Managing cashflow uncertainty: One small business owner shares 6 ways

Just ran across this blog by Scott Gerber and I think it's a must read for any small business. Several very good ideas for increasing customers motivation to pay.

Six Ways to Smooth Out Uneven Cash Flow

Blog your way to expert status

Are you an expert but nobody knows it? Or are you working on becoming an expert?
A blog can be a great way to get started establishing your expertise!
Here are some Maven Do’s & Don’ts:
DO:

• Just get started. It seems to take about 100 posts before your blog really starts “rising to the top” so you just want to get started. There are great options such as Blogger or WordPress. Be sure to look at the features that are important to you before you pick a tool. For instance, if you want your own domain name (http://www.corpmavenmusings.com) you’ll likely choose WordPress. If you want more integration with Google, you might choose Blogger.
  
• Have a main theme/storyline and identity that keeps people interested and wanting to come back. This theme is your main “expertise” area.
  
• Really share your expertise! Be a thought leader. Give it away for free. Why do restaurants give away their “secret” recipes? Because it builds loyalty and brand recognition. If someone wants the real deal, they will always come to the source, even if they have the recipe.
  
• Don’t be afraid to do short posts and explore side topics. This breaks up the monotony and makes you more interesting to readers. Tie side topics back to main theme if possible but don’t force it.
  
• Respond faithfully to reader comments and use them for future blog topics.
  
• Get your name out there by commenting on other experts blogs.
  
• Use trackback links to let other bloggers know when you are blogging about their content.
  
• Consider asking another blogger if you can contribute a guest posting. (see About.com article below)
  
• Use social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) to update your followers when you have posted a new entry.

DON’T:

• If you have a product, do share updates but DON’T make your blog into a product announcement page (unless that is the intention and then go for it!). You are an expert in a given domain, a thought leader. If your readers connect with you then your product will benefit.
  
• Do not disrespect other bloggers or experts with comments or needlessly ridicule. This will only come back to bite you later (plus it’s bad Karma!).

Once you’ve established your expertise on your blog, leverage this body of work to expand into other areas by volunteering as a speaker at the Chamber of Commerce, local schools or other community venues. Consider writing a regular column for a local newspaper. The sky’s the limit!! You just need to START!
Happy blogging! ~ Maven
Related articles from About.com:

• What is a Trackback - Trackbacks Explained
  
• What is Google Blogger?
  
• Choosing a Blog Host: Wordpress Overview
  
• 15 Tips to Increase Your Blog's Traffic
  
• Guest Bloggers - Top 10 Tips for Guest Bloggers

How important is having a job you love?

Some time ago, someone asked me to write a blog post about "How important is having a job you love?" I dutifully posted the topic to "draft" and moved on without a second thought (at the time). Recently, however, the stress of the economic situation vs. career needs and growth opportunities seem to be plaguing many. In fact many, who have been putting up with less than fulfilling jobs (likely because they figured that they could always find another one if they ever got really fed up) seem to be feeling trapped and panicky. There aren't a lot of options at the moment making their current situation seem endless.

We've all heard the famous Confucius quote, "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life. " So, how important is having a job you love?

Most of us corporate-types like to think that the work we do and the job we have has some sort of greater purpose or meaning. We work on our 30-second elevator pitches, we agonize over the title that gets printed on our business cards, we refresh and refine our personal brands, our colleagues become our friends, our workplace our social network. We spend most of our waking hours doing work related to our job (perhaps sneaking in a few daydreams of running a surf board rental shop on the beach, now and again). My high-school chemistry teacher used to say "Life isn't fun or fair, it's rewarding and fulfilling." So we seek reward and fulfillment... understanding that we should probably make yoga a priority (supposed to be good for fighting stress).

Many times we have a job because of what it enables in the rest of our lives (like paying the bills or piano lessons for the kids), not because it, in and of itself, satisfies or fulfills. For most, the reality of "a job you love" is simply a myth. So many people are without jobs at all and the possibility of not being able to meet the most basic needs looms large. No loving your job, especially right now, may feel strange, but it is what it is... if you don't love it, the current climate isn't going to change how you feel. How do you have a "life you love" when you have a job you don't love? Should you just be satisfied with the status quo simply out of gratitude for the job you have?

Maven advice for those who don't love their jobs:

• Commit to the job you have and do it well. I call this moving into the house you have... and I do mean "move in," unpack, the whole 9 yards. As far as any and everyone is concerned, you are in the job to stay. Bosses, colleagues and employees can sense dissatisfaction even if it's never put into words. No sense "deep-sixing" yourself unintentionally.
• Make a conscious list of how the current job is benefiting your overall life. Even the "worst" job I ever had taught be valuable lessons was grateful to have learned (although I wish I had learned in a much less painful fashion!).
  
• Leverage the positives and think strategically. Look for on the job training opportunities that hone your overall skills long-term, build a stronger network, get a mentor (someone outside of your job area), train and mentor others, volunteer to work some percentage in a different area (as long as your core responsibilities are rock solid) that exposes you to new experiences and new colleagues.
• Keep your network healthy. You never know when the next opportunity may arise. And perhaps this time you won't be so hesitant to go after it.
  
• Remember, your job does not define who you are as a person. Search for fulfillment in other places. Focus on family, helping and staying connected with friends, hobbies, volunteering and giving back to your community; these are all ways to enrich our lives.

As a corporate maven (with a strong entreprenuerial streak), I cheat. And yes, cheating is allowed. I get all the benefits of a vibrant and fast paced corporate job, I try to give back to my community and I turn my (and my daughter's) hobbies into little side businesses to satisfy my "surf shop" needs. Why? I am clearly lucky enough to have a job I enjoy, but the job isn't "all" of what I enjoy in my life in general. My overall life is bigger than my job.

So, what's the maven "love your job" bottom line? It's more important to love your life than it is to love your job.

Should I sign off with a "Namaste"?

Best,
Maven