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Want to be more inspired in your work day? The answer could be that you need to improve in the area of discipline. Managing your time well is something that you get better at the more you apply practical discipline in this area. One useful way to be more in control of your day is to literally buy yourself more time.

Take a look at three benefits of using time to manage your day: Focus, Organization, Productivity.

Focus

Focus keeps you on track when you are compelled to tackle many things at once. You may be fortunate to have your own company and design your ideal career but for many this can be a distraction. Work that is interesting consumes our time and takes away from working on other areas of business. For example, you might enjoy doing research more than the back office administration. By using a timer as a tool it can help you work on one thing through completion rather than multitasking to get things done. Learn how to pinpoint what you can accomplish in a certain amount of time so that you know your limits and how to best fit tasks into your schedule.

Organization

Timers also help you organize thoughts by keeping you focused on getting things. As a business owner you handle the income producing activities in your company. Product development and projects management are two of your main priorities. And up until now you might be all over the place in terms of how to best manage your creativity. There is something about having to come up with thoughts in a limited amount of time that really gets your inspiration flowing because it pushes you to be more purposeful. Using a timer can help you master the process more efficiently by developing a quick outline, supporting tasks and sticking to them.

Productivity

If you want to increase productivity having a timer is a great place to start. It makes you turn things out quicker because you realize subconsciously that you have a quota to reach. When you know that the bell will ring at the designated time you set your mind to get things done. Remember being back in school and knowing that your class will end and the next will begin when the bell rings? It is the same principle in business. When you assign things to be done by a certain time your adrenaline increases and you become more productive. Why? You want to prove to yourself that you can. It is invigorating when you meet your goals. It is even better when you become more proficient and excel in the area by exceeding them.

By using this simple tool you will be able to save lots of time with a small investment in a timer. Use it well and grow your business.

Ever wondered how you can be in a mastermind group and watch your team members have an aha moment about a project one day then it is up and running the next? Well, it is exciting to be in the midst of women in business who are bursting with new ideas and creativity. There's lots of good energy around them and they allow nothing to get in their way. But creativity alone is not what keeps visionaries from getting stuck in dreamland. When you have an idea that you want to implement, you can speed up the process with the following tips to create business goals and objectives that move you from thought to action right way.

What's Your Mission?

A good place to start is your company's mission. Each goal and objective should support the mission and move you closer to fulfillment. Use bullet points for each item and consider your target population and their needs.

List Your Goals

The goals that you choose should be in line with your company's mission. Start by creating three to five goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timely (also known as SMART goals). Think in terms of the target that you want your company to reach. Some examples of business goals might be to "Increase market share 20% by December 20xx" or "Reduce overhead costs by 35% over the next two years." You may have a long list of goals that you want to achieve but it is best to work on the ones that makes the most impact the fastest and those that you have the resources to support.

Identify Objectives

After you identify business goals then you can create the supporting objectives. These are the tactics that will help you arrive at your goals. It helps to give each objective a priority ranking. Be realistic and know that you may not accomplish everything at once. Remember that Rome was not built in a day and chances are that this is true of your company as well.

Assess Your Needs

Finally, list the needs for each goal and objective that you create and assess the resources that are available. Following this process allows you to see where your strengths are and where you need additional resources for your strategy. Do not be afraid to seek outside assistance for things that you need. Remember the SWOT analysis in marketing? It is a good idea to draw upon these principles because they will help you turn goals and objectives into reality.

Being aware of what it takes to create goals and objectives in business will help you get ideas out of your head and onto paper. Use these tips the next time you sit down to plan your business strategy. To learn how to get better results with business planning at http://www.tbsusa.com

Having a home based business can be fun but it takes a lot of work to get a company off the ground. People often see the glitz and glamour of work-at-home business owners but do not often see what goes on behind the scenes. What follows are some of the pros and cons of living and working in the same place.

#1: Be Your Own Boss

Owning a home-based business is quite an exciting time in the life of an entrepreneur. For those who are serious about growing their company the effort is very challenging. There is a lot to learn and you wear many hats so there is rarely a dull moment in business. However, this also means that you lose much of the freedom that you may be used to in terms of spending time with family and friends. The flip side is when you run a home-based business you should not have to go it alone. When possible seek help from others to avoid burnout and overwhelm. A good place to start is with your family, friends, or colleagues who may want to earn extra money. Another option is to hire contract employees such as a virtual assistant, bookkeeper, or accountant.

#2: Set Your Own Salary

Having your own business is not like working a traditional job where you receive a regular pay. In fact, when you are just getting started there may be consecutive periods where you barely earn enough to break-even. However, as demand for your products and services increase there will be limitless opportunities to create the income and lifestyle of your dreams. Stay focused on improving sales and maximizing the bottom line so that you can reap the benefits of ample profits.

#3: Comforts of Home

Having an office in your home is convenient. Many people who work-at-home pride themselves on being able to run their business in their pajamas. However, one point that should be made is that although comfort is a benefit it must not overshadow your attitude of professionalism. So even if you are a no suit environment keep in mind that customers may not see the clothes you have on but they do see the results of your mindset.

Working from home is a great way to create your ideal lifestyle. This article highlights just a few of the things that happen behind the scenes. Talk with other entrepreneurs to get a better idea of working from home so that you know if this is the right move for you. To get more tips about running a home based business visit http://www.tbsusa.com

There are a host of activities involved in running a small business. And being every woman leaves you with a full schedule with lots of attention to detail and decision-making. It's no surprise that part of being a business owner involves being in control over business finances. Ensuring that there is ample cash and knowing how to manage money is a skill that you will need to develop. Let's look at three components that will help you prepare a more accurate business budget: budgeting, planning, and forecasting.

Budgeting

Business budgeting involves the management of your company's financial resources. In order for the process to be done well budget managers should carefully monitor the sources and uses of cash in the business. This is important because it allows you to put your finger on the pulse of financial activity. By understanding what is normal in the course of business such as seasonal revenues or abnormal cash injections you can better project your financial position at a given point in time by becoming familiar with the ebbs and flows of cash.

Planning

In planning the allocation of resources there are various tools that can help you in budgeting. Some resources include accounting software that have budgeting features included in them. Some spreadsheet programs also have budgets that are pre-formatted for you. Alternatively, if you are tech savvy then you might also choose to design a business budget from scratch. Whatever method you choose remember that your forecasts are only as good as the input that you use. Be sure to use reliable data and double-check formulas that you create in spreadsheet programs.

Forecasting

Forecasting your budget is more of an art than a science. The more research that you do the closer to accurate your numbers will be. Don't simply rely on your instincts. Check out past financial reports to see the ups and downs of your business. If you are starting a new company then you can also get information from other business owners who have companies similar to yours or by speaking with an accountant or business consultant that has knowledge of your industry.

Now that you are aware of the role of budgeting in your company and some of the tools that managers use in the process you are on track to creating a budget of your own. If you want to learn more about preparing forecasts for your business visit http://www.tbsusa.com

There are several different types of business documents that you may need as a business owner. Let's take a look at the most common business documents that are typical in most companies.

Assumed Name

There are many documents that are used by businesses today. If you are serious about your company and want to go from hobby to a full fledged business owner then the first step you will want to do is claim your name. The simplest way to get started is by completing Assumed Name documents. This applies if there will be one owner and you operate an unincorporated business.

Articles of Incorporation

If there will be more than one owner and you decide to incorporate the business then you will need to have Articles of Incorporation. When setting up a corporation you will need to complete what is known as Articles of Incorporation. This applies to you if you want to operate a profit based or non-profit corporation.

Tax Identification Number

After you have secured your business name and filed the necessary paperwork then contact the Internal Revenue Service if forming a company in the United States. You will need the name of your business as well as the names and contact information of your business officers. A tax identification number can be applied for by phone or online at http://www.irs.gov. Most business owners will need a tax identification number. A few instances of when a Tax ID is required are when you hire employees and open a business bank account.

Sales Tax License

If your company will sell taxable items then you will need to apply for a sales tax account. Most States have a website that makes it convenient for you to register online. Check with your State to see if it has sales tax registration forms available.

Other documents that are commonly used in business are financial reports, income tax returns, and insurance papers, to name a few. Depending upon your business, there may be others such as business licenses and certifications. Be sure to check with your locality to find out which of these documents you business will need.

For more information on the business documents and recordkeeping visit http://www.tbsusa.com.

Real Talk: Startups Don't Payup Right Away. - LaShanda Henry, StartupSista eCourse

Hi LaShanda, hope you are well. Love your video's and Ebooks! I have 2 questions I would like to ask you. #1) For business, such as a position of coaching or leadership would you suggest a fan page or personal page? What would be the pros and cons? My second question is: What program or video editing program do you u...se to be able to input your banners and logos for branding your videos? I have Mac and PC. Thank you kindly for your time! - Laura

When I first sat down to write the list of keywords I wanted to optimize my website for, it took me about 30 minutes to come up with a whopping three phrases. One of them was "information technology" and I can't remember the other two, but they were just as silly. Why silly? Because they were too general and broad and I had no chance of ranking high for those words. Our search engine optimization campaigns should focus more on the long-tail and/or niche keyword phrases and less on those that are too broad or general.

If you're having trouble making a good list of keywords, start with the following: Click here to continue reading...