Here are 10 New Year’s resolutions for your business:

Resolution 1: Get a Handle on your Taxes

With the New Year fast approaching, it is important to get a firm handle on your taxes.  To claim certain tax benefits, you need to act no later than Dec. 31.  According to the IRS, here are “Six Year-End Tips to Reduce 2011 Taxes:”

1. Install Energy-Efficient Home Improvements
2. Make Charitable Contributions
3. Consider a Portfolio Adjustment
4. Contribute the Maximum to Retirement Accounts
5. Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution
6. Don’t Overlook the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

Resolution 2: Understand Your Finances

This is extremely important for the health of your business.  As a new or growing business, you need to be diligent about your finances.  The NUMBER ONE reason that businesses fail is due to lack of control over finances.

Some experts suggest reviewing your profit and loss statements, balance sheets and cash flow reports on a monthly basis.  To manage this, there is accounting software such as QuickBooks specifically for small businesses.  Also, hiring a CPA or bookkeeper can be a wise investment.

Resolution 3: Create a Monthly Budget

This is crucial to controlling your monthly expenses. By creating a budget, forces you to examine your income and expenditures to track how much money you make and spend. Of course your living expenses, i.e., mortgage, utilities, vehicles, insurance payments and food are a must, but additional payments should be allocated to pay off bad debt.

A few handy financial tools:

• HomeBudget is an expense tracker designed to help you budget, track and control your monthly expenses at home.
• Moneytrackin is a free online web application that allows you to track all your expenses and income easily and without effort, thus allowing you to have a clear view of your financial situation. It intends to be a simple yet powerful online budget management tool.
• MySpendingPlan is an online tool that provides consumers with the latest tools to help them manage their personal finances track their budgets, save money and keep up on the latest information about managing money and leading a better financial life. 

Resolution 4: Get Out of Debt

Easy to say, difficult to do!  According to some experts, Americans charge over one trillion dollars per year using Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.  For many, money is a big source of stress; and it doesn’t help that we’ve had to deal with economic issues over the past few years. This coming year, make it a priority to resolve your money woes. To get started check out the amazing series Courtney Wiley wrote, starting with My Journey Out of Debt: How This Single Mom Paid Off $93,000 in Less Than Three Years.

Resolution 5: Set Specific Time Management Goals

Why do you want to set specific goals to manage your time effectively?  Well, setting simple goals will force you to plan your time wisely, thus, allowing you to get a sense of achievement and reduce work and life stress. For example, if spending time with your family is important, try working fewer hours on Friday so that you can honor that goal.

By scheduling your time based on your goals, you can assess if your goals truly align with the core values, both professionally and personally.  If you find that your goals are out of align, then you are able to identify key areas that need adjusting before they get out of control.   

Resolution 6: Delegate!

As your business grows, so should your ‘tight grip’ on controlling every aspect of it. The worst thing that you can do is become a slave to your business.  This attitude can cripple you!  I know this first hand; as a former owner of a building maintenance company; I was president, HR generalist, payroll specialist, trainer, janitor, sales woman and more!  It took me a while to realize that not only could I not effectively wear every hat, but in order to grow and regain my sanity, I had to trust others.

It is important that you delegate non-core business tasks to your staff or consider outsourcing.  Play on the strengths of others. The lack of delegation will stifle your growth, or worse, cause you to run your business and yourself into a pit fall.  

Resolution 7: Prioritize your Day

It is essential that you start your day with a ‘to do’ list.  It doesn’t matter if your business is small or if you run a large corporation, having a daily plan will keep you on track in effectively running your business.  Start your day by scheduling uninterrupted time to plan and create your list of tasks for that day, and rank your list in order of priority.  For example, if you have 10 tasks on your list, of those, how many do you need to complete?  Can you save the least important tasks for another time?

If you don’t accomplish all the tasks from your ‘to do’ list, it doesn’t mean you are having problems managing your time.  It simply means that you only have limited time per day to get everything done and you may be trying to accomplish more tasks than you have time in the day.  

To manage and prioritize my time, I rely on Microsoft Outlook’s calendar and task manager to plan my personal and business schedule.  I then sync Microsoft Outlook to my I Phone.  This helps me to stay on task and set priorities for my daily activities.  Find what works for you and make it a daily habit to have a productive and organized day!     

Resolution 8: Network Religiously

A successful way to promote your business is through networking.  You are in business to grow, so make networking a key part of your marketing strategy so that you position yourself to connect with the right people.

Networking is a lifestyle in which you need to incorporate onto your “To Do” list. By networking, you are developing your social skills by engaging or interacting in an informal gathering to communicate with others for mutual assistance or support. By acquainting yourself with other business owners or executives, you are building meaningful relationships. There are many organizations that you can become involved in such as the Chamber of Commerce, Business Network International (BNI), online communities or a professional organization related to your industry. 

Resolution 9: Know your Credit Profile

Do you know how important it is to establish business credit profile?  According to some industry experts, “fewer than 10 percent of all entrepreneurs know about or truly understand how business credit is established and tracked-and how it affects their lives and businesses.”

Make sure you contact the major business credit bureaus that compile and provide copies of your credit reports.  For a list of business credit reporting agencies, here’s an informative article by Marco Carbajo, “Top 10 Business Credit Bureaus.”

Resolution 10: Spend More Time with Family and Friends

An important reason we go into business is the idea of being flexible with our time.  So, the idea of having time for family and friends seems like it should be a no-brainer, right?  According to recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.

You have control over your time, so make sure that you balance work and life to be able to spend it with those that are important to you.

Last but not least… 

If it’s not working, drop it quickly.

Don’t waste your time or invest any unnecessary energy nursing something that isn’t working for your business.  Time = Money and in our current economic crisis, both are a very precious commodity that a small business can’t afford to gamble with.  Move on and don’t look back!

By incorporating these simple yet effective strategies, you can position your business for significant growth.  Here’s looking at a great 2012!

Women Entrepreneurs: Power Up Your Business With 10 Resolutions for the New Year is a post from She Takes on the World

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Whether you are being interviewed on TV, or presenting on video camera, your aim is to create a positive experience for your viewers, and put them at ease.

This means reducing anything that could create a visual barrier (consciously or subconsciously) between you and your audience.  From my experience, I have seen many people who are appear very confident in real life, suddenly buckle or lose their nerve when looking into the cold staring eye of the camera lens. The camera seems to draw out and magnify their nervous mannerisms or underlying tension.

Presenting to camera requires a completely different skill-set from public speaking or presenting on stage – a fact that very few people seem to be aware of.  This is due to the technical requirements demanded by the camera (more on this in future articles).

Here are a few crucial tips to prevent you from making some all too common body language mistakes

Hand to face gestures

In particular, it is hard to know what to do with your hands when you are being filmed.  Do whatever it takes – even sit on your hands if you have to, but dont make any hand to face gestures!

Yes, you can still use your hands to gesture, but ensure that your camera framing is in a medium to close-shot so that your hands don’t monopolize the screen.

High profile public officials, TV presenters and interviewers have been trained to avoid such things when addressing their audience. Observe them closely, and you will see that they rarely touch their face.

Also, from a technical perspective, some video cameras have difficulty tracking hand gestures – resulting in a blurred effect on-screen.

Many hand to face gestures convey subconscious meanings that you may not be aware of:

Eye rubbing – Associated with deception, or not liking a situation or person

Nose touching – A common signal for not telling the truth, lack of sincerity

Hair touching (twirling your hair) – In women this can signal low confidence, needing reassurance, or even flirting – all of which weaken the impact of your message

Remember however, that body language is subjective and is open to interpretation.  It differs across many cultures. You could in fact have an itchy eye, or a runny nose – but fight the urge and make an effort to save the itching and rubbing until after you have finished filming.

What other body language mannerisms have you found to be distracting or off-putting when viewing online videos?

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Determining your Tasks

Now that you have visualized your future and set goals for achieving your dreams, it’s time to break things down into manageable tasks. What do you need to do to reach each goal? As with goal-setting, write everything down and prioritize. Then, do your to-dos. It’s that simple.

Taking Time

• Set an appointment with yourself every day. It could be 15 minutes or an afternoon. Hint: 15 minutes is more reasonable, especially for those who have a day job, family, other responsibilities, and are building a business on the side.
• Put it in your calendar … in ink! If you skip a doctor’s appointment or a spa date, they’ll charge you. You deserve the same respect. Keep the appointments you make with yourself.

Marking Time

• If your schedule is such that you are unable to nail down specific times to work on your business, that’s okay—as long as you still find pockets of time every day. Then, enter what you worked on and for how long into your calendar. Hint: Use time spent in traffic or waiting in long lines to think about your business.
• Tracking your progress will keep you focused and help to build-up momentum.

Tools

• Invest in a kitchen timer. This way, when you only have a limited time to work, you are not spending it looking at the clock.
• Get a notebook or voice recorder. There’s nothing like them for capturing inspiration on the go.

 
Whether you are starting a business, growing a career, or taking your passion-project to the next level, it is essential to take time on a regular basis to work towards your future.

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Ready, Set, Goals …

Position yourself for success. Set realistic goals – you can overshoot a little, but not so much that there’s no way you can achieve them. Then, look at them regularly, so you stay on track.
 

Setting Goals

• Write down what you want to achieve. Everything.
• Separate your goals into list two lists: personal goals and professional ones.
• Then, review your lists and prioritize. Pick the top three things to achieve this week, this month, this summer, and this year. The little goals you set should work towards the big picture.

Personal Goals

In order to be successful in business, it’s essential to put your personal life in order.

• How’s your living situation? Do you have a difficult roommate? Inconsiderate neighbors? If that’s the case, finding a new place to live should be Goal One.
• Is your home office a mess? Do you even have a home office? Putting your workspace together should be a top priority.
• When was the last time you took a real vacation? Saving money, so you can treat yourself to a few days away, is a good three- to six-month personal goal. It will leave you refreshed and ready to “take on the world.”

Professional Goals

What do you need to do to achieve your business success? Here are some examples.

• Goals for the Week: Get business cards, register a domain, start a blog.
• Monthly Goals: Develop a new logo, redesign your blog, attend regular networking events.
• Summer Goals: Write a business plan or the first draft of a book, create a new product.

Remember, goal-setting isn’t something you just do at the beginning of the year. Take a goal inventory regularly … adjust if necessary. And always keep your eye on the prize.
 
 
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Where Are You Going? What’s Your Plan?

Whenever you start a new project – or a new phase of your life – the first thing you need to do is decide where you are going … and then you can figure out how to get there. In order to get what you want, you have to know what you want. Visualization can help the process of setting or discovering your goals.
 
 

Ideas for Visualization:

• Do you want to be a best-selling author? Take a copy of the New York Times Bestseller List from the Sunday newspaper, cross off number one and replace it with your name and book title.
• Is your goal to write, produce, or star in a blockbuster film? Mock up a poster – with your name front and center– and place it in your newspaper’s Calendar section.
• Are you striving to win a professional award? Go into your computer’s word-processing program, and create a template of the award you want to win … with your name on it.

Visualizing YOUR Big Picture:

• Find a picture of someone doing what you want to do – running a successful business, making medical breakthroughs, going on an adventure. Then, put yourself in that picture.
• Write your future bio … in the present tense.

I Created My Visualization, Now What?

Now that you’ve created a visualization to go with your dream, be sure to look at it every day. Post it on your refrigerator or place it on your nightstand. Put it in your car. Make it your cell phone or computer background/wallpaper. Or “All of the Above.”

If you want to be successful, first you must visualize your success.

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Choosing your Video Background

A great way to communicate important messages to your target audience is the tried and true “talking head” video – where you speak directly to a camera. Simple and versatile – you can be humorous or serious, informative or promotional.

However, there are several elements that will make or break a talking head video. The purpose of our “making you look good online” series of articles is to teach you how to present yourself effectively on camera.

In my last article, I spoke about choosing the right equipment for making online videos. In this article I will talk about choosing the right location to set up your equipment. This should not be taken lightly or treated as an afterthought. A poor background choice will detract from you and your key messages.

Think “first impressions” and how you want to be perceived by your target audience.”

In “movie speak” everything done before filming is called Pre-production. I’m a big believer in the 6 P approach. Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

If you have followed our online personal branding series to date, you will have already identified your target audience. Ask yourself, how you want to be perceived by your target audience? What is the visual impression you want to make on them?

With this in mind…

Many people make the mistake of using the webcam on their computers (see my previous article for why this is a no-no for quality reasons alone). But what I find most unprofessional about webcams – is that the background is by default the room the computer is located in. Maybe it is the presenter’s living room or kitchen in the background (which may be ok if you are presenting about interior design or cooking) – but alarmingly, some people have their computer set up in the bedroom. Unless you are in the adult entertainment industry – this is not the approach I recommend! Messy, cluttered rooms should also be avoided too.

Yes, you can certainly film your online video presentations in your home (I do) – but use a camera on a tripod and choose a background that ties in with your key messages. For most people a simple wall is best.

A thought leader may choose to…

• Film themselves in front of their library of books to reinforce the “I’m an expert” perception
• Some product placement in the background may be appropriate – for example, if you are a rising artist you might feature your art in the background
• Or if you are a jeweler you might wear your pieces while presenting to camera – but be careful that your products don’t distract from your key messages (unless you deliberately intend to refer to them in your presentation)
• Your company logo or your brand colors may also be appropriate for a background – but again – make sure they don’t distract your audience.

If in doubt, go for a simple, blank wall about 7 feet x 7 feet. It should have a matt finish (to reduce glare) and be free of marks and shadows. White walls are ok, but you will need good lighting to reduce shadows (more on that in future articles).

Please avoid…

TV’s or computer monitors in the background (again dependent on who your target audience is). Flashing images and pop ups catch the viewer’s eye and can seriously detract from your presentation. Don’t do what this banker did in the background of a live cross-over!

Also, try to find a place to film where you can reduce any background noises and hums can that interfere with your audio recording.

• Air conditioning, fluorescent lights and fridges should be turned off – just make sure to turn them back on when you are done!

In my next article I will talk about how to frame your shot correctly–and the psychological effect this can have on your audience.

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Whether you own a brick-and-mortar store, an ecommerce company, or use the web to promote other services, your website speaks volumes about your business. A poorly designed website with cheap-looking clip art and confusing navigation can turn off potential customers, because it gives the impression that you don’t care enough to create a high-quality site. On the other hand, a professional-looking website with clear choices and polished graphics gives customers a positive impression of your company. It can also feel like a natural extension of your brand or physical store.
The right web designer can help you create a website that gets noticed for all the right reasons, so here are some tips to help you navigate the process.

Figure out your needs first. There are many different types of websites, so save time by narrowing down exactly what you need. Will you need a cart and checkout so you can sell products? Or will a simple brochure-style site suffice? How often does your website need to be updated? Do you want to include a blog or Twitter feed? Look at other sites for ideas. Once you have a feel for your needs, you’ll be better equipped to find the right person for the job, because not all web designers are skilled in all types of websites.

Request referrals. One of the best ways to find qualified contractors or vendors is to ask other businesspeople you trust. When you see a website that’s similar to what you need or when you’re out networking other businesspeople, ask who designed their website and if they’d recommend that person. Getting a referral increases the likelihood that your web designer will not only create a site that you’re happy with, but will meet deadlines and deal with any issues that pop up later. If you aren’t able to get a referral, you can look for freelance web designers on sites like directory.freelanceswitch.com and creativehotlist.com. Alternatively, you could do an online search for web design firms or agencies.

Ask the right questions. Once you’ve found a web designer who looks promising, be sure to check out her design portfolio and ask lots of questions. For instance, did you design this sample site on your own or as part of a team? What is your typical turnaround time? Do you charge by the hour or a flat rate? If it’s a flat rate, how many changes or revisions are included? What if I want to update the site later? How much will that cost or can I do it myself? Could you help me with search engine optimization, too? Even if you’ve gotten a referral, it’s still a good idea to ask for references so you can talk to their other clients and see if they were happy with the designer’s work.

Once you choose a web designer, it’s wise to create a paper trail so that you both understand what’s included in the price and what the expectations are in terms of deadlines and technical requirements. Once your sparkling new website is ready for viewing, you’ll be glad you spent the time and money to do things right.

© Ali Brown, Ali International LLC.

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How to Hire the Right Web Designer for You is a post from She Takes on the World

Machu Picchu in Peru, where I'll be this month. Image courtesty of Shutterstock.

I Need a Vacation!

Is “I need a vacation” something you say often? When is the last time you actually took a break? From 2005 to 2008 I traveled to about 60 countries on 5 continents. I had a small business, felt freedom like never before, and I was happy and fulfilled most of the time. I didn’t think life could get much better.

In 2008, one of my major goals was to focus on building a successful company and growing this blog. To really focus I decided to put my globetrotting on hold indefinitely and for the last two years I have been committed to building a world class company with a great team.

I am extremely happy with the growth of our company, the projects we’re developing (the last one is nominated for an Emmy!), and the people I get to work with like my awesome business partner. But something has been missing. I fell into a trap that 97% of entrepreneurs do: Work, work, and work without taking a vacation.

Last year ended on a high note and was a year of rapid growth. This year started off well too but by the beginning of February the voice in my head telling me to take a break just couldn’t be ignored any longer. That prompted this tweet on February 15th:

Responses started coming in with some really great suggestions:

I was thinking Peru but there were other places on my list too. Then I got this tweet from the Aranwa Hotel in Sacred Valley, along the Incan trail en route to Machu Picchu:

That decided it and I contacted Aranwa immediately. I love the power of social media! So as I write this I’m getting ready to go to the airport to fly to Peru.

Take a Guilt-Free Break from Your Business

To be honest, I have a bit of anxiety around leaving my daily routine like I used to do so easily. My business partner and I have systems in place so that we can work on our business, not in our business. I trust these systems to take care of everything while I’m away! This is the key to drastically reducing the number of entrepreneurs who don’t take vacation.

These are some tips and tools I have for you so that you can take a guilt-free break from your business and relax, knowing that things can run smoothly without you:

Outsource your weaknesses

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses yet most entrepreneurs wear too many hats rather than focusing on the tasks that play to their strengths. It is important to learn how to delegate and work with a team who can compensate for your weaknesses. A virtual team is ideal and you can find contractors for hire on Elance, oDesk, and PeoplePerHour.com.

Get a virtual assistant

A VA can take care of the tedious things that you don’t have time to do or don’t enjoy doing on a day-to-day basis. Once you’ve trained a VA, they become a huge asset to your business and allow you peace of mind when you’re away. You can find a VA using the same websites I mentioned in the previous section.

Get your head in the clouds

Cloud computing has changed the way we work and run a business. Leaving a brick and mortar store or physical office leaves you with more to worry about than a completely virtual business but all businesses can take advantage of internet based tools and software to run more efficiently. It’s easier than ever before to have peace of mind knowing that if you are required to solve a problem or deal with an emergency you can do so from pretty much anywhere.

For more tips and tools that will ensure you can take a vacation without having to worry about your business, read the awesome article “10 Online Tools and Tips for the Budding Entrepreneur” on Mashable that I was featured in alongside other Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members.

Next time you say “I need a vacation,” plan on doing something about it. As hardworking women entrepreneurs, we all need to take vacations once in awhile for our overall health, well being, and sanity. I look forward to sharing my experience in Peru and at Aranwa with you over the next few weeks!

When is the Last Time You Took a Guilt-Free Break from Your Business? is a post from She Takes on the World

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Once you’ve cut up your credit cards and tucked away $1000 for your mini emergency fund, you’re ready to start your debt snowball! Many financial experts dub this method “The Debt Snowball” because in the same way that a snowball rolling down hills gets bigger and rolls faster, the money available to pay off your debt begins to accumulate as each debt is paid. (Honestly, I think this step excited me the most because the more debt I crossed off my list the more determined I became.) So my advice to you is exactly what I did:

List out your debts from smallest to largest, (minus your home mortgage because that will come in a later step). Concentrate on the smallest balance first.* Once that debt is paid, apply that money to the next debt. Since you have more money to apply to this next debt, it will help you pay it off quicker. When that debt is paid, move on to the next debt, continuing to apply the money from the old debts to the next one. Don’t worry about which debt has the highest interest rate unless two debts have similar payoffs. If that’s the case, then list the higher interest rate debt first.

Let me show you what I mean with this sample debt snowball list:

If your paycheck is $1500 every other week and you budget $67 towards your debt snowball, you will payoff Kohl’s, Banana Republic, and Express at one time and have $1.28 to put towards Helzberg’s. Now your debt snowball list looks a little lighter:

But let’s say your Chase credit card actually had the lowest interest rate and you decided to erase that debt first. Now instead of paying off 3 debts at one time, it would take you 30 pay periods to cross just one debt off your list!

“The point of the debt snowball is simply this: You need some quick wins in order to stay pumped up about getting out of debt. Paying off debt is not always about math. It’s about motivation. Personal finance is 20% head knowledge and 80% behavior. When you start knocking off the easier debts, you will see results and stay motivated to dump your debt.” – Dave Ramsey

TODAY’S BITE-SIZED TO-DO: List out your debts from smallest to largest. Take the money you have budgeted each month and start building traction with your debt snowball, applying the money from the old debts to the next one. Start throwing every extra dollar towards that first debt. Then the second. Then the third. Continue in this manner until you’ve paid off all debts. On average, this step will take you between 24 to 36 months, so be patient.

Next week we’ll come back to that mini emergency fund and grow it into 3-6 months of living expenses!

In case you need a reminder, here are the first three posts in the series . . .

Step 1: How I paid off $93,000 in less than 3 years

Step 2: Budgeting

Step 3: Save $1000

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Choosing the right equipment…

This is the first in the “making you look good online” series of articles where my aim is to teach you how to present yourself effectively on camera whether for internal staff communications, sales presentations, web conferencing, webinars, YouTube videos and video blogging, or simply sharing your thought leadership online.

You don’t need to be a Spielberg, nor do you need to spend a fortune on the latest high tech equipment for your web video production but if you want to stand out from the crowd you will need to purchase some basic pieces of equipment.

“Just be yourself”, they say. Wrong! If you want great results you need to need to present “your best self” –and I will show you how to do that.

Here are two key things to avoid when starting out:

• Do not use the webcam on your computer
• Do not use the video recorder on your cell phone

These tools will severely limit you.  Yes you do need to buy a video camera and as I want to make this series relevant for as many people as possible, I will focus on how you can achieve great results using affordable equipment that is commonly available to everyone.

The 3 essential pieces of equipment

All of these can be purchased in Amazon.com’s electronics section for less than $200 total.

1. HD video camera, with a remote control for filming yourself. HD is vital for image quality ($150)
2. Tripod, preferably 72-Inch, with built in bubble level ($20)
3. Lapel microphone, newscaster-style, with full 360-degree coverage (so you don’t have to worry about where it’s pointing), with an integrated cable (20feet) that connects your microphone directly to your camera ($25). Wireless is an option too but more expensive.

If you are really serious, I also recommend you invest in portable studio lighting ($100). Later in the series I will cover simple lighting techniques to help you present yourself in the most flattering light.

Which HD camera to buy?

I love my Flip Ultra HD.  It’s great for everyday videoing but I do not recommend it for creating your online videos because it has 1 major flaw –it has a built in microphone only.  There is no jack to plug in an external mic.  I filmed some of my early videos using the Flip and sounded like I was speaking into a tin-can (or worse in a toilet).  Sorry Flip –you don’t make the grade.

The alternative solution I chose was the Kodak Zi8.  The good news is that it costs less than the Flip (but you do have to buy the extra memory option).

The Kodak Zi8 has two major advantages over the Flip:

• You can plug a lapel microphone directly into the camera – so you get much better sound quality
• It has a remote control small enough to hide in the palm of your hand, enabling you to control the camera while you are filming.  This is a big plus if you are filming yourself and don’t have the luxury of a camera assistant.

In future articles in this series I will cover topics including:

• Pre-production (scripting your message, wardrobe, hair and make-up, setting the background),
• Filming (lighting, camera positioning, learning your best angles, camera framing & psychology, how to speak and look at the camera, how to overcome distracting mannerisms)
• Post-production (editing, putting it all together).

I won’t pull any punches, and will share all the secrets I have learned from many years in front of and behind the camera. From giving auditions as an TV actor, presenter and spokesperson – to being a talent agent – to working behind the camera with casting companies where I have observed thousands of individuals trying out for TV commercials – to working in post-production edit suites as part of a advertising firm. I know what works and what doesn’t on camera.  My goal is to help you look good online.

Connect with me on Twitter @biancaterito where I tweet daily tips on how to create effective online video presentations.

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How to Choose Affordable Equipment for Making Your Online Videos is a post from She Takes on the World