Read This Before You Switch Phone Service Providers

  First of all, if you are moving to a new service provider but do not need to keep your existing phone number, then there isn’t much to it—you cancel your old service, and start up with your new one. Although keeping your number when switching providers is not complicated, there are a couple of extra steps to complete the process seamlessly. This post assumes that you are keeping your existing number when you switch to a new provider.   If it’s your only number with them, the losing carrier will cancel your service. Many people do not consider this fact when making the phone service switch. If you only have one phone number with your current provider, and you are taking that number with you to the new provider, then your account with the previous provider is going to be cancelled as soon as you transfer your number out. …

Is Technology Really Helping Us to Get More Done?

Generally speaking, it is counterproductive to limit the use of technology for a business, but at the same time, it is absolutely valid to limit your use of technology, personally, to increase productivity. It’s a big pill to swallow for most people today, but to put down technology such as your smartphone at times will actually help you, strange as it seems, to get more done because it’s not helping you as much as you think it is. This is why. Looking away from the screen breeds original ideas and creativity. One thing that is indispensable to a business of any kind is originality and creative ideas. Author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek points out in one of his most famous speeches that, as soon as we encounter any idle time or break in conversation, we go straight for our smartphones, instead of just simply looking around and thinking, or …

All Your Work Doesn’t Matter Unless It’s Effective

  Our time is short in this life to get done what needs to get done. That’s why we constantly think about what we can do better to achieve success in our field, to create a profitable business that we can pass on to our children or at least give them a better start than we had, to make the absolute best of our time. And that is what this post is about—how to not only put in the hours, but to make sure all those hours are spent with clear intent and actually produce results.   Just working hard doesn’t get it. There are a lot of inspiring people out there who are constantly telling you that there is no secret to achieving success, but that you just have to work relentlessly and consistently, every single day. They are definitely not wrong; however, there is more to it because …

Future Capital: Set Money Aside To Build Wealth

  What you’ll see in this post is not groundbreaking by any means. It’s simple, it’s elementary, but it may be one of the most important practices that you employ for your business. It may even save your business one day. Save money consistently. It’s been drilled into our brains since we were kids, and yet most of us still don’t do it because there’s always some other place where we feel it will be more useful, right now. There is a reason that we were always told to save, and that’s because it simply works.   Don’t Lose Sight of the Horizon When we think of capital, it’s not something that we consider very much in the long term. There’s startup capital, working capital—but what about future capital? More than anything, for a small business, you have to always keep the long game on your radar.   Learning Discipline …

Stop Making Excuses

Stop Making Excuses and Attack Your Goals

How comfortable are you with your current professional position? Whether you already have a large company, a solid small business, or are only aspiring to start a business—it’s imperative that you ask yourself this question because if your answer is that you are not satisfied with the level you’re at, then you are doing yourself a huge disservice if you’re not pushing hard for the next level and beyond. If you’re happy where you’re at, have no desire to break into a higher echelon, and are truly fulfilled in your present state, then you’re good! Honestly, you are lucky because most people are not able to find that balance of contentment in their lives; but, if you’re reading this post, it’s probably safe to say that you have a strong desire to grow. It’s Not a Secret Yes, there are some people who naturally have certain traits and talents that …

Carriers & Service Providers—What’s the Difference?

  Most people typically use these two terms interchangeably, and though the carrier and the service provider are in some cases one in the same (this is explained later in this post), it’s important to make a distinction between them because they have two different functions. This article is an attempt to clarify the purpose and function of each entity to avoid any confusion, which could save you a lot of headache when communicating with your phone service.   What Is a Carrier? A phone carrier is the entity that makes it possible to connect our calls. This is what makes it different from a service provider because a provider cannot provide you with phone service without a carrier to connect your calls. They are also referred to as the “underlying carrier”, and they rarely interface with the customer—that’s where the service provider comes in. So, what is the actual …

How to Stay Productive, Even When You’re Overwhelmed

  The problem with being afflicted with burnout when you’re a business owner is that you can’t exactly stop and smell the flowers for a while, and then come back when you’re refreshed and re-centered. The business isn’t going to slow down for you, and neither is the workload. This is a dilemma that is widespread among owners. So, instead of telling you to, “Just relax,” this post offers a few practical solutions that you can utilize on the fly and hopefully keep your output steady.   Trust Yourself When you become overwhelmed, delegate tasks and projects to your colleagues and employees as much as you can—but don’t lower your expectations of yourself. Understand that if you’re burned out, you clearly have more on your plate than you can handle. There’s no shame in that; and in fact, you’ve probably taken on more than anyone should have. Entrepreneurs have an …

Veteran vs. Rookie: Who is the Better Entrepreneur?

There is a lot to be said for entrepreneurs who have experience with running a business and know the right move to make in a variety of situations. It really helps to know what to what to watch out for, and to understand why some decisions only seem like they will benefit the business when they might actually be harmful. These points illustrate the difference between how a rookie business owner runs a company, and how an experienced veteran handles it. Funding The rookie business owner starts a new venture with a runway of only a few months; the veteran doesn’t open a new business until more than enough funding is available, to give the business the best chance possible to succeed. Web Presence The rookie throws together a basic website that barely functions, while the veteran devotes considerable resources to building a premium website because he or she knows …

How to Stay on Schedule and Be Uber Productive

“The best way to effectively use time is to schedule it.” —Sunday Adelaja Write All of It Down First of all, don’t underestimate the power of physically writing things down. The greatest benefit of writing down all of your project ideas, reminders, appointments, etc. is that the physical action of writing it forces you to engage with it mentally, making it more likely to stay in the forefront of your mind. It’s not enough to plaster your desk with sticky notes; you really have to plot out your day thoughtfully, especially if you’re not inherently an organized person. It Only Works if You Adhere to It Writing something down is only the first step. Let’s say you’ve got a full schedule laid out for the day in your daily planner or in your calendar software. It might as well be an art piece at this point because if it’s not …

For Business Owners Who Don’t Play Well with Others

  When we think of someone who runs a business, we get a picture in our mind of a person who is always wheeling-and-dealing, shaking hands and putting on a smile during meetings—generally impressing everyone they encounter. It’s easy to forget that there are many business owners who don’t fit the mold and actually have a lot of trouble functioning socially, especially in a professional capacity. The aim of this post is to offer some sound advice for the socially-challenged business owner, to provide some tools that will help with the uncomfortable affectation of interacting with others.   The Responsibility of Introverts to Be Outgoing One thing that is important to remember if you are the type of person who finds it hard to function socially is that other people cannot make you be more assertive. If you are introverted or otherwise, it’s on you to make a conscious effort …