It's hard enough dealing with all problems that will crop up, but you also need to be careful of scams. Many scam artists prey on business's, both large and small. If you receive a bill in mail, check to be sure you ordered, and received, product before sending out a check. If you didn't order product, don't pay for it. Also, if someone calls about renewing something, like a yellow page ad, be sure this is company you think it is, and that it's really time to renew. The scam artists may threaten you by saying that they have a recording of Mr. X (one of your employees) ordering product and if you don't pay they will take you to court. If this happens, keep a record of all contacts they make with you, and file a complaint with Better Business Bureau and contact your local police department.

This happened to my girlfriend, Linda-Ann. A company called and told her secretary that they were associated with AT&T, which they weren't, and wanted to know if she wanted to renew her Yellow Pages ad. The secretary knew that Linda-Ann had an ad in Yellow Pages, so she said yes. However, when bill arrived it was from a totally unknown phone book. Linda-Ann called and told them to cancel it, and battle began. They said she had given them permission and they even had a tape recording of her secretary agreeing to it. Linda-Ann contacted police and AT&T and found out that this company had been doing same thing to many local companies, including Chamber Of Commerce. She lodged a complaint with police, Better Business Bureau and even contacted local newspaper, which did a story about her experiences. She then wrote this company and told them all that she had done. They eventually sent Linda-Ann an invoice canceling what they said she owed. She never heard from company again.

Scam artists may also offer you a discount if you balk at paying for product. They will also try to get you to pay for return shipping and a restocking fee. Just remember, if you're victim of a scam, pay them nothing.

Also, be very careful about anything that requires you to buy a starter kit. This is often mark of a scam.

Now that you're running your own business, take full advantage of freedom this gives you. Create, or have created for you, stationary, envelopes and business cards that reflect your personality. Choose a paper that you like for these and design products that have a "look" so that clients will recognize your stationary at a glance. I use same font and grey paper for my letterhead, envelopes and business cards (on cover stock). This shows my clients that I care enough about my business to create a professional image, and it helps me to stand out from crowd.