It is heart breaking to see so many talented, skilled and creative people struggle so hard to get their small business working and making money. People offer excellent services and very few people sign-up and their business just limps along.

The problem isn’t the service they offer or the expertise they have to give. The whole problem is around their lack of correct focus.

People tend to start their business from their own passion of wanting to teach, give and offer their services to people. They are often surprised that they don’t get enough clients because they know they are good at what they do. The problem is that they are focusing all on their services or products and not  correctly on their business.

After talking with someone for just 10 minutes I can see how their focus is foggy, unclear or confusing. This is the biggest problem. If it feels confusing, people don’t feel a sense of confidence. The focus needs to be crystal clear.  This brings up the next problem.

Most solo entrepreneurs are afraid to focus. They want to keep all the options open. They are making decisions based on their fears without realizing it. What they need to do is focus clearly and then everything will realign and  their potential clients will get it.  It is simple and easy to change your focus, and it is so worth it.  With just a clear adjustment in focus, your business will suddenly shift.  It really works.  Do you want to learn more about how to change your focus?

Solo business owners are notorious for getting overwhelmed on a regular basis.  It can feel like juggling eight eggs, knowing if you drop just one it will break and go sploosh. To avoid this mess, you become like a circus performer and run around from one thing to another keeping all the eggs in the air.

Instead of the eggs dropping and breaking, you begin to droop and feel like you are running out of energy. Mentally you begin to feel drained and start wondering why you started this business anyway.

What do you do when you have a whole list of stuff, all of it important and you feel pulled this way and that.  You’re not sure where to put your energy first.

When this happens to me I feel like crawling under the covers and hiding or my addictive brain thinks if I just eat more I’ll have more energy. Actually, it’s just the opposite.

Here are a few things that work for me. I would love to know what works for you.

1. Get everything out of your head. Write it all down. I use a big whiteboard. Even if I can’t do it all at once, I can still keep track of it this way and I don’t have to worry that I’ll forget.

2. Prioritize.  Since you actually can’t do it all at once you have to decide what is really more important.  For instance, I am developing programs, marketing my new book, getting my new website done, finishing my taxes, cleaning my office and connecting with my clients.
I always put my clients first and then next, is anything that has a hard deadline, like taxes. (ugh)

3. Go out for a short walk, bike ride or just sit in nature for 30 minutes and breath. Doing this always makes me feel more balanced, and from that place I can put the eggs down and stop juggling.

4. Get support.  Call your mentor or other support person and talk about it.  Maybe this is a girl thing, but talking always helps me. There is nothing in this world better than a good listener.

5. Give gratitude that you have a business that is so busy! Imagine each of those eggs being golden eggs, and so stop and really appreciate the value of each one and all you have accomplished, because they are each a part of your success.

After starting numerous small businesses over the years I have discovered that it is easy to start a business. It is much harder to sustain it over the long haul.

Wow- I began all my businesses based on my passion and purpose and I had no idea what it took to run them.

Like most of you, I wanted to succeed but I didn’t know “how” to do it at first.

Many small businesses begin from their product or service. This is particularly true for people who offer a service that requires skill and expertise such as web developers, writers, coaches, health and wellness businesses, organizers and virtually anyone who offers some kind of support services for people. People study, get certified and then decide to begin a business.

I struggled early on so  I  dug in and learned the tricks and tools for making my passion into a real business. Here are 5 essential tips to help you move toward sustainability in your business.

Here are 5 essential tips to help any small micro-business owner overcome the obstacles to sustainability.

1. Your product and service is only a very small part of your business. It is important to focus on the other parts as well which include organizational systems, money management and leadership.

2. Know your core marketing message. Too many solo-business owners try to market to “everyone,” instead of focusing in on a niche.

3. It is important to make a business plan that allows you to see the steps to growing your business over the next 10 years. Most solo-business owners begin under financial stress and focus entirely on immediate cash flow instead of planning for steady growth.

4. Find a mentor to help you overcome any self-doubt that will hold you back. Most solo-business owners are too cautious and make decisions from fear rather than empowerment. Regardless of your age or what you are selling, developing a positive attitude and focus is essential.

5. Be willing to do whatever it takes, even if this means doing some things you don’t enjoy. Every business has elements that are not as fun, but in the long run will be gratifying.

Enjoy the freedom that comes from knowing you have overcome all odds and made your small business a big success.

I encourage my clients to publish articles online in order to build their expertise and brand.

This is true for many kinds of businesses but very advantageous for service based business owners, like web developers, coaches, health practitioners, etc.

Regardless of what industry you are in, there is something you can write about that would be helpful to your potential clients.  Writing articles and getting them onto online article banks will:

•  Get you more exposure.
•  Establish your expertise in your area of focus.
•  Help you build a relationship with your community.

One of my clients who is a naturopath specializes in children. She wrote an article called “5 Ways to Get Your Children to Eat Healthy Food,” and the traffic to her website increased dramatically, as she  offered free kid friendly, healthy recipes on her website.

Some business owners are thrown into major anxiety when I encourage them to write articles. They are unsure about writing and feel blocked, so I am offering an easy formula that takes the fear and anxiety out for the process. If you follow these  5 easy steps you can write a good article in less than 30 minutes and it will be meaningful and offer value to your potential clients.

1. Make a list of questions your clients or customers are asking you?
Questions that have emotion are the best ones. If you have followed my 7-step marketing circle you should know exactly what your clients want to know.  Pick one question that you feel you could respond to if you were talking one-on-one to someone.

2. Write a short paragraph or two about this question and why it is so important to them. How will this make a difference to the reader and what benefits will they receive?

3. Come up with 5 simple keys, tips or steps you can offer. You will be delving into your own expertise here and giving valuable help or advice. It won’t be a struggle if it is something you really know about.

4. Write a couple sentences about each of these 5 points and use bullet points or numbers as that makes them easy to read. Elaborate on each one and flesh it out.

5. Write a short paragraph at the end, summarizing the benefits again and what will happen if someone follows these 5 points.

You are done. All that is left is to create a compelling headline using the number 5 or 3 or whatever number you have chosen.  For some reason odd numbers seem to be better,  The number is good because people like articles that offer clear information. The number makes people curious. Online, people have a short attention span so 500 words is a good maximum length. Notice how easy this was to do. Every time you write it gets easier and faster.

Today is Valentines Day and I know a lot of people feel this is just another commercial holiday and not very meaningful, however I beg to differ.

Considering that we all live in a world that is overflowing with violence and fear, this is one sweet, peaceful opportunity to put forth positive energy. What can be more positive and peaceful than “love?”

Here are five loving things you can do today in honor of this heartfelt holiday.

1. Send a huge valentine and acknowledgment to each person on your team. They support you and are there for you when you need them. Show your gratitude in some way. Even an e-card will suffice.

2. Buy a card or flowers for someone special in  your life. This small act has two positive features. You will be doing something really nice for someone you care about, whether it’s your partner, your mom or your best friend. Secondly, buying something locally helps the local economy and supports another business.

3. Put some flowers in your office on your desk right where you can see them.  A feng shui person told me that the best place to put them is  at the far left corner of your desk, which is the wealth area. Your business will like this:)

4. Do something really nice for yourself today. Running your own business is a lot of work and sometimes feels overwhelming. Give yourself a pat on the back and reward yourself for all the hard work and focus.

5. Commit to work-life balance in your business. Plan a time away for at least a couple days. Go to the beach, the mountains or somewhere to re-fresh. Put it on your calendar and make the decision today.

Of course, putting for all this love and appreciation will come back one hundred fold. Just imagine your business smiling