Managing Stress In A Small Business

I spotted a van on the interstate with “Too Blessed to Be Stressed” emblazoned across its back windshield. How appropriate that the driver divined that this mantra might be relevant for others to meditate upon while they navigate the freeways.

Stress is considered an occupational hazard for entrepreneurs. Having positive mantras as we navigate our business lives is one way of dealing with stress. But there are times when positive phrases are not enough to manage stress or anxiety. Emotional self-management techniques are helpful in these instances.

After the birth of my first son, I was diagnosed with post-partum depression and suffered from severe anxiety. My husband and I not only held full-time jobs, but were managing our business which included processing orders for our new online sites.

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How to Locate, Hire, and Work With an Article Writer

If you don’t have the time to write web content, it is essential for you to find a trusted person who can do the work for you. However, not everyone who calls themselves an “article writer” is one or, if they do write articles, they may not be familiar with the special techniques needed to make an article “sing” online. As a professional who writes extensively for the web, I am about to share with you some tips to help you find and have a good relationship with a web content writer. You may not choose to use my services, but your professional should be someone whom you can work with.

Do Some Research. Getting the best professional for your job will involve some research on your part. If you locate a particular writer, contact him or her and ask for samples of their writings. Article directories feature the works of many writers who are eager to share their abilities with you.

Get References, Check Sources. Ask your writing candidates for references and check links online. By entering a person’s name in parentheses on the Google search bar, you can uncover a wealth of information about that person. If this person has been writing web content extensively, the search returns should be bountiful. In addition, your writer should have a web site and their site should feature samples of some of their best writings. Read their writing blog too, if they have one.

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How to Manage Customer Expectations

Do you often have the thought that your business would operate so much better without customers and all their demands? They want this, that and the other – all of which interrupts your day! But customer expectations are what drives your business and keeps them coming back.

Do you know what your customers are expecting of you? If not, how can you find out? What will understanding their expectations do for your business? In this article we are going to look at expectations and how it’s important for you and your business to know what they are.

What Do They Expect?

Not many businesses endeavour to find out what their customers want! Owners assume they know. Big mistake! If you want to grow your business, find out what your customers expect of you. How can you do this? Ask them! Why not have an ‘Expectations Week’. Tell your staff that this week’s goal is to ask customers what they expect of the business. Set a target of approaching a certain number of customers a day and just ask, “If I was to ask you what your top 3 expectations of doing business with us are, what would they be?”

Alternatively you could put out an Expectations Book and ask customers to write down their comments. This way, they will not be embarrassed and perhaps may be more frank!

If you operate your business remotely, why not do an e-mail survey? Consider offering a prize to encourage responses.

Great Expectations

What is your customer likely to come up with as expectations of doing business with you? Here are some possible answers:

- Fast and efficient service

- Competitive price

- Quality products

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Awareness and Mastery -Two Essential Keys To a Successful Small Business

At the heart of it, mastery is practice. Mastery is staying on the path."
~ George Leonard
US pioneer in human potential


We often hear managers complaining that their employees aren’t productive, don’t listen and just can’t consistently get the job done.  As a youth sports coach, I hear coaches with similar complaints—the kids don’t listen, don’t know where to go and don’t try very hard.  I can’t relate.  The boys on my team are usually focused, do what I ask of them, and work hard.  As a business owner, my employees are focused, do what I ask of them and work hard.  What am I doing that is different from the rest?  And what can this teach you about running a successful small business?

As a coach, I make my boys’ jobs very simple.  I ask only two things of them.  I ask them to master one shot and I ask them to be aware of what is going on around them.  Of course we work on defensive and offensive strategy, but both of those revolve around the two keys that I gave them for success—awareness and mastery.

I teach awareness by constantly asking them to be aware of where the ball is and at the same time to be aware of their teammates are and where their opponents are.  I teach them how to see the ball and their opponent when he doesn’t have the ball.  Sounds simple, but for ten year olds this is work.

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Best Small Business Idea - Overwhelm - Get It Out of Your Head

If you are like most businesses owners, you’ve experienced overwhelm in your business at one time or another.  Maybe you experience it regularly and for good reason.  Hundreds of things are pulling at you at one time.  You’ve got marketing going, production to oversee, calls to return, employees that need your advice.  It’s never ending right?  How do you possibly handle it all?

Most of the small business owners that I talk to keep almost all of these things in their head.  I ask them where their business plan is.  It’s in their head.  I ask where their employee training manual is.  It’s in their head.  About the only thing that’s written down is their calendar of appointments.  Even a lot of their to-dos are in their head.  Here’s one simple and powerful way to get out of overwhelm—write it all down.

Your overwhelm is in your head because most of  how you run your business is in your head.  Start writing it down and you will start having less overwhelm.  Start taking a little time each day to document your business processes.  Make a list today of the processes that you haven’t recorded.  Cover marketing, production, training, accounting, etc.

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