebooks or at the back of our brains just waiting … Continue reading →

Does More Always Mean Better?

More customers, more clients, more sales, more calls, more e-mails—sounds good doesn’t it? But in a small home business, does “more” always mean better? Is it always a good omen and a welcome change when things pick up? It all depends on your definition of success and your capacity for expansion. Too much of “more” and you could find yourself over-taxed and over-stressed. Sometimes this can be temporary—business picks up and it takes you a month or two to adjust to the increased volume and then things level out again. Other times, it can be so stressful as to make … Continue reading →

It‘s Not a Race

When I was a new parent, I was terribly concerned about developmental stages and where my kids “fit“ in terms of percentiles and development charts. Over the years, however, I have learned how to relax on all of these “stages” and “phases” and I’ve realized that it isn’t a race. There is no finish line where my child needs to cross ahead of everyone else and even if it sometimes seems this way, I don’t have to choose to participate in that sort of competitive child development. Now, I am not saying that it is easy not to give in … Continue reading →

Don’t Sacrifice Quality

Efficiency and cost-effectiveness in our home businesses are good things, sure, and it is important for us to keep an eye on the bottom line. After all, we are “in business”–but it is important to make sure that we don’t sacrifice quality and make sure we continue to offer a quality service or product to our customers and clients. “Quality” can be one of those words in the consumer markets that is so over-used. After all, how often do you hear or see it on packaging, in commercials, and in marketing materials for everything from construction to toilet paper? Still, … Continue reading →