How to Keep Your Entrepreneurial Spirit Strong in Challenging TimesWritten by Anne-Marie Rennick
Hope, opportunities and possibilities - these are lifeblood of entrepreneurial spirit. Yet now, with world events, economic forecasts, and reality of your own bottom-line your entrepreneurial spirit may be having trouble responding. You may not feel hope, see opportunities or imagine possibilities yet they still exist. Here are ten tips for keeping your entrepreneurial spirit strong during these challenging times. Reflect and reposition Now is a perfect time to reflect on who you are and what you are creating in this world. Does your business reflect your principles and values? Are you working from paradigms of 'new economy' or sticking to old economy? Are you boldly creating your own reality or following others? Reconnect with your passion and reposition your business accordingly. Collaborate To collaborate is to work in partnership with others. Who else is doing work that is similar or complimentary to yours? Do they have a solid reputation? How might collaboration be of benefit to everyone involved? Answer these three basic questions and then invite your potential collaborators for a coffee and explore possibilities. Reconnect with your customers, suppliers and employees You do not operate in a vacuum. Your customers, suppliers and employees are living this reality. Reconnect with them. Now is a time for human connection. Shake hands, make eye contact, smile - be deliberate in your human interactions. Provide as much of a sense of stability as possible. Get to know people in your neighborhood It is amazing variety and scope of businesses that exists in your own neighborhood. Join your local Chamber of Commerce, or a networking group and get to know your business neighborhood. You never know - you might find perfect partner for collaboration. Accept 100% responsibility for your survival When you accept 100% responsibility for your own survival you stop looking for excuses and you start looking for solutions. You call upon your entrepreneurial spirit to be creative, to find new and improved ways of doing business. Your desire for success must be greater than forces that would like to stand in your way. Roar like a lion. Feel your determination. Move boldly forward with courage of a warrior or warrior princess and wisdom of ages.
| | Do You Act Like a Professional?Written by Betty Ann Wilkins
What does it take to be considered a Professional? Webster's dictionary defines a professional as engaging in an occupation for money. Does this mean that by just engaging in a profession you are a professional? Of course not. To be considered a professional you not only need to have a great deal of knowledge and experience in your chosen field, but you must also conduct business in a professional manner.To develop a professional image requires time and effort. Let's take a look at areas of your business where you should show professionalism. * Communications * Your attitude can make or break you. The way you deal with clients, associates, suppliers, other business people, questions, requests, complaints, and all other types of business communications will highly reflect on your own professional image. In all communications you should consider this before responding. Always be courteous. Be well mannered, respectful and warm. Say, "thank you", "please", "You're welcome" whenever appropriate. Make sure you let people know that you appreciate their time and effort ---- don't forget to include letting your clients know that you appreciate their business. Never misrepresent yourself or your products/services. Your honesty with clients and associates will go along way. Remember that you must earn their trust -- you cannot do that if you are not honest to a fault. Being honest will gain you life-long relationships with your clients and associates. * Products & Customer Relations * Always deliver more than was expected. Make sure your clients receive even more value than they anticipated. If you don't they will most probably be disappointed with you and will not become a repeat customer. Repeat customers are more important than sale. A repeat customer will buy more of your products and will praise your products to others that may buy from you as well.
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