When is it time to look at what you are charging for your products or services? First, review it annually. Why? In a word - inflation. Every year the value of the dollar changes. In a good year the inflation rate is 2 -- 3%. In tough years it can … [Read more...]
Have Fear But Do It Anyway
Last night was my Toastmasters club meeting. I have been a member of the Clackamas Stepping Stones for more than 20 years. In fact, my time in business is only a couple of months longer than my membership in Toastmasters. I can state with total … [Read more...]
Setting Your Fees
Setting fees is a mathematical process, not a shot at a dart board. There are two ways to calculate what you should charge. The first method is based on financial requirements. Total up everything you need to cover personal living expenses – be … [Read more...]
2 Early Lessons I’ve Never Forgotten
If nothing else, starting a business is starting a journey of learning. In my case, that was a good thing! I love to learn - always have and always will. Here are two things I learned early on that have served me well for more than 20 years. If … [Read more...]
Owning Your Job
For almost a decade I owned a business. Then I learned that what I really owned was my job. I had the privledge of learning small business management under the guiding hand of Dr. Thoma Jones, PhD. through my local Small Business Development … [Read more...]
What’s In A Name?
The first order of business now that I had a business, was figuring out the company name. It has been both enduring and ever evolving. In 1987, I had never heard of a professional organizer but I knew that what I was now doing independently was … [Read more...]
The Accidental Business
Since my goal for this blog is to share my journey and the lessons along the way, it makes sense to start at the beginning. This is the how and why of my start as a business owner. The general thinking is that people who own businesses always … [Read more...]
To Blog or Not To Blog
OK, so it’s a bit cliché to fall back on Shakespeare in my first blog post but it is relevant to my ambivalence about blogging. To blog or not to blog has been a question I’ve been wrestling with for some time. You already know my answer – you’re … [Read more...]