Excelle

I knew since I was about five-years-old — when I wanted to play “office” instead of “house” with my sister — that I loved the idea of running my own business. Like many other women, I pursued my education, started a family and found myself quickly approaching the ceiling in the organization I was working in. It was in my burnout ...

The older I get the more I realize my time is worth as much to me as any money I could possibly earn. And while I firmly believe I have unlimited earning potential in my chosen business, I also realize that no matter how hard I try, I cannot increase the number of hours in my day. Yes, I’ve managed to ...

If you are searching for funding, whether from venture capitalists, angel investors, bankers, or even friends and family, one of the first requests you'll receive is this: "Send along your business plan." Before you hang up the phone or acknowledge the e-mail, you may want to ask one question: What kind of business plan do you want me to send? Business ...

Did you know that forty percent—40 percent—of young people want to be their own boss someday? That’s a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs. Millions, in fact. Truth is, only a fraction of those people ever really start a business. Some get comfortable in a lifestyle that they can’t afford to give up. Others realize just how hard it is to be an ...

Wow. As I thought about the past eight years and what it’s been like being an entrepreneur, I was struck by how many mistakes I’ve made. I was also struck by how great those mistakes have been for my business. If it were not for all those mistakes, my business would never have grown. I would never have written a book, ...

I love reading Sara Pennypacker’s “Clementine” books to my girls because I laugh out loud at the antics and musings of this spunky third grader. But while Clementine is amusing, I wasn’t expecting her perspective in “The Talented Clementine” to resonate with me. I mean, come on, it’s been 30 years since I’ve been a third grader! But in this book, ...

I never, ever, considered having my own business. Ever. But when I finally figured out what I wanted to be doing, it just so happened that starting my own business was the answer — helping others figure out what they want to be doing with their careers and lives. As I learned what it meant to be a coach, and learned ...

This post is for those of you who are serious about overcoming obstacles and serious about taking your business to the next level. You will never go for your dreams — business or personal — as long as you have more pain associated to achieving them than you do to not achieving them. So the bad news is that it’s time ...

Education or value-based marketing is an important tool to attracting new customers to your business. Blogging is an excellent tool for sharing that knowledge with potential customers. Therefore, having your own blog or blog posting, commenting on others Blogs is a smart marketing strategy, as long as you implement these tactics. These tips will get you started increasing your education-based marketing ...

Last week, we got rid of some of your brick wall obstacles to success. This week, we’re going to look a little closer as to why that brick wall was there in the first place, clearing the rubble away for you to throw your victory flag into the ground and embrace your success! We all have five basic needs that we ...

There's no formula that works for everyone, so be as specific as you can when figuring out what the job you've always fantasized about really is. We know it's possible, even if we haven't read The Four- Hour Work Week yet. We know people in our neighborhoods or we've seen people on TV who have dream jobs, so we know they ...

Women are starting businesses at a rate three times that of men, but there are still inroads to be made in typically male-dominated fields such as publishing, biotechnology and gaming, to name a few. h4. *Biotechnology* Mireille Gingras is founder, CEO and president of HUYA Bioscience International, a company that focuses on drug development. She offers the following five tips for ...

Any business is going to require money upfront to be successful - whether you have a concept and develop it yourself as a brand and a business, or whether you buy into someone else’s brand. Believing that you can start a business without any money is a bad decision! Interestingly, this is the biggest difference between men and women who start ...

During a recession, many small businesses are forced to close their doors due to lack of sales and increasing overhead costs. However, restricted economies can actually help some small businesses succeed, as people cut back on brand-new luxuries and seek out companies focused on repair and renewal. Companies that offer cheap goods and repossession services also top the list. Here’s a ...

In celebration of our 100th newsletter, we compiled this guide of our 10 best Top 10 lists! Whether you're on the job, searching for one, starting your own business or changing careers, in this list you'll find career tips helpful to the current state of your professional life. Job Search Top 10 Common Resume Blunders 10 Cover Letter Mistakes to ...

Take a look at the top 2 reasons businesses fail: inadequate capital and excessive cost overruns. Don’t let your business fail because of these two things. Since most of us don’t have lots of capital available to us to start our operation, we must use what we have wisely. Here are 10 ways to use that capital wisely and manage your ...

I am confident that if you have heard of Twitter, you might have wondered: “What is the big deal anyway?” As many of my entrepreneurial followers know, I am a big fan of Web 2.0 and beyond for growing your business. Social networking has become a powerful way for solopreneurs to connect on a global business level. Twitter is a part ...

Conducting a job search these days can be bewildering and frustrating. The competition seems fierce, the economy is slowing, resumes submitted online seem to fall into a silent black hole, and as a woman of a certain age, even if you get the interview, you often hear that you’re over-qualified. What is a midlife woman to do? Never fear, help is ...

Prospective clients often ask this question: "I have an idea and I want to start a business, but where do I go from here?" Depending on their background, their proposed industry and what they have accomplished at the time the question is asked, my answer varies. However, one component of my answer never changes: I always advise clients to do some ...

I am a speaker at heart and have always wanted to speak in front of groups of people. I never really thought I would become a writer. Somehow, when I try to write, the words don’t flow like when I speak! But when a publisher found me on LinkedIn, I was honored (and overwhelmed!) and agreed to write one chapter in ...