People often paint this picture of entrepreneurship as an overnight success fairy tale. You come up with a business idea, build a team to help execute that idea and voila, instant success. That is hardly a true depiction of success. You rarely hear about what really goes on behind the scenes to build a successful brand. Most of the time, it’s because entrepreneurs don’t want to tell people how they struggled, or what they struggled with in their business. Some are forth right with their experiences, while others simply gloss over the harsh realities of what it takes to launch a successful business. Here are 5 things the experts won’t tell you about starting a business: Building a brand takes

Having an accountability partner is much different than having a best friend. Your relationships differ based on the foundation in which the relationship is built upon. The common goal you and your accountability partner share is entrepreneurship. The truth is, an accountability partner is great to have for a number of reasons: Motivation It’s one thing to have a friend or family member root for you while on your entrepreneur journey however, it’s another to be motivated by someone who actually knows your business, understand what it’s like to be an entrepreneur and who can keep you motivated during the most challenging times in your business. Transparency Having an accountability partner al

Financial success in business is dependent upon budgeting, planning and forecasting. Understanding money management and its impact on your business will prepare you for financial success. Here are 10 helpful methods to help you reach financial success in business: Budget Budgeting for both personal and business expenses can be challenging at times but is necessary. Many business owners will make the mistake of not preparing their budgets properly and will overlook key important factors that attribute to starting, and maintaining a business. Create a budget for both your personal and business expenses. Your budget should include both fixed and unexpected expenses. Questions to consider when p

So you've thought about taking out a small business loan to help fund your business. I want to give you a few pointers about the loan process. Speaking from someone who used to work in the banking industry for over a decade, here’s what you will need to know about applying for a loan. You have to be upfront and honest with your banker. Painting a complete picture of your current economic status, and future business goals, will help your lender help you. Be upfront and as honest as possible so that there are no surprises. Interview more than one lender prior to accepting a loan from the bank. You want to ensure that the banker of your choice will work in your best interest. Don’t just apply

Self-care is one of the most important aspects of your business. Take a break, relax and rejuvenate at least once a week. Here are a few tips to help you "recharge your batteries" after a long day: Bath Run some hot water, burn some scented candles, turn off the lights and turn on some Sade…or whatever you like. Up the ante and a luxury touch to your bath! Since bubble products are considered to “unhealthy” for your skin, try adding natural products such as Milk or Honey which will leave your skin for soft. The Milk and honey exfoliates your skin, leaving it silky and smooth. How to take a milk and honey bath: Pour 1-2 cups of milk (or 1/2 c. full-fat powdered milk) and 1/2 c. honey under ru

You’ve been avoiding your debt situation for far too long now. The bills are continuously piling high, the debt collection phone calls have increased from once a day to up to 3 times a day. Your anxiety and stress levels have also increased causing you to lose sleep. Your financial situation is starting to put a strain on your marriage. You’ve reached the point in your life where you feel defeated and just can’t seem to think about how you’re going to get out of this financial situation.Many of you have dreams and financial goals you’d like to achieve however, debt is blocking you from pursuing them. Here’s the thing, you are not alone. I’ve had my fair share of financial setbacks that resul

Are you looking for ways to fund a project? Do you need funds for your research and development business? Here are 10 grants for small businesses with areas of focus on innovation, research and development. Small Business Innovative Research Program The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization. Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) is another program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development (R&D) arena. Central to the program is expansion of the public/pri