You have taken care of legalities, you know who your target market is, you have an exceptional product or service and you're ready to get it out there.

This is a very exciting time and you want everything to be perfect and appealing, including your workspace.

You buy a new desk, computer, printer/copier/fax/ scanner, chair, calculator, office supplies, file cabinets, bookshelves, and decorative accessories to make your office attractive.

You may be spending a great deal of time in your workspace and it is important that it be comfortable and ergonomically designed.

Although comfort and functionality are important, be mindful when furnishing and equipping your workplace.

Be aware of what is absolutely necessary and what is a nice-to-have.

Some of today's business giants started by selling out of their garages.

It was not glamorous in beginning, but it was necessary to start their businesses on a solid foundation.

Now, some of these successful entrepreneurs work out of magnificent skyscrapers, have mansions in New England and drive vintage sports cars.

These smart businessmen and women realized that everything didn't have to be perfect or aesthetic when they started.

Some new home-based business owners feel it is necessary to buy state-of-the-art equipment, sign up for all of prominent subscriptions and memberships, stock their shelves with loads of inventory, have expensive art on walls, and create an air of wealth and success in order to impress prospective clients.

This kind of thinking can put you out of race before you even start running!

I remember when I was a consultant for a MLM company. I thought I had to carry every product available to impress my customers.

A startling realization for me was that my biggest show in sales was when I had fewest number of pieces on display.

The customers were able to see quality in each product and did not have to see every piece in order to make a buying decision.

When I decided to terminate my business, I had a closet full of products. I sold quite a few items to another consultant, but still had shelves stocked with unopened product.

What other business or organization would allow you to work in your slippers with curlers in your hair (or whiskers on your face!) while speaking with clients, negotiating contracts, or managing transactions?

How many jobs will afford you opportunity to take a 15-minute break to get dinner on stove or plant a flower garden?

None that I'm aware of.

Today was a workday for me. It was designated as record keeping, strategic planning, creative thinking, get-everything-in-order day.

Today I …

-wrote several business articles -cleaned up my e-mail inbox -paid bills -updated my business expense spreadsheet -analyzed my monthly income statement -reviewed last month's activities and revisited strategies and goals for month ahead -reviewed my client files to determine whether or not check-in e-mails were in order

I accomplished everything I set out to and more.

While working on above tasks, I took several 15- minute breaks. During these breaks I …

-did two loads of laundry -cleaned a bathroom -weeded one flower bed -raked a few dead leaves off lawn -got supper started

When I need to get away from my desk for a while, I take little "breaks" that allow me to work on a small task around house.

Sometimes, I just sit on my back deck with a glass of grape juice or water in my hand, and enjoy warm sun as I watch chipmunks; squirrels and foxes run around yard.

It's a little piece of heaven.

I remember days when I crawled out of bed in morning, scraped an inch of ice off my windshield, and headed to work.

Parking is very expensive in our downtown core, so I would park in a lot a few blocks from my workplace to get a reduced rate. I would wear multiple layers of clothing, big mitts and a warm hat and scarf so I wouldn't freeze while walking (make that running!) to my office building.