"It is only in the country that we can get to know a person or a book."Cyril Connolly
|
| |
10 Things To Do When Business Slows Down Over The Holidays
I’m sure you’ve seen it happen every year: your business slows down during predictable times, like the summer vacation months or year-end holidays. For the self-employed who rely upon steady cash flow, this can be a disconcerting time. Should you just ...
Gracefully Accepting Feedback a Key Employment Skill
With the long-term trend of protecting employees' individual self esteem added to an overriding concern over expensive employee lawsuits, accountability is more a buzzword than a way of life at most companies. This is a state of mind that has existed ...
What’s It Worth?
Sound financial business planning means taking ongoing assessment steps looking at the business from multiple perspectives including capitalization, expansion, menu concepts, cash flow and even an exit strategy. Whether you are a chef dreaming of your ...
|
|
|
| |
I’m sure you’ve seen it happen every year: your business slows down during predictable times, like the summer vacation months or year-end holidays. For the self-employed who rely upon steady cash flow, this can be a disconcerting time. Should you just take a vacation until things naturally pick up again? Or should you try to find the needle-in-the-haystack business that might be out there during slow times?
This year, vow to be different! Instead of languishing in no-business-never-land, get off your butt and do something to build the foundation of your business so that natural business cycles don’t affect you too deeply:
- Clean your office. Go through all the piles of papers and magazines that have been sitting around and get rid of them once and for all. Remember the office organizing mantra: do it, ditch it or delegate it. File all your papers, dust and vacuum your office. Reorganize your desk and your office so that you can find everything you need in 60 seconds or less.
- Take a mini-vacation from work. Walk away from your office and enjoy a day or two of renewal and relaxation. Go to a day spa. Take a weekend retreat. Go for a walk in the local park. Breathe.
- Get ready for tax season. If your business slows down during December, no worries! Use that time to prepare your tax files so that you can whiz through tax season (it’s coming sooner than you expect!). Tally business-related mileage for year. Estimate your last tax payment for the current year (many self-employed people make quarterly estimated tax payments; the final payment is usually due on January 15). Send your final invoices for the current year.
- If the slow time falls around the holidays, use them to your advantage. Get into the holiday spirit with your clients by mailing holiday cards and gifts to them. Make specially-discounted holiday offers to clients/customers. Offer them gift certificates that they can give to their family and friends for your services and products.
- Do your accounting. Enter all revenue and expenses into your recordkeeping system. Balance your checkbook.
- Become goal-oriented. Take this down-time to look at your current goals, to see how you’re doing
so far and to write some new goals for the next 12 months. Create an updated marketing plan and budget. Make sure your budget includes a cash reserve to cover you during slow business times. Even if this business slow time falls mid-year, you can still spend time planning for the next 12-24 months.
- Go back to school. List the topics you’d like to study, the classes you’d like to take, or the books you’d like to read, to keep you up-to-date with your industry and business skills. Use your quiet business times to read, study and add to your intelligence pool.
- Get some personal chores done. Slow business times are ideal to schedule your annual dental and eye exams. It’s also a great time to clean out the attic, garage or basement. Remember, a strong personal foundation helps to propel your business forward.
- Go shopping. No, not for personal items (though that’s always fun!), but for business items. Have you been putting off buying a new PC? Now’s the time to research what’s out there and determine your next computer purchase. Is your office chair uncomfortable? Spend some time at office furniture stores “butt-testing” for a quality office chair that will support you properly. Stock up your office supplies. Buy some music CDs to play in your office to inspire you.
- Spend time with family and friends. When business is busy, it’s easy to sequester yourself away to get all that work done. Now that business is slow, come out of your cocoon and visit with family and friends. They’ve been wondering where you’ve disappeared to!
As you can see, slow business times can be used productively to prepare you for the next burst of business coming your way. Renew your business, your office, your Self, and create a firm foundation for the busy business days ahead! Always ask yourself, “How can I use these days wisely?”
Karyn Greenstreet is a Self Employment expert and small business coach. She shares tips, techniques and strategies with self-employed people to boost clarity and focus, create sustainable motivation, and increase sales and profits. Visit her website at www.PassionForBusiness.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 In Texas School, Teachers Carry Books and Guns - Herald Tribune
HARROLD, Tex. — Students in this tiny town of grain silos and ranch-style houses spent much of the first couple of days in school this week trying to guess which of their teachers were carrying pistols under their clothes. Rex Curry for The New ...
What books are selling in Chicagoland? - Chicago Tribune
1. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (Hyperion, $21.95): A book based on a lecture about living given by a university professor who died in July of pancreatic cancer at 47. 2. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown, $10.99 paper): The first book ...
Arts & Books Digest - Thecalifornian.com
Erin Cashier of Boulder Creek has been honored at the L. Ron Hubbard Achievement Awards in Hollywood for a story she authored. Cashier's story, "Cruciger," won first place in the fourth quarter of the Writers of the Future Contest. She was treated to ...
Events: Alley Cat Players to present poetry-inspired 'Becoming the ... - St. Petersburg Times
John Capouya ( Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad-Boy Wrestler Who Created American Pop Culture ) will discuss and sign his book at 7 p.m. Thursday at Inkwood Books, 216 S Armenia Ave., Tampa. Christopher Baker ( Moon Cuba and Moon Costa Rica ) will ...
Electrifying discovery lights up history books - Peterborough Evening Telegraph
AN ILLUMINATING discovery means a retired electrician could be the owner of Britain's oldest working lightbulb – which is still glowing strong after more than 100 years. Roy Fisher (78) made the incredible find while renovating a house, and dug it ...
|
