Business Consultants

Archive for December, 2010

So you think you’re not justified in taking time away from your business because you’re self-employed? Here are five great reasons why you should definitely take a vacation:

1. Physical down time
You work hard to grow and maintain your business. Trying to be superhuman will certainly take its toll if you allow it to. Give your body a break by taking in some R&R.

2. Mental down time
Your days are filled with busy, sometimes even hectic, day-to-day activities related to your business. If you don’t allow yourself to get away from it once in a while, your peace of mind and general well-being will most definitely suffer. Get out and play. Your mind will thank you!

3. Spend time with loved ones
Your family and friends see you working, working, working, sometimes rarely coming up for air. Both you and they will appreciate spending some quality time together.

4. See the world (or your own back yard)
The important thing is to do something you enjoy, whether it’s traveling or, if that’s not your cup of tea or you don’t have the budget for it, spend time at home. If you also work out of your home, this could be challenging. The key is to stay out of your office during your vacation time. Try getting creative with this. Make your office “off limits” by closing the door and placing a sign on it. Do whatever it takes to keep your mind off working. How about a hobby or a day trip to the beach? Think of what you can do within your budget that’s fun. Or do nothing at all!

5. You have a life
Although this one is a no-brainer, it surprises me how many small business owners don’t feel as if they deserve time off. There is too much to do, and not enough hours in the day to get it all done. Well, I’ve got news for you. It’s always going to feel that way! Only you have the power to allow yourself time off. Even if you prefer only to take a day here and a day there instead of a week-long (or longer) vacation each year, that’s a whole lot better than never taking time off. Trust me, you’ll feel better about yourself and your work if you take regular vacation time. You’ll be healthier, too!

“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.”
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Sometimes it’s an easy choice to leave a company. However, one of the most important choices that you can make in your career is to leave your current employer in the right way. Like any other relationship, there are faults and virtues with every company. At the end of a relationship, people tend to focus on the faults.

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
When you leave a company, it is like breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Regardless of how you do it, there will still be emotions. The longer the relationship, the deeper the feelings. Keep this in mind during the separation. People express their emotions in different ways so be prepared to respond with compassion.

IT’S A SMALL WORLD
I’ve learned first hand not to burn bridges. In fact, I was hired by my former boss within two years of leaving the company. He had moved onto a bigger job with another company and thought of me when a position came open in his department. Since we already had a great relationship, the interview process was both short and painless. Also, the job was a significant step up for me both professionally and financially.

TO DO OR NOT TO DO?
Here are a few do’s and don’ts that may help make the transition a little easier for everyone.

DO write and give a simple resignation letter to your immediate boss and, perhaps, your Human Resources Director, if appropriate. By putting a few key items in writing, it memorializes your intention to leave the company. It also gives you a chance to pre-play the discussion with your boss. The letter should include the following: your last day on the job, open items that you need to complete prior to leaving, and any work that you will need to pass off to someone else.

DON’T say anything negative about the company or anyone working for the company. While this is a good policy to employ at all times, it is even more critical when you are leaving. Disgruntled employees may seek you out during this time to air their negative feelings about the company or people working for the company. Resist the temptation to entertain these conversations. It is likely that your comments will be shared with others.

DO give as much advance notice as possible to allow for a smooth transition. Typically, this is two to four weeks. Use your best judgment to decide how long you will need to give keeping in mind what’s best for the company. Be aware that is also possible that the company will ask you to leave immediately, especially if you’re going to work for a competitor. This is nothing personal and should not be considered an insult.

DO work hard until you leave. It’s perfectly natural to get “short-timer’s disease” as you have already mentally moved onto the new position. Whether discussing movies, books, or relationships; people generally remember the beginning and end more than the middle.

DON’T take anything that is not yours. Whether it’s a stapler, a book that belongs to the company, copy paper, or paper clips; leave them behind. While you’re at it, tidy up a bit.

DO make yourself available for your replacement. If the company hires your replacement before you leave, offer to train them. Even after you have departed, it’s a good idea to leave a phone number where you can be reach with times that it is acceptable to call.

DON’T abuse e-mail, the telephone, or the internet during your last days. Be sure to keep your communication as professional as you have during your tenure.

There’s no reason that you still can’t be friends when it’s over. If you are careful to maintain a good reputation with the company, their suppliers, their customers, and employees; it will pay off considerably. It may not happen right away, but your paths will cross again.

Evaluating the home business opportunity.

If you are serious about making money online, then you cannot ignore the possibilities that are offered by home businesses. These days, however, there are so many opportunities available that sifting the wheat from the chaff can become a real problem. Everyone who wants to earn some serious money must acquire some skill in evaluating home business opportunities.

Perhaps the first thing that you will have to learn will be to gauge yourself. Its cliché, but you really do need to know yourself. Why? Because you will essentially be working with yourself in everything that you do, you must at least be familiar with your particular traits, including your talents, abilities, and inclinations. Unless an opportunity “fits” you, you probably won’t be able to use it well; it may even be completely useless to you.

Consider this situation: you are offered the opportunity to become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, one that deals in oil. Your current occupation is that of a kindergarten teacher specializing in art. Chances are, with a combination like this, the CEO position wouldn’t be a good fit for you. It’s an incredible opportunity, to be sure, but it isn’t one that really applies to the person involved. No matter how hard he works, the kindergarten teacher has, at best, a slim chance in making the opportunity work for him.

Conversely, if you are given even just a simple opportunity in an area that you truly love and are talented in, you will most likely succeed. Using our preceding example, let’s imagine that our kindergarten teacher, aside from his teaching duties, is also an amateur painter. He is given the opportunity to display some of his work in a small exhibition, and he works extra hard to improve his craft. In this case, the opportunity presented to him fits his talents and inclinations exactly, and can well be a stepping stone to greater success.

In evaluating home business opportunities, the lesson is this: choose the opportunities that suit you; in areas that you love and have talents in. You will never go wrong by following this path. If you are interested in plants, start a plant nursery. If you are a book lover, consider starting a book club. If you are passionate about beauty products, consider setting up a small shop, maybe even mixing your own concoctions. The possibilities are endless and infinitely varied. Whether you want to sell goods or to provide services, you only have to make sure that you provide a quality product at a reasonable price. As long you as what you have to offer is useful, you should be able to make your own opportunities, not wait for them to come by!

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