One of the traits of a great business owner is that they freely give back. They give back to their team, their clients, and their community. They also seek to help other business owners by sharing what they have learned! Since January is National Mentoring Month, I have been thinking about how, as a young business owner, I would have loved to have access to what I know now.

I decided to share these thoughts by writing to my younger self.

This turned out to be a bit more difficult that I thought; there is a lot I would have…

Whether your business has grown or you have had to pivot significantly this year, one thing is certain: in order for you to stay focused and grow in a sustainable way, you need to build a business plan.

This seems like common sense, but it is a step that many small business owners overlook. It may seem like an unnecessary step, but this just isn’t true. It is actually one of the most important things you can do for your business!

Many times, entrepreneurs skip this step because they are just not sure how to write a business plan. It…

Easy ways you can show your support!

Small businesses are everywhere. Literally! In fact, current statistics indicate that approximately 99% of all businesses in America fall into the small business category. These companies add so much to our society, and the owners need our support.

As you may know, I am a huge fan of small businesses — so much so that I have built my own business around the idea of helping small business owners grow and thrive!

You don’t have to go that far to support these incredible entrepreneurs, though — you can show them your support in…

Leading Your Team Series

Let me tell you a little story about Bill, the business owner. He was facing a pivotal moment as his business was about to either soar high or fail fast. As with many business owners, the little nagging fears and self-doubts were weighing heavily on his shoulders as he approached the conference room with his team. He entered the room to big smiles and quickly went to the head of the board room table. However, the group soon noted his dampened enthusiasm and looks of despair. He started talking about the launch they would hit that day for the newest…

Leading Your Team Series

Have you ever been in a conversation where one side dominates, and everyone else is left just listening? Now think back to a great discussion in the last few weeks. Chances are it included a lot of back and forth and an enjoyable discourse.

Communication is the heart of our being. It is at every level of our life, from internal dialog to family, to friends, to the workplace.

If you are a business owner, developing your communication skills is vital to lead your team. That is because developing rapport is what drives agreement and unity.

So, what is rapport?

…

Whether you are a business owner or a manager or an employee, conflict arises, and the more you can hone your skill to manage that conflict, the better you can handle the situation.

Too often, minor issues spiral out of control when individuals are tired or overworked and not in the right “place” to address the situation appropriately. Here are some considerations to strengthen your skills of communication.

The Start to Most Conflict

Most frequently, in-office conflict stems from miscommunications. An essential part of growing a team is to help educate everyone on different communication styles. On the one hand, a person may be blunt…

Fast Growth Tip: Choose Your Words

As a business owner with a fast-growing business, I make dozens of decisions every single day. Understanding my values and what I am striving for is a huge component. As I hit the one-year anniversary, I revisited our brand and how we want to show up every day. We ultimately found the three key checkmarks that we need to hit for each decision are the following:

Is it Vibrant? Is it Fun? And, is it Streamlined?

That quick checklist helps me stay in alignment with our brand and our goals for our team and our company.

While searching that out…

It’s 3pm and I’m starving and tired…I only got 5 hours of sleep last night. My assistant just walked into my office at the law firm with a pile of materials in her arms. She plops down opposite me, ready to drive through all her questions so she can move forward on all of HER projects.

Unfortunately, I am not in the mood. I’m hungry, tired, and overly stressed with the 14 other things on my plate that are all more pressing, including a massive deadline.

Imagine the scene.

Can you guess what happened next?

I bet you can.

My…