There are many ways to grow your company. Expansion isn’t something to be taken lightly, but sometimes you have to move with the times, keep up with new developments or simply look at new business areas. New challenges may seem intimidating but are rarely as daunting as they first seem. There are many organisations and individuals out there who can help you take the next step, from those offering opportunities to learn new skills through to business training companies and advice lines. You may even identify ways to manage the growth of your business by discussing your situation with...

Working from home can sometimes feel a bit lonely, so networking is the ideal way to connect with business people in your locality. If you’re juggling your busy family life with work commitments, networking offers an opportunity to reach out to a wider community and give you a sense of place. It’s easy to pick and choose the networking sessions that suit you, as generally there are sessions running throughout the day and early evening. Whichever type of event you choose, it is important you make the most of the chance to connect with people.

Business Communications ...

Networking is an essential tool today for making new business contacts. It enables you to connect in a one-to-one environment with people who are actively seeking to connect with you. One of the most useful aspects of the networking process is that you can learn from other people, perhaps with more experience of running their own business, and quickly gain invaluable insight into everything from best practices to time-saving shortcuts.

Knowledge and Experience Networking offers you face-to-face access to a diverse range of people and this opportunity ought to be seized upon. The attendees...

Organising your time is perhaps the most important factor in ensuring you and your business are both efficient and therefore productive.  Try to be strict and allot a certain amount of time each day, or each week, to your own work. Be realistic when allocating timescales to your work so you have enough time to complete each task effectively. This will make it a lot easier for you to know your capabilities and ensure you’re not snowed under by unrealistic deadlines, mountains of work and phone calls from angry customers.

Seconds Out Whatever you are creating, be it a physical...

Running a business and taking on work projects isn’t easy when you’re already trying to fit everything in around your family’s hectic schedule. Planning and mapping out a life schedule is important to keep all your commitments in focus and in perspective. It allows you to see clearly where your life is going and how you are going to get there. However you plan your schedule, always align it so the tasks are congruent with your personal goals.

Reach For Your Goals What do you want to get out of work? It’s no use devoting time and effort to your own business if...

Wishes, dreams and hopes are all great but in order for any of them to be fulfilled, you must take action! Do you have a great business idea that has been in the back of your mind for months or longer? If you continue to procrastinate, your wishes will never come true. However, following the tips below will help you to enjoy greater business success.

Get Started If your idea will bring greater benefits to your business and therefore your life, start by writing down the idea. Writing it down will turn a wish into a tangible goal, which will motivate you to succeed. It sounds like a simple...

Having goals and aspirations is great but unless you truly commit to them, they could remain unattainable pipedreams. However, if you write down your goals, you will have a better chance of making them a reality, helping you live the life you truly want and deserve.

Defining your goal establishes the destination. It tells you and those around you exactly what you want to achieve. Writing it down makes it real and tangible, providing the focus you need to get started. Writing down your goals provides that sense of purpose and a constant reminder you can revisit whenever you need motivation.

Working from home gives you greater flexibility and freedom to pursue your goals in your own inimitable style. However, one of the greatest challenges faced by many people who work alone is the ability to keep up with changes and developments in the marketplace. It is vital you keep up to date with latest trends but complement this effort by doing things a little differently to ensure you stand out as a visionary with a creative offering.

Understand Your Customers Unless you know what your customers want, how will you know what to sell? Don’t simply guess what it is they want or...

When you initially leave your job to set up your business at home, there will be some things you’ll inevitably miss. Your previous place of work may have had super-fast broadband, instant coffee machines and an onsite deli but none of that will bring you the new-found flexibility you’ll be realising from self-employment. So what great things will be created from your small beginnings?

You will be surprised by how much your productivity will increase when you work from home. Without typical office distractions, you’ll be able to get on with ease and finish your tasks far...

There are many reasons why mumpreneurs choose to set up their own businesses. Self-employment offers a way to achieve flexible hours, which helps mums to achieve a better life balance, respond to their children’s needs and fulfil their own job satisfaction. Whatever your motivation, setting your own goals to measure your success is key to what makes being a mumpreneur so appealing. At the beginning of a new year, establishing goals is a great way of measuring the success of your business. It also defines what you get out of being a mumpreneur.

Motivation Always remember why you...