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I’m ready for Spring and since I’m looking ahead to the new season, I made an appointment to prune the trees that line my long driveway.

As usual, an activity that on the surface seems unrelated, gets me thinking about my business.

It is important to prune trees when they’re young — the first 4 or 5 years — because it helps the trees to define their future form and structure.

Picture your business as if it were a tree. The products and services that you offer represent the branches, quite literally reaching out to connect with your target market and clients. My business tree is comprised of 1-on-1 coaching, workshops/group meetings, speaking, blogging and networking. What activities would you have on the branches of your business tree?

As a solopreneur running all areas of my business, it’s necessary to assess what’s really working, and what I’m just keeping myself busy doing. Hey, if I can trim an activity from my business that has not born fruit the way I’ve planed that’s great. Pruning this “unfruitful” activity frees up a bit of my time —then I can choose to enjoy some “me time” like going for a walk and begin to capitalize on the areas that are creating more results.

So, get your pruning shears out and take a look at your business. What branches are doing a good job at reaching your target market? What services have failed to provide the return you hoped for?

Only the strongest branches should be left to grow. That’s where your best fruit will come from!

Does Your Business Need Pruning? is a post from She Takes on the World

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Statistics show that 97% of new year’s resolutions get broken, most within the first week of the new year. I prefer to set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals instead and integrate them into a larger strategic plan for myself.

Depending on how long you’ve been a reader of She Takes on the World, you may remember me discussing my annual strategic planning process. My annual strategic plan consists of three parts:

The Strategy

My personal strategic plan consists of my vision, mission, major goals and strategic action programs to achieve the goals. I break things down by projects that I am working on and new projects that I want to develop. I create a budget, look at sales channels, and develop a marketing strategy for each project. Then I create a month-by-month checklist of milestones that need to be completed to achieve each goal. To develop your own personal strategic plan, use the following template to get started:

• My Overall Vision
• My Mission
• My Values
• Five Key Goals
• Strategic Action Programs (one for each goal)
• Milestone Checklist

The Mind Map

Mind mapping is another important part of my strategic planning process. It is a great way to set and track your goals, especially if you are a visual person.

I first started using it for project management and I loved the mind mapping process so I started using it for tracking my own goals. I use Mindjet MindManager Pro, which I highly recommend. If you don’t want to purchase mind mapping software though, Freemind is a free mind mapping program that you can download here.

The Vision Board

The final part of my strategic planning process is my vision board. A vision board is a collage of pictures and words that represent your dreams and goals. It is a way of manifesting your dreams using a key principle of the law of attraction -that your thoughts and what you surround yourself with become your reality.

You’ll notice that Ellen DeGeneres and I are at the center of my vision board. One of my new year’s goals is to be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She’s a big believer that anything is possible and so am I! While I’m there I want to interview her for She Takes on the World because, well, she’s taking on the world! If you’d like to help my campaign to be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (and I would really appreciate it), you can send her a tweet @TheEllenShow or send her a message on her website.

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2010!

New Year Strategic Plan: Set Goals, Not Resolutions is a post from She Takes on the World

Do you dream about starting a business, but don’t know where to begin? Does the idea of being your own boss and creating a company that provides great products and services excite you? But all you do is dream, unable to move ahead? You’re not alone. Many women feel this way.

More than twenty-five years ago, I launched my own company, a public relations agency that is still thriving today. I’ve also had the privilege of mentoring many other women entrepreneurs. I’ve seen what works and what prevents women from moving ahead. In this series I will go through five step-by-step strategies that can help you launch the business of your dreams.

Commit to one business

You must commit to one business. The biggest roadblock to being an entrepreneur is fear of choosing one business and going for it. You can’t get an enterprise off the ground, if you spread yourself thin. Over and over again throughout the years, I’ve met women who have the passion to become entrepreneurs, but they keep spinning in circles, never committing to one business. Look at it this way, once you succeed at building your first company, you can always start another one.

Remember, too, that it’s important to choose a business that you are passionate about. This is not about the latest fad or fashion. It’s about making a commitment to something that will absorb large amounts of your time – and possibly quite a bit of money. So choose wisely. If you want to start an online business, then commit to it. If you want to open a retail store, then go for it. If you want to be a contractor, then move ahead. But don’t hang yourself up by wanting to do all three things at once. Make a choice and commit.

Research that business

Today, it’s easier than ever to learn about any business in the world. For the fastest results, look online. Google the type of business you want to start. Find out about professional organizations in the field. Read blogs and bulletin boards by people doing similar things. Learn about sources of help. Read industry articles and buy the magazines or books that can teach you more. Participate in teleseminars.

You also need to reach out to business people and others who may be able to help you. You can do this through networking at local events, seminars, business groups, and online through social networks. Make sure you understand the business that you want to start. The more you know about it, the greater your chance for success.

Stay tuned for part two of the series which shows you how to create a business blueprint.

Winning Strategies for Starting a Business Part 1 of 3 is a post from She Takes on the World

Are you where you want to be in your life professionally? Are you making what you thought you would be making? Have you accomplished everything you wanted to accomplish to date?

We all have dreams and goals of obtaining something, whether it is finding true love, starting our dream business or finding our dream job, or attaining financial freedom. When times get difficult, we may feel overwhelmed and weighed down with details. We have a tendency to lose focus on what those dreams and goals are because they become somewhat elusive. The goal setting and goal achievement process may become mundane, and in turn, we may feel hopeless; however, when we plan with flexibility, the goal attainment process becomes easier and much more realistic.

Continue reading for 5 tips on how to stay on track and meet goals effectively.

1. Desire to succeed – We need to have a passion and desire to stay on track when we are planning our goals. We have to commit to whatever we are trying to accomplish.
2. See yourself succeed – Seeing ourselves achieving the goal, even if we were not successful the first time is important. How many business people really become successful on their first venture? How many times have we found true love with the first person we dated? How many times does the average self-made millionaire fail before making it? Keeping a positive attitude and optimistic outlook with realistic expectations will never lead to disappointment.
3. Outline and blueprint – We need an outline of the path we want to follow. Create a plan of action. Identify the critical path – the things that need to be completed in order to make the goal become a reality. Remember, the most successful people are those who plan and actually stick to the plan while being flexible. Successful people often have a backup plan too.
4. Create a plan – After identifying the first goal, write it down and create a plan of action on how to attain the goal. Set a timeline to complete the task. Then move onto the second goal.
5. Monitor progress – Manage goal timelines by checking progress. Use a calendar, day planner, or PDA to consistently meet objectives and goals. Every time a task is completed, cross it off the list. If progress is not being made, don’t let negative emotions get in the way. Re-assess the tasks and goals.

Remember that flexibility is the key when planning goals. Review progress at least two times a week. If objectives are not met, ask for help. Stay focused and be sure not to give up.

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Meeting Goals is a post from She Takes on the World

• Shawn M. Driscoll presents Are You Solving the Right Problem? posted at Lead the Way Blog. Shawn discusses how to find the source of the business problem you are facing and the questions to ask yourself to tackle the problem head-on.

• Dame Scribe presents Ascertaining Criteria posted at Sense Scribe. This article is all about how to make a decision on whether or not to buy a business and includes a helpful business acquisition checklist.

• Linda Smith presents 3 “D” tools you bring to your business posted at Linda’s Business Blog. Find out what the three most important tools are to build your business and reach your goals in this inspirational article.

• Michele Miller presents Research You Can Do: Mini-Immersion posted at Wonder Branding. Learn how to conduct effective and affordable market research for your business.

• Sarah presents My Experience with Facebook’s Advertising Program posted at Trees Full of Money. This article looks at facebook’s advertising platform in-depth and helps you to understand if it is right for your business.

• Kathleen Gage presents How Bestselling Authors Utilize Online Methods to Reach the Top posted at Street Smarts Marketing & Promotions. Learn about the three phases of launching a book and the steps you need to take to successfully market your book.

• Angel Taylor presents Do You Need Permission to Succeed? posted at Angel Taylor’s MLM Profits Blog. This article is about developing the right mindset to allow yourself to succeed and reach any goal you set out to accomplish.

• Gloria Booth presents Home Based Business Plans posted at MLM Marketing UK. Have you considered whether or not you’re going to need a business plan for your home based business? This article will help you build the right plan for your business.

• Silicon Valley Blogger presents Make Money Blogging: Top Bloggers And How Much They Earn posted at The Digerati Life. This article goes through how to start a blog and looks at eight very successful bloggers. If you would like to turn blogging into a full time job, this article will definitely motivate you.

• The Smarter Wallet presents Best High Yield Savings Accounts posted at The Smarter Wallet. This article compares various high yield, online savings accounts to help you make a decision on where to stash the hard earned dollars that your business makes.

• Investing Toolkit presents The Successful Stock Investor: Do You Have These Attributes? posted at Investing Toolkit. This article discusses the skills needed to be successful at investing your money and managing your investments.

• Kate Hopkins presents 100 Free Tools to Create Your Own Personal MBA Program posted at Online Colleges. Kate looks at how you can get a business education on your own, in your spare time, using online tools and resources.

Thank you to everyone who submitted articles for the first edition of the blog carnival for women entrepreneurs. The carnival will take place every Friday and submissions are due Wednesdays at 6pm EDT. To submit an article use the submission button below:

She Takes On The World Presents the First Edition of the Blog Carnival for Women Entrepreneurs is a post from She Takes on the World

When I was starting my first business I wrote my business plan using the Business Plan Pro software and I still use it today. Whether or not a start-up company should write a business plan is quite a debated topic. Why should all businesses have a business plan and what do you think are the most important sections to nail down?

All businesses need a plan so that they know where they are headed, and how to get there. With a plan in place, they can also manage their business and understand what is happening in both sales and expenses at a much deeper level. For instance, during this tough economic year, Palo Alto Software’s plan was critical to running this company. Our fiscal year started October 1, 2008, just as the economy started to plummet. As consumers felt paralyzed, lost confidence and stopped buying, our business did suffer. But we buckled down, looked at our plan, and adjusted it for a worst case scenario. We started to really focus on which product lines and marketing programs were the most lucrative, which expenses we really needed, and which we could do without. We realized in this process, for example, that we were paying way too much for our internet bandwidth into the office, and that the service was not as reliable as we would like. We changed vendors, got faster service, and saved $8000 per month.

If we did not have a plan and were just “winging” it, it would have been a lot harder for me to have the time to dig into these details and understand where we could be leaner and where we should keep spending money. Today, 10 months into the fiscal year, we have hired three people and have job openings for four more people.

What does a typical day entail for you?

I’m not sure if there is any typical day for me! Typically though, I leave the house to get to the office between 7:30 and 7:45 am. I get here on the early side so I can leave early and get home by 4:45 or 5pm for my 2 kids. Once at the office I try to use the quiet time in the morning to deal with email back-up and follow-up on all the items that are left on my “to-do list” from the previous day. Then I plan the things I want to accomplish before the end of the day, and hopefully, I don’t have meeting after meeting so that I can get things done. I encourage managers at PAS to really own projects, keep me in the loop, and let me approve necessary things before they are finalized – but I try very hard not to be the bottleneck. I trust my employees to do their jobs which means I have time to do mine!

You run Palo Alto Software, you organized the Princeton Entrepreneurs’ Network Conference this year, you write a fantastic blog, and you are a pregnant mom with two young children. How do you balance work life with family life? I know you talk about working mom guilt sometimes on Mommy CEO.

I am not sure you can ever really balance your life between work and home if your career is important to you. You will always worry about the life side of the balance and I think all parents will get guilt about time away from their kids. That being said, I think I have as close to a balance as possible for these reasons:

• I live in a small town, where I have no commute. I can get to work in less than 5 minutes. I don’t have to spend time away from my family and office in the car.
• I live in a town where both my parents and two of my sisters live. I have a lot of family support. If I have a dinner meeting or an evening commitment, my kids are either with their father (my husband) or with their grandparents (my parents). If my nanny is away or sick my mom almost always comes to my rescue.
• I work in a family business. I run the company with my husband. I have the luxury of not worrying about “face time” or what the boss thinks. I do make sure that I work hard and that my employees know that I work hard. But that may mean hopping on the computer at 8:30 pm after the kids are in bed or working on a Saturday evening, again when the kids are already in bed. I live and breathe the business, but I don’t make my kids do the same. When I get home at 4:45 I focus on the kids until they are in bed and asleep. On weekends, my husband and I devote our time to the kids and doing things they, and we, love. Our 5 year old just finished his third ski season and our 2 year old finished his first full ski season. In the summer we hike, river raft and swim every chance we get on the weekends.
• I feel that I am more productive if I do take a little time off in the evenings and on weekends to focus on my family. I can then really focus on work when at work. I love feeling excited about new things on the business horizon – minimizing the natural mommy guilt.
• I deal with the reality of mommy guilt. Just when I think I have mastered everything and life is plugging along great, one of my kids will say or do something that gets me reeling. Most recently my 5 year old asked me: “Mommy, why am I the only kid at nature camp that doesn’t get picked up by his mommy or daddy?”

As a Mommy CEO, what tools do you use to automate your life and save you time?

• I buy online. I almost NEVER go to a physical store. It takes too much time. I buy from places that I know have sizes and clothes that I like and that fit me, my kids and my husband.
• I love my iPhone. It keeps me connected easily and quickly so that at any time, no matter where I am, I can deal with a business issue without having to rush back to the office.
• I use my calendar. I put all appointments, both personal and business, on one calendar. It syncs with my iPhone. That way I don’t have to remember the kids’ haircuts or that breakfast meeting at the Chamber of Commerce – my computer and/or my iPhone remind me!

On Thursday, Sabrina shares with us her top 5 business lessons for entrepreneurs so stay tuned! In the meantime, be sure to head over to Mommy CEO to read Sabrina’s latest blog post.

Part 1 of My Interview with Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software is a post from She Takes on the World

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Every day around the world millions of people think of new business ideas yet only a small fraction of these ideas will ever become businesses.

What prevents these ideas from becoming businesses? Perhaps the idea is not feasible. After all, not every idea can become a profitable business. There may be life circumstances standing in the way of taking action on the idea. Or maybe it is simply because people have no idea how to turn an idea into a business.

If you are someone who has thought and dreamed of starting a business but you don’t quite know the start-up process, you are not alone. The Ready, Set, Go Business Start-Up Guide will take you through the steps of turning your idea into a business:

Get Ready…

• The big idea -If you already have your big idea, that is great! For others who have what it takes to be an entrepreneur but don’t have an idea yet, read 24 Business Ideas to Start Now for a little inspiration. SpringWise.com is also a good place to look through the latest business ideas from around the world.
• Choose a business name -In most cases you will need to obtain a name search report to make sure the name is not already being used. The name should suggest what your business does. For example, a vegetarian restaurant named Green Gardens may confuse potential customers. Green Gardens Vegetarian Cuisine, however, clearly states what the business does. Susan Ward, Canadian small business guide for About.com wrote a great article on this topic called 5 Rules for Choosing a Business Name.
• Check if a domain name is available -When deciding on a business name you have to keep the domain name in mind. I had to change the name of this blog based on the fact that this domain was available and the other name I wanted was not. This name has grown on me though and it is very “me.” To check the availability of domain names go to WhoIs.net, a database of domain names, who owns them, and whether the domain you want is for sale. If the name you want is for sale, buy it right away even if you are still in the planning phase of the business.
• Decide on a legal form for your business -A sole proprietorship or partnership are the simplest structures for a business, however, you have unlimited liability which means you are liable to pay back debts the business incurs or pay a settlement if your business were to be sued. A corporation is a more formal structure but gives you limited liability and the most legal protection because a corporation is a separate entity from any shareholders. Creating a corporation is essentially creating a new person. In some countries there is a limited liability corporation (LLC) structure. LLCs combine some aspects of the simpler sole proprietship or partnership structure with aspects of the corporate structure. This structure allows you the freedom to be taxed like a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation. You still have limited liability like a corporation with much less paperwork. For more information, read Inc.com’s very informative business structure guide, Choosing a Form for Your Business.
• Plan, plan, plan -You have likely heard it before: “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Depending on your business and whether you need external financing you may or may not need a full business plan. Bplans.com is the best resource I have come across for business plans and I have used the Business Plan Pro software for years. I will be interviewing Sabrina Parsons about business planning next week. She is the CEO of Palo Alto, the software company behind Business Plan Pro. If you don’t need a formal plan I like using the free fill-in-the-blanks plan offered by Business Development Canada. You do not need to live in Canada to use this great resource!
• Protect yourself -I learned this lesson the hard way not once, but twice. Take my advice and make sure your personal protection is a top priority. Protecting yourself is so important and will give you peace of mind. I have used legal forms from FreeLegalForms.net. There is no substitute for a lawyer, however, and you should always hire a lawyer if you are starting a partnership, corporation, or a business in which intellectual property is involved. You should also protect yourself by making sure you have proper insurance for you and your business. When it comes to protecting yourself, you can never be too careful.

Get Set…

• Register online -A lot of countries let you register online now. If you’re in the United States, Canada, Australia or the UK you should be able to register online and I have even found exactly where you can register: Americans click here, Canadians here, Australians here, and British citizens click here to register. I’m sorry I can’t cover all countries but visit your country’s business services website or your local Chamber of Commerce to find out how to register.
• Register trademarks and/or patents -Registering a trademark is only beneficial if you have the legal resources to enforce the trademark registration. Filing for a patent is essential if you have intellectual property. If you think you need a patent the best thing to do is seek professional legal advice. You can file a patent application online in the United States here, in Canada here, in the UK here, and Australia here.
• Set up a tax account -In most cases you can set up a tax account at the same time you register your business. Check with your local business center or online to make sure you set up the proper accounts for collecting and remitting your business taxes.
• Get necessary licenses and permits -Again, check with your local business center. Required licenses and permits will depend on what kind of business you are starting and where you are starting it.
• Set up a bank account -Shop around for a bank to find low fees and a low interest rate if you need a business loan. A corporation must have its own bank account but a sole proprietorship or partnership does not. If you are starting an online business as a sole proprietor, PayPal might suffice as your business account since you can send invoices, receive payments, and print statements. I know many entrepreneurs who do this although I can’t recommend it because I have not done this myself even though I use PayPal for online transactions.
• Find an accountant -A good accountant will save you a lot of money, and perhaps most importantly, a lot of headaches and stress. Interview several accountants before making your final decision because this is the person who is going to deal with your money. I interviewed six accountants before I chose one that I felt comfortable with and who best understood my business.
• Hire a designer -Hire a designer to design your logo, business cards, letterhead, and other marketing materials such as fliers and brochures. Once your branding package is designed you will have a logo and your company colors in place to develop another important thing for your business: a website. For affordable design work try posting a short proposal on elance.com. Several different designers will review your request and post a quote for you.
• Print branding package and marketing materials -If you are happy with your logo and other promotional materials, it is time to have them printed for distribution. There are many printing companies online that offer high quality printing at affordable prices. I have used OvernightPrints.com for the last three years. VistaPrint.com is another popular online printer.

Go!

• Market your business -Execute your marketing strategy from the business plan you developed in the “Get ready” section of this guide. Launch your website and distribute marketing materials. Attend as many relevant conferences and events as you can that will get your name out there.
• Leverage social media -Building a strong online presence is essential. You should be using twitter, facebook, linkedin, stumbleupon, and any other social networking websites that your target market uses. To find social networks that are relevant to your industry and business, Mashable’s 350 social networking websites article is a must-read.
• Tap into your personal network -Tell everyone you know about your new business. Chances are they will be able to give you the leads you need to land your first customer.
• Submit a press release -A press release is an important tool for landing your business some media coverage. If you are not quite sure how to write a press release, CanadaOne has an incredible (and free) interactive press release builder that you can use. Distribute the press release to local newspapers, websites, and blogs. For international distribution you can try a service like PRWeb to distribute your press release to millions of potential customers.
• Keep customers happy -Good customer service is key to growing a business. Once you have customers, do whatever you can to keep them happy. Finding new customers costs seven times more than keeping the ones you already have.
• Keep on keeping on -There will be many ups and downs during the start-up process but keep a positive attitude. Constantly fine-tune your business plan and revise your strategy.
• Improve -Follow the Japanese mantra, kaizen, meaning continual improvement. Toyota, one of the world’s most respected companies, has the kaizen philosophy built into every process. I know this because as a student I worked at Toyota and not a day went by that I did not hear the word kaizen!

Be prepared to learn a lot on your entrepreneurial journey. Successful companies are built one day at a time with blood, sweat and tears. Remember these words by Arthur Ashe: “Success is a journey, not a destination.” Now go out there and take on the world.

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The Ready, Set, Go Business Start-Up Guide: Building a Business Step-by-Step is a post from She Takes on the World

If you do decide to work with a partner, consider the following:

• Will your partner be as enthusiastic and passionate about the business as you are? You want someone who will pull their weight and be passionate about making the business work. Having passion gets you through the tough days.

• Are your strengths in the same areas or do your strengths complement each others? Having a complimentary skill set and strengths are essential for efficiently sharing responsibilities and dividing up tasks.

• Are you on the same page and working towards the same goals? If you are not, it means you are not communicating effectively. Communication is key between partners.

• Have you agreed upon and signed a Partnership Agreement? I do not care if you are going into business with your best friend or a close family member (which, by the way, I don’t recommend) you absolutely need to have a signed Partnership Agreement. Small Business Notes, a website for small business owners, has a Sample Partnership Agreement here.

I have had good and bad experiences with business partners. I have tried going into business with family members and close friends and it presented too many challenges and strained our personal relationships. That is not to say it can not work for you to have a business with someone you have a close personal relationship with but you should be really careful. I do not think it is worth risking a relationship with someone you care about. For me it definitely is not worth the risk so I likely would not do it again.

With any partnership the most important thing is to not enter into a partnership too quickly. From talking to other entrepreneurs I have heard far more stories of failed partnerships than successful ones and a lot of the time people say they did not think it all the way through. Ask yourself why you really want, and need, a business partner.

Are you happy as a solopreneur? Do you have a partnership story to share? What is your opinion on being a solopreneur versus having a partner?

Going Solo Versus Partnering Up is a post from She Takes on the World

1.) What is my competitive advantage?

2.) What tools or ideas can I take from my competitors?

3.) What new tools and services could I be using to get my message out there?

4.) What words do I use to describe my business or blog?

5.) Who are my mentors?

6.) Who can I ask for help and advice?

7.) What motivates and inspires my target market or readers?

8.) Who could I partner with to grow my business or blog?

9.) Can I make any improvements to the look of my website, blog, or branding package?

10.) What is my ultimate goal that I’m working towards?

10 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Business or Blog is a post from She Takes on the World

Marketing for entrepreneurs is not as simple as it used to be. Marketing media is changing daily, and under the influence of social media, marketing will never be the same. This post is not a cutting-edge way to advertise your new business, it is a look at the information you need to know to make marketing decisions. Marketing is the connection that you have with your customers. You need to understand your customers in order to reach them effectively.

How to Make Marketing Decisions as an Entrepreneur is a post from She Takes on the World