happen due to lack of focus, a lack of available resources, ruthless pursuit of short-term success, or the simple fact that the conditions are unsuitable for something new to emerge. Spend as much time and energy as you need getting your business off the ground and into the black.

You have to learn how to talk to both sides of the fence, the customer and the business owner. In order to do this, you have to experience both ends of the spectrum and learn how both view you as a valuable resource. The ability to compromise, get along with people, explore new ideas and work wit...

the right speed is the single most important step in taking your business to the next level. You should not look for sympathy or pity. There are few things more disheartening than taking a risk and failing. Everyone makes mistakes, but if you allow yourself to be emotionally swayed by others

owners make is over-promising and under-delivering. You can never please everyone, so what you need to do is figure out what is really important to you and then deliver that. There are many mistakes that small business owners make when trying to expand or improve their business. One of the bigge...

This clarity only appears once you stop

Starting a business is never without risk. Starting a business with the wrong mindset, however, can sometimes lead to wasting hours and money attempting to grow a business you know isn't going anywhere

This clarity only appears once you stop trying to figure everything out for yourself and start focusing on what really matters, namely, your top clients. Instead of chasing after every new lead (no matter how tempting), focus on identifying that handful of very special customers who are worth pur...

else is doing something doesn’t mean that you shouldn't try to do the same. This goes for leaders and mentors who want their charges to consistently achieve more than they have in the past. You need to trust yourself first before anyone else can help you achieve your goals and desires.

You have to learn how to talk to both sides of the fence, the customer and the business owner. In order to do this, you have to experience both ends of the spectrum and learn how both view you as a valuable resource. The ability to compromise, get along with people, explore new ideas and work wit...

to have a clear sense of what you do, what matters most to you, and what will give you the most pleasure. Do not start building your business solely on the basis of what others say - this is liable to lead to failure.

An American Life by Walter Isaacson is a definitive biography of Benjamin Franklin. The book discusses his life and career as a scientist and inventor, author, musician, politician, diplomat, etc. and traces his adventures through Boston, Philadelphia, London and back. The book also chronicles hi...

to learn when jumping from adventure to adventure is that it doesn’t pay to plan ahead. Planning is a waste of time. Plan nothing. Just jump into things, trusting that at some point they will benefit you. This works especially well if you have not built up any credit term at all.