The Best Online Marketing Tools

AgoraPlus

If you have started a home based business, you’ve probably been told that you must be online. That means starting a social media account or two for your business. Yes, this is absolutely vital. But the other half of that argument is that you need some way to manage those profiles if you are going to start them. That’s where social media scheduling tools come in to play.

There are many software tools like this and you can play around with the different ones to see which one you like the best, but this one is ranked quite high and worth a try. Make it easy to schedule out posts, make calendars, and optimize your social accounts all at once. Give a try.

Social Mention

It can be a hassle, monitoring your social media posts, especially when you’ve already got a full schedule to handle. You're busy, doing all the home-based business tasks. So using Social Mention will streamline the whole process in a very automatic and efficient way.

Buffer

This one allows you to deal with all your social media at once. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of your profiles were in the same place? With Buffer, you can monitor and make changes to all of your accounts with one single app. It makes the management of all social media channels as easy as checking your Facebook once and being done for the day.

IFTTT

IFTTT, or “If This, Then That,” is a really easy and, actually kind of fun website to use for your social profiles. This one allows you to fiddle with the algorithm a little bit and experiment. You can program it to automatically post content from your website, like blogs or onsite pages, to ALL of your social profiles… without even having to lift a finger. Just post to your website, or schedule it to post already existing content. You can customize the messages that come out of it too.

Calendly

Calendly makes it really easy to schedule meetings without the back and forth of emails. Instead of wasting hours, or even days, trying to match schedules, simply send your calendar link to the person you want to meet with and they will select the time that works best for them. Talk about taking the hassle out of scheduling meetings.

Going Green For Your Business

Going green is a great marketing strategy

Aside from the obvious environmental and economic benefits of going green, it can also save you money on supplies and make your customers happy. When your business makes an effort to go green, tell people about it so you can spread awareness and encourage others to do the same. Not only will you save money, but you can also potentially make more money when you align with customers who are passionate about going green.

It’s the future of things

Sooner or later, every business will be going green. They can fight it tooth and nail, or they can embrace the change and create a successful business. It’s up to you to be ahead of the curve in your business and personal life. Many big companies are beginning to view going green as a status symbol in their industries, and more companies are hopping on board with that line of thinking. We already know that people will look at your company in a positive light if your business went green. The potential to help others and help the environment are endless if you choose to make going green your business.

Boost morale

Not only do customers look positively at your forward-looking business, but employees and team members would typically much rather work for a green-thinking company as well. If new team members get the impression that you are a company that cares, which you are, they will feel more comfortable working with the organization. Turnover rate is typically lower in businesses that have gone green.

Save money

Part of going green is saving energy. As you probably already know, utilities can be expensive, especially in a business office. Between paper, ink, toner, shredders, and all that extra office space to hold those items, the money adds up. When it comes to going green, there is often money that needs to be spent up front, especially with changing procedures and green products. But in the long run, it will absolutely save money.

Alan Pariser cares about going green and wants to help your business go green as well. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Alan in regards to business development and environmentally-friendly products.  

4 Benefits of a Home-Based Business

Tax benefits

Not only do you save money by opening up your business from home, but you also get to experience the tax benefits of working your own business from home. Did you know that you can potentially deduct things like property taxes, repairs, gas mileage, and technology? Remember to consult your CPA or accountant on the exact deductions you can make for your business and location before doing your taxes.

Work whenever you want

One of the greatest benefits of a home based business is the hours. Those hours are set by you because you’re the boss. Working from home full time means you can get up, grab yourself some coffee and relax before diving into work. Working from home part-time means you can schedule in work hours that will work with your family and schedule.

Increased Income Opportunity

When you start a home-based business, there are no limits to how much potential money you can personally make. Sure, the money can be small, to begin with. But when the money grows, there is no boss above you taking all that profit. You get the profit that you work hard to make. If you work a business that is set up for passive income, you can work hard now and potentially reap the rewards long after you’re done working.

Increased productivity and creativity

If there’s one thing that the workplace may do to us, it\'s stifling our productivity and especially our creativity. But when you work from home, you have a lot more time to delegate to the task at hand. Instead of focusing on traveling and making it to meetings on time or dealing with distractions at work, the work that’s in front of you can be the only thing on your mind.

Follow the Advancing With Us blog for tips on how to start your own home based business and learn all about the benefits that come with it. We talk about all things home based business related and passive income related every week.

How to Close a Deal  

Be real and believe in what you’re selling

No matter who the person is, they can always detect if you’re being real or fake with your product. If you don’t believe in what you’re saying or selling, they won’t believe it either. When talking to people, act natural and tell them about the product or service in an authentic way. If you believe in what you sell or promote, others will believe in you.  

Create urgency

People will be more likely to act when they have a reason to act in the moment. When you tell someone about a product or package, give them a deadline or an inventive to act now to get the best deal. Think coupons: they’ll often have an expiration date, causing the customer to go to the store before that date. That creates urgency. Apply these same principles to your business.

Know who the decision maker is

Often times during meetings, those who are in charge and will be making decisions send in someone else to listen to your pitch. It’s important for you to realize this right off the bat. Knowing who is making the calls and closing the deal makes the sales process a lot easier. It’s best to sit down with the decision maker if at all possible.

Understand the competition

Knowing who your competitors are is a must if you want to know how to close a deal. Knowing the competition will give you inspiration for what to do and how to do it differently for your business. Own the deal before you close it by knowing what’s out there and what makes your business better.  

If you want to know more about how to start your own business and close the deal, check out Advancing With Us. We’ll coach you on closing deals and running your own business so you are set up for success.

4 Joys of Working From Home

All the coffee you want

Just about any office has a pot of coffee. But when you’re at the office, you have to think about everyone else and not drink too much coffee. When you’re at home, not only do you get the whole pot to yourself, you get whatever kind of coffee you want.

You don’t have to get ready

Sometimes, you just don’t want to drag yourself into the shower, do your hair and makeup, and get dressed for the day. When you work from home, you don’t have to. Working from home means you never have to shed those comfortable clothes. You can wear sweats all day, guilt-free.

No traffic

If you live in a city, or anywhere in California, you know the struggle. The average commute from home to work can range from 30 minutes to over an hour if traffic is bad. That means you have to get up even earlier to just make it on time after you get ready. Working from home means you can skip the annoying traffic and just plop down in your home office to begin your work day.

You can cuddle up and get comfortable

One of the greatest joys of working from home is that you always have the freedom to cuddle up with a blanket, pillow, or even a pet. Most offices don’t allow you to bring a pet to work or even have a blanket to drape over your legs. At home, there’s no one to tell you not to. You’ll always be comfortable with your manageable workload and always a fresh cup of coffee.

Life is good when you work from home and Alan Pariser knows about all the joys of working from home first hand. At Advancing With Us, we’re all about giving you tips and tricks for working from home and owning your own business. If you’re looking for business coaching, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Career vs Job: Choosing the Right Path

Many famous actors and artists worked to get where they are with countless hours waiting tables or serving coffee. They weren’t making any money working at night and attending acting classes, singing lessons, and countless auditions during the day. But they were chasing the dreams, and the lifestyle worked for them.

What’s the Difference Between a Job and a Career?

A job is simply something you do for money, whether you love it or not. Your career describes professional life, including experiences and education. For example, if you are a writer by trade, one of the jobs you may have had along the way is the job of a content creator or marketer. Your career is that portfolio that gets you more and more jobs you want. Simultaneously, those dream jobs you want to be spending all your time doing is also your career.

So, where do you start on this path to your dream job, whatever it may be? What is your dream job? Are you ready to sacrifice everything in wait tables living in a shabby apartment in Los Angeles? Or, are you ready to commit 5-10 hours a week as a side hustle until you make enough money to quit the old job?  

It’s possible to both work a job and work for your career. One option is to work your way up a corporate ladder. Another option is to work different jobs in the same industry until you get enough experience to land the dream career. A third option is to work a steady job while you grow your business on the side.

For more advice on your career vs job status, visit Advancing With Us. We offer career coaching and life lessons that can help you explore a new career for as a little as five extra hours a week.

Five Great 2019 Business Goals

Show your employees how much you appreciate them

Have you shown your employees how much you appreciate them lately? Regardless of your answer, let’s make it a goal to show them just how much you’re happy they’re there. After all, without them, you couldn\'t do it all.

A good way to show your love for them is by giving them extra time off for holidays, bonus pay, or even a simple pizza party Friday afternoon. A little bit of extra effort goes a long way with your employees. Surprise them with something small consistently and you might be surprised at how much effort you get in return.

Organize your finances

One of your 2019 business goals could be to revisit some of the old books and set up a system to organize your finances moving forward. If you’re already fully aware of your budget and all your spending, then great! Make your financial goals for 2019 bigger! And if you hate looking at your books, take 2019 to delegate that task to another professional.  

Set networking goals

Networking has been, and always will be, essential to growing business. Consider going to networking events or being more active on social media. Set tangible goals that you can meet every month to up your socializing with the world. By the end of the year, you will reach more people that you could never have met otherwise.  

A good 2019 business goal for networking could be as simple as networking with X amount of people in X amount of time. Or it could be to reach out into a new market by the second quarter. Either way, you can measure how much you’re reaching out and your business will surely grow!

Setting business goals and new year resolutions are excellent ways to keep your business and your personal development growth. Reach out to Alan with Advancing With Us to continue learning how to grow your business.

Tips for Making a Sell Without Being Spammy

Try Facebook live

First and foremost, you should start a Facebook page if you haven’t already. Of course, you can always run your business from your own personal profile, but you won’t be able to use promotions or view insights. When it comes time to educate your audience on a product or service, you can always do a Facebook live. Many organizations and business owners are utilizing live online broadcasts to talk about their products, you can be one of them. You can make a sell without being spammy because those who are tuning in are at least somewhat interested in purchasing and those who aren’t interested don’t have to watch. Think of it as a potential client filter.

Create a blog

Starting a blog is a good way to get engagement on your content. When you write about more than your products and include valuable information for your audience, potential clients will feel more inclined to invest their time and money. The great thing about blogs is that if you focus on writing good and engaging content that people will enjoy reading and getting educated, then you’re doing your job and not spammy in the slightest. Include a call to action at the end of your blog with a link to your website or products page that essentially acts as the next step for people wanting to learn more.

Network

For natural and easy sells, go out and meet people. Networking and building relationships are the best ways to grow your business. The best thing you can do is truly get to know the people in your network. Once you better understand the needs of the folks you are talking to, selling will be easier and won’t feel spammy if you offer something they need. Don’t be cold or robotic when building business relationships. Add a personal touch and make your business conversational when networking with others. No one wants a business card in their face and nothing else.

Advancing With Us is all about helping you with your business. We can teach you how to make a sell without being spammy and how to build a business you love from the living room of your home. Visit our website today and learn more about what we do.

Tips for Growing Your Home Based Business

Focus on what’s important

If you have a goal, focus on it. Never forget it. Most people work from home so they can be with their families. This is great. Your business should support your chosen lifestyle. That is, after all, the entire point of owning your own business. This gives you the freedom to focus on what’s important in your life, as well as your business. Just keep that goal in mind.

Create an online presence

If you are just starting a business, one big move to show you’re serious is creating a website. In this digital age, you have to be online to grow your business. There’s just no way around it anymore. Even brick and mortar businesses have some kind of social media site or a Facebook profile. But if you are working at home and possibly alone, your presence should be a little bit louder than theirs.

To do this, post--a lot. At least a few times a week. Start with at least one platform, like Twitter or Facebook, use hashtags that pertain to your industry, and grow your presence through consistent posting and engaging. This will increase your presence and people will start to notice your business.

Hire some help

Once you start earning your money and you see business growth, it’s time to start delegating tasks accordingly. From contracting a bookkeeper or virtual assistant to hiring an actual employee, you’ll be amazed what you can do once you delegate tasks you don’t like or don’t have time to do anymore.

If you want to learn more about starting your own business and growing your home-based business, visit the Advancing With Us website and learn more about what we do.  

Finding Succes in Your Early 20s

While the majority of you in your early to mid-20s are still in school, there are things you can do to prepare yourself for your future career, whatever it may be. It turns out there are some things that you probably won’t even learn at your university.

Although, many successful people agree that these are the things they did or wish they had done for some early success.

Learn time management

Poor time management is a killer. Unfortunately, many people learn that lesson a little later on. Life is about balance. You don’t want your career taking over and you not having enough time for your personal life, family, or your hobbies. Learning time management and how to properly schedule things will give you the time to do it all.

Find what you’re passionate about

You know the saying, “do what you love so you never have to work a day in your life.” It can be true for your life if you choose a career that reflects your passions. If you’re passionate about something, practice it. Find your tribe. Learn from and connect with other people with the same passions.  

Ignore whatever holds you back

It might take a minute to learn just how hard you have to work in order to be successful, especially if you want to see success in your early 20s. We all have that voice inside our heads (and sometimes that voice is outside our heads but in our families) that tells us we can’t do it or that we should give up. Every 20-something year old needs to learn to ignore the negative voices and keep pushing forward.

Save your money

We cannot express this enough: save your money! You never know what will happen later on in life and the older you get, the more expenses you will have. Set aside money from every check to go into savings. On that note, consider looking for a side-gig that can help you build passive income as you go along.

Learn from your mistakes

We all make mistakes so don’t get down on yourself when you screw up. Instead, you should take it with confidence and humility. and ultimately learn from the experience. Getting down on yourself or doubting yourself only hurts you in the long run.

Learn as much as you can

Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and really absorb what they have to say. Learn from them and be humble. You will always have a lot to learn no matter where you’re at in life. Whether you go to school or not, there’s always something to be learned.

Alan Pariser and Advancing With Us wants to educate you on the importance of good business decisions and successful choices. If you want to learn success in your early 20s, read what we have to say and learn how Alan successfully build his business to over 7-figures.

The Unexpected Self-Employed Business Costs

Advertising

There are a couple of things people don’t realize about advertising. The truth is, it's all about visibility, no matter what your business is. That space, whether online, on social media, or on print, costs money. Without that, you are working with only networking and word of mouth. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because you can really make that work for you, but generally, people do spend money on ad-space.

Travel expenses

If you want to be successful, you have to travel. Whether by car or by plane, you’ll probably be showing up to networking events and parties to spread the word about your business. These travel expenses add up to a lot more than you’d expect. These expenses are things like insurance, gas, plane tickets, rental cars, etc.

Business expenses

Every business, no matter what industry you’re in, requires proper documentation. For starters, you’ll need a business license. That’s a given. But many people overlook the different business costs that can add up. These might include insurance, taxes, office supplies, and more. Keep an eye out on the money you’re spending for the business every month to keep ahead of any potentially surprising expenses.  

The best part about many business expenses is that they are tax deductible. As with most business costs, it takes knowledge and action to see profits. If you want to learn more about starting your own business and self-employed business costs, visit the Advancing With Us website and learn more about what we do.  

Think Wealthy, Be Wealthy

Understanding money

People who are thinking wealthy have a better grasp of what money actually is. Wealthy people know that money does not solve problems, it is just a tool. This mindset allows people to make decisions based on their own desires, rather than financial pressures. These people are more likely to take risks in the workplace, like sharing ideas with upper management or applying for a job you never thought practical. While being able to live a life of luxury would be nice; the first thing that you need to do is find a fulfilling way to make that money. Once you understand that your life will not be perfect if you are rich, you can start working to accumulate wealth.

Know what kind of experience you need

The conventional approach to success is to get as much education and accreditation as possible. However, many of the wealthiest people in the world did not graduate from college. These people recognized the value in their ideas and knew that no degree was required to start their own businesses. Once you have developed your goals, the next step is understanding what type of education you need. Taking specialized classes, participating in internships and seeking other relevant forms formal education is a good idea. Still, many wealthy people know that the best way to gain experience is to get your hands dirty. Start interacting with people who are doing what you want to do. Learn everything you can about your industry, and find out just how far good people skills can take you.

Working smarter

If you want to stand out in your business, you need to work differently than other people. Start finding smarter ways to get your goals accomplished. Consider seeking out a team or another business to delegate tasks so you have the freedom to work the way you want. When you have support it is always easier to get things done. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs for more information about running an effective home-based business.  

How to Get Success Started Early

Pay attention to your environment

Your environment always contributes to your character. If you want success in your life you need to surround yourself with it. This means putting yourself in situations that will help you grow. The people that you interact with should have the same mindset and values as you do. If you are ready to work hard for your dreams, make friends that are doing the same. Being around others who have already found success, or are working towards it, will allow you to learn from them and establish connections.

Be ready to take risks

One of the most important things to master in business is taking smart risks. People don’t usually make it big by playing it safe and following the status quo. You need to learn how to evaluate risks and have the confidence to take them when it feels right for you. Whether this means taking a non-traditonal path, or allowing yourself to start a new business, working through new challenges, opportunities, and risks is the only way that you will grow.

Focus on yourself

In order to grow, you have to pay attention to yourself. Regularly, take some time to understand how you are feeling. Evaluating your reactions to different stressors and achievements can help you become more productive. Once you understand why some things are more challenging for you, you can start finding solutions to the problems. On the other hand, knowing what you truly love to do will allow you to expand on it. Once you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses you can build a better you. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs for more strategies on building a successful business in your twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties.   

How You Can Make Good Money Without Leaving Your Home

Attorney

You don’t need to have a 9 to 5 to take advantage of your degree. It is becoming more common for law firms to offer remote positions. Work-from-home attornies are usually given the task of reviewing documents and files. In addition to that, some firms will ask you to be available to provide clients with legal advice over the phone.

Software Development

If you have a tech related degree you have a lot of options when it comes to work-from-home jobs. One of which is software development. When you are working in one of these positions, you are often in charge of troubleshooting, designing, and updating new software. Being able to do this from home instead of at an office gives you more of that wanted freedom.

Writing and Editing

Freelance writing is a great job for those who like to be their own bosses. As a freelance writer, you decide what jobs you want to take on. There are many ways to find a job writing from home. For example, online essay writing/editing services are always accepting new writers. Many of these companies only require their writers to have a college degree. As a work-from-home writer, you can expect to spend your time creating works that cover a variety of different topics.

Customer Service Representative

Customer service is one of the fastest growing industries today. When you are working as a customer service representative it is your job to answer customers’ questions. You will need to know enough about the business you are working with to provide relevant and helpful information. Most of the time this is done through a call center or online chatting service.

Network Marketing

For those who want to work from home running their own business on their own time and still make good money, there are a plethora of network marketing opportunities. Some network marketing opportunities are better than others, so it’s worthwhile to do a little research before diving head first into one opportunity. Also, make sure you choose to work an opportunity with a product or service that you love. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about a network opportunity and for more tips on finding work-from-home jobs  and business advice.

Ways To Make Money Online

Take Surveys

One of the easiest ways to make money online is by participating in surveys. When companies develop new strategies one of the most important pieces of data they use is the opinion of the consumer. Simply put, companies value your opinions and they will pay you to give them. This route would be perfect for someone who wants to make a few extra dollars with their free time, as taking surveys is generally a low-risk low-reward.

Write Reviews

A step up from taking surveys is writing reviews. There are plenty of businesses out there who are willing to exchange products and/or monetary compensation for reviews. It is important for these companies to know their customer’s honest thoughts and find room for improvement. On the other hand, reviews are a great way for businesses to reach more people. If you are interested in writing product reviews check out sites like Vindale or Famebit.

Affiliate Marketing

If you use social media you have most likely witnessed affiliate marketing. Many companies are using affiliate, or ambassador programs to generate more income. When becoming a part of one of these programs you are expected to promote the company through online word-of-mouth. Usually, ambassadors will be given a code that they promote for people to use when making purchases through them. The takeaway for you is usually free products and/or some sort of sales commission. However, to make good money in affiliate marketing, you need to have a large online following ready to consume your content.

Network Marketing

Network marketing is a business opportunity that you can spend as little or as much time as you want to create and is popular among people who are looking for part-time or flexible work. The business model is based on marketing a service or a set of products you love through word-of-mouth and building relationships. This type of marketing allows you to have a more personal relationship when you are trying to market a product and helps you meet people with similar interests in the process. There are many networking marketing opportunities to choose from, including organizations that have been around for many years like Avon. Although you are working with a larger organization, you are still building your own business on your own timeframe. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about online business opportunities and business tips.  

Growing Your Home Based Business

Focus On What Is Important

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with your home based business is losing focus. When you are your own boss, it is easy to want to start making all of your dreams come true at once. However, taking this approach can make your life very hard. If you are hoping to grow your home based business, it is important to create both strategic and tactical plans. Understanding what small goals must be achieved to reach your big goal will go a long way. When you are starting your business, focus on marketing the products/services you know will produce the most turnover.

Know When To Branch Out

Knowing when to expand your focus is equally as important as knowing when to keep that focus small. Once your home business has started to gain traction, your customers will value both your name and your product. This gives you the perfect opportunity to start offering more products/services or grow your team.

You Don’t Have To Work Alone

Working from home doesn’t mean that you have to work alone. Being your own boss means you wear many hats, including that of the manager. One of the primary functions of a management team is delegation. Think about what pieces of your own business could move more smoothly if outside help were brought in. This could take the form of hiring someone to work on advertising, creating a website, or managing social media. You may also consider hiring a part-time employee for the administrative work, if that falls in line with your business type. Taking these steps may allow you to take on more work, which will only help your business grow.

Running a home-based business is easier when you use the support of others who have been where you are. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs for more home-based business tips and advice.  

The Secrets To Being An Effective Leader

Never Stop Learning

The first step to becoming an effective leader is making yourself the smartest person in the room. This means educating yourself on your industry, your project, your team, and leadership skills. Fully understanding your objective, and all of the different ways to meet it will allow you to make better plans and keep your team productive. In addition to all of this, a great leader understands that the world is always changing. You may go to bed knowing everything that there is to know, but you can wake up to a whole new world of information. Never allow yourself to stop learning how to be a better leader.

Be A Good Delegator

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of all of the people you are managing will allow you to place them in positions where they are the most proactive. Take the time to understand what your team is good at, and what types of things they like to do. When people are doing things that they are good at (and that they enjoy!), your operation will run like a well-oiled machine. This will give you time to find ways to improve upon the current plan, and get ready for the future.

Take Pride In Yourself And Your Team

Half of the battle is showing up. You need to take pride in yourself and in the people you work with. If your attitude is saying “We can do it!”, your team is going to believe it. As a leader, people look at you as a role model. If you always show up in a funk or unmotivated, you are doing a disservice to the people you are working with. Be sure to be confident, and show that confidence off! Learn more leadership lessons from Alan with AdvancingWithUs. 

An Entrepreneur's Guide To Beating A Bad Case Of The Mondays

Start Your Day Off Right

As much as you might want to, you’ve got to resist the urge to hit that snooze button. While working from home allows you to make your own hours, and dress how you like; it is still important to maintain a professional image. Making a schedule for yourself and getting ready to go to work are two easy ways to do this. You should also try setting daily goals for yourself and plan out your breaks at the beginning of your day. Doing this puts some pressure on you to stick to a plan, while allowing you to work harder knowing you will get some rest.

Take Reinforcing Breaks

Your brain needs a break every once in a while. When you are planning out your workday it is important for you to keep rest time in mind. Many people use the rule of 52 & 17 when planning out their breaks. Consider what kind of things are reinforcing for you, and use those things as rewards for yourself when you take a break. You may enjoy a walk around the block, a quick look at social media, or even some takeout. No matter what reinforcement looks like to you, it is important to show your brain some love when you’re working hard.

Go Outside !

Even if you don’t believe it, staying in the same place all day with little human interaction takes its toll. If you find yourself feeling ready to scream at your computer, go outside! A quick five-minute walk has the power to change your whole mood. If you need a more drastic change, consider taking a “field trip”. Doing your work at a coffee shop or another cozy public place could be the break from routine that you need. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs for more home-based business tips and advice.

Tips to Improve Your Business’ Social Media Presence

Post consistently

The best way to get your business’ social media account going in the right direction is to post consistently. This will help to gain you new followers and keep your business top of mind with your current followers. The best part about posting consistently; it doesn't have to cost anything but your time. Come up with a strategy and remember that it is okay to recycle and reuse content.

Engage with your audience

Social media marketing is not just about posting often; it’s also about engaging with your audience. It’s about saying the right things to the right people for your brand. This means asking for feedback and comments, replying to that feedback appropriately, and engaging with people who aren’t yet following you so you can let them know you exist.

Host events, webinars, and other business activities

The more your business does stuff outside of social media, such as event marketing, the more you can post about on social media. It’s always the social media posts about real activities happening in your business that get the most attention.

Use social ads strategically

Using Facebook or Instagram advertising is not required, and it doesn't have to mean putting in a lot of money. It all comes down to putting in some money for the right ad, with the right content for your audience. Post good content and your advertising bucks will go further and reach more people when you are ready to start using them.

Improving your social media presence is good for brand awareness and ultimately good for business. Take the time now to set up your social media accounts and post to them consistently, and you will start seeing the benefits the more you do it. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs for more home-based business tips and advice.

Best Business Apps to Try in 2018

Quickbooks App

If you use Quickbooks for your business’ accounting needs, it’s time to download the app if you haven't already. Self-employed professionals can use this app to track mileage. Business owners can send invoices straight from the app and have access to view their finances at any time.

Slack

Slack’s instant messaging platform can keep you and your team connected at all times. You can setup public and private chats. It’s also easy to share images, PDF’s, and other files right in the chat.

Square

This app is great for business owners who need to collect money on the go. Food trucks, mobile retailers, and regular retailers. It comes with a small square that you plug into your phone, which can read credit and debit cards.

Evernote

Looking for the best way to take notes on the go? Try Evernote, and you can take notes in a multitude of ways, as well as share those notes with others easily.

Trello

Time to upgrade to a project management system? Try Trello for free and see what it’s like to start organizing all your ongoing projects in one place.

DocuSign

If you need contracts to be regularly signed, it can be a hassle to get both parties in one room or ask one party to sign and scan over a document. DocuSign takes care of this problem, and its convenient app makes it possible to create and sign documents on the go.

These are just a few of the most popular apps right now, but most of them have competitors in the field that work just as well. Do your research when in need of a certain type of app so you can find the best version for you and your budget.If you are interested in starting your own business but just don't know where to begin, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs today.

Tech Tips to Run Your Small Biz More Effectively

Go paperless

Make your business easily accessible from anywhere by going paperless. Store your documents in the Cloud or use applications like DropBox.

Digital Project Management

Get projects and deadlines organized by using a project management system online so that you can access it from anywhere.

Digital Money Management

Use a platform like Quickbooks to keep all the finances organized in one place and make invoicing easier and less time-consuming.

Market your business online

From social media marketing to Google AdWords, take advantage of the Internet to access millions of people that you would never normally have access to. Taking your marketing strategy online is cost-effective and usually a more effective way to utilize your marketing time.

Bring meetings online

Host webinars and web conferences to meet online without worrying about travel time. You can also connect with people across the country through the use of web conference calling.

Technology is here to stay. As small business owners, it’s time we embrace all the technology can provide us. When time and resources are lacking, technology can be used to make your business better than ever. If you are thinking about jumping into business on your own, or need some advice from one business owner to another, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs.

Worst Mistakes You Can Make When Starting a New Business

You don't believe in your business success

If you aren’t 100% into your business and ready to make it work, even on a part-time level, then no one else will be either. You are your business’ first and biggest fan. No one else is going to love and work for your business as much as you do, so you need to make sure you actually love it before moving forward with making it work.

Being too extreme with money

When first starting a business, it is important to be frugal with money. However, being too extreme once the business starts can be a costly mistake in the long run. New entrepreneurs will have one of two common mistaken mindsets: “you have to spend money to make money” and “I’ll only spend the bare minimum until I have decent cash flow”. Both mindsets are a mistake and can hold you back from business growth.

Not setting business goals

When you think about first launching your business, you want to think about goals. When you've already launched your business, you want to be thinking about goals. Basically, you always want to be thinking about goals for your business. How fast do you want it to grow? What are the action steps you will take to achieve that growth? Businesses don’t blossom overnight. It takes strategizing, goal setting, and work to see success.  

Not thinking about marketing

People often think, “If I build it, they will come” without realizing that if people don’t know you built it, then they won’t even have a chance to come. Also recognize the difference between marketing to your family and friends, and marketing to people who don't know you yet. Depending on your business, marketing to both might be the right move.

If you are thinking about starting your own business, but don't know where to begin or how to make it work with your current career and family obligations, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs.

Entrepreneurial Motivational Movies

The Pursuit of Happyness

A movie about struggle and triumph, this true story is about Chris Gardner who overcame the odds to eventually start his own company.  

Forrest Gump

A true classic, this movie is both inspiring and potentially one of the greatest movies of all time. If you haven't seen Forest Gump, it’s a must-watch.

Moneyball

It’s a movie about underdogs in baseball and in life, and a lesson in taking little to no money and creating a winning team.

Jerry MaGuire

Based on a true story, Jerry MaGuire shows just what it takes to stay at the top, as is suggested by the quote, “Success consists of simply getting up one more time than you fail.”

Startup.com

This documentary film focuses on the rise and fall of startup GovWorks, and covers topics including finance, growth management, internship skills, team building and more.

Call of the Entrepreneur

This 2007 documentary film follows the lives of three men who are all chasing their dreams and risking it all to make them happen.

Pirates of Silicon Valley

This film highlights the beginnings of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates as they built their empires, touching on their rivalry and their trials and triumphs.

The Social Network

Another film about the rise of a technology's empire, this is the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook in his Harvard dorm room.

Boiler Room

The story of a young entrepreneur who finds himself faced with a moral dilemma as he rises to the top of his brokerage firm. It's a story about money and morals, and the struggle between these them that happens in business.

These are just a few motivational movies to get you thinking strategically, creatively, and motivationally about your business. If you are looking to start your own business and want advice on how to get started, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs today.

Networking Like a Pro (When You’re Not)

Give yourself time limits

There is no use going to a networking event if you’re going to stay less than an hour. When you walk through the doors at 6, tell yourself you can’t leave until at least 7 and make it work. Remember, networking is the art of building professional relationships, which takes time.

Think about business cards

Business cards are a big part of networking events. Think creatively about how you can use business cards to enhance your networking experiences. Perhaps that means getting new (less boring) business cards, or cards that are a little different; These are great conversation starters in a room where everyone expects to see everyone else's business card. Also, if you don't like the time limit game, consider telling yourself that you can’t leave an event until the stack of business cards you bought is gone.

Volunteer

If the prospect of walking up to someone new terrifies, then put yourself in a position where they have to walk up to you; volunteer at a networking event. This will help the businesses organizing the event and get you a little face time with a lot more people. Sure, most of them will go on their way; but you can probably catch a few to talk to once your duties are done.

Do less talking and more listening

Worried you won’t know what to say when meeting someone new at a networking event? Let them do all the talking. All you have to do is come up with engaging questions, such as “what do you do?” and people will usually do all the talking for you.

Networking like a pro, even when you don't feel like a pro, is simple. Follow the basic principles of networking, let others do most of the talking, and remember that the more you do it, the more comfortable you will be. To learn more about a business that focuses on building relationships, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs today.

Business Blog Topic Ideas

Write about what you know

Why you decided to start your own business

What is your inspiration in business

Valuable lessons you learned from you first few years in business

Write about what not to do in business

List posts always do well

List your favorite business books

List your favorite business tools

List the essentials you need to start your own business

List the latest business lessons you learned

List the latest business trends that will impact your business

Write about your product or service

What makes your product or service better than the competition

When is the best time to use your product or service

Write about a happy customer experience with your product or service (it could be your own)

Answer frequently asked questions about your product or service

Get Creative

Run a contest

Create an infographic based on another one of your blog posts

Invite your readers to submit guest blogs

Share the latest testimonials and customer compliments for your business

Go off-topic, and share something that you know your readers will like

Starting and posting to a blog doesn't have to be complicated. Post a new blog consistently, but you don’t have to post a new blog every day. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs if you have more questions about starting a business and using the Internet to help it reach millions.

What is Residual Income?

In case you missed it, there are different types of income. Active income happens as a direct result of work efforts. Think of it as our wages and salaries. Passive, or residual, income is the money that continues to come in after our work is done. This might include book or song royalties and real estate investments or renting property. But not everyone can write a book, create a hit song, or invest thousands of dollars into a real estate investment. Is residual income still possible?

How to Build Residual Income

Yes, residual income is still possible to attain on a budget or with limited resources. To create residual income, think of it like this: “create something that people will continue to buy on a regular basis.” It can be products or the time of other people (or both). There are many opportunities to earn passive income, but the first step is to understand the type of income you are currently earning and start looking for new opportunities to shift the way you work.

If you are looking for an opportunity to earn residual income but don't know how to get started, reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn about an opportunity to earn residual income marketing products you love.

Do You Love Your Job or Chosen Career Path? [Quiz]

Do you wake up in the morning dreading the starting workday at least three times a week?

If you wake up in the morning and struggle to get out of bed to get ready for work, it isn’t because you’re not a morning person. When you look forward to your job and want to start your work day, waking up and getting out of bed in the morning is easy.

Do you have a chronic case of the Mondays?

Mondays should not be the worst day of the week. When you love what you do, Mondays are a fresh chance to keep grinding at the work you love so much. If Mondays are always miserable, it might be time to change your line of work.

If you suddenly had a million dollars, would you quit your job?

If the only reason you are working your job is for the money, then your job isn’t your passion or something you are passionate about, and it probably isn’t making you happy.

Are you already planning how to get out of the next company outing?

If you hate the people you work with, you know, the ones who work next to you every day, then I can only imagine how unhappy you might be at your job.

Are you coming home from work every day complaining?

We all need to vent now and then. But when your venting becomes a daily habit, it might be time to step back and look at the root of the problem. It might be time to change your line of work.

Are you beginning to feel a lot of physical problems?

If you are having trouble sleeping every night, experience a lot of aches and pains throughout the day, lost your appetite and just don’t feel right, you are likely experiencing physical symptoms of depression. Depression doesn't just come due to unhappiness at work. But spending every day in a place you are unhappy can certainly cause a depressed reaction.

If you answered yes to three or more of the above questions, you are likely unhappy with your job or your current employment situation. Maybe it’s time to make a change and pick a career path you’ll be happy with. If you are looking for an opportunity to start your own career marketing healthy products with a team of support behind you, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs.  

Common Challenges When Starting a New Business

Financial Stability

The biggest concern when jumping into building your own business is financial stability. To keep the finances floating in regularly, some will choose to continue working part-time until their business grows enough to support the household.

Losing Support

Starting your own business commonly means working long hours, by yourself, with very little support or a team around you. But that doesn't have to be the case when you hire a business coach or join a network marketing company that is ready to support your independent business growth.

Dealing with the Unknown

Jumping into business for yourself can bring a lot of unknown. From the finances mentioned above to waking up every day not sure of what to do first for your business, there is a lot of unknown along the way. If you make a schedule and stick to a routine, this will help keep your day’s goal oriented, even when you are facing an unknown moment in your business.

Doing everything at once

Running your own business means you are in charge of the bookkeeping, the finances, hr (if applicable), business hours, customer service, filing paperwork, and more. Being a business owner means you are in charge of everything that needs to get done for the business. As your business grows, consider outsourcing the things you aren't so good at.

Becoming a business owner is no easy task. However, if you choose the right business, ensure you have a team of people or a business coach backing you up, and work hard, you will succeed. If you are interested in becoming a business owner but don't know where to get started or how to find a business opportunity that comes with support, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how he can help.

5 Strategies to Grow Your Online Business

Claim your local listings

From Yelp, to Google, to Bing, an easy way to get your business known is to claim those local listings. There are a few free listings and a few more that cost a small amount of money. Check them all out and get your business on platforms like “Yellow Pages” online.

Email Marketing

Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is not dead. Don't believe me? You should get on Tony Robbins’ email subscriptions, and you will see just how successful email marketing can be.

Use social media

Getting your business on social media is free. Spending the time to post consistently about your business and information your audience wants to read is more time-consuming. But worth it to build your business’ social media presence.

Build a blog

If you're tired of posting other people's’ information and know you have lots to say yourself, start a blog and start saying it. If it’s related to your audience, they will listen. Building a blog is also inexpensive, just requires time.

Keep it simple

Should you do all of the things listed above at the same time? No. Start with the simple stuff, the stuff you know you can do consistently. Add the other stuff as your business grows.

When starting a business, you know that an online presence matters. Don't be afraid to put your business out there, because no one will know who you are if you don't. If you are looking for a new business to start marketing products you love, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs today.

Tips to Grow and Scale Your Business Effectively

Evaluate and plan

The most important step to growing your business is the strategy. Evaluate if your business is ready for growth, and strategize how you will increase sales without decreasing quality.

Delegation

By now, you’ve figured out that you can't do it all. If you want to scale your business, you know that delegation is key. Outsource what you can, and hire the right people to deal with what you can't outsource.

Find the right technology

Technology makes it cheaper and easier to scale a business. Finding the right technology can improve labor costs, and finding the right system integration for your business will save time in the long run.

Up your marketing game

Now that you are investing more time, effort, and resources into growing your business, make sure that your marketing game is following suit. The larger you want to grow, the more you need to put back into marketing.

Growing and scaling are natural to business, but growing your business successfully can be more challenging. Make sure your quality does not suffer as you grow and your business will continue to see success. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs if you are looking to grow and scale your own business marketing products you love.

Small Ways to Promote Your Business Without Being Annoying

Ask them to connect on social media

This is one of the easiest ways to get someone more involved with the stuff you have going in your life and business, that is if you post to your social media regularly.

Come up with a clever elevator pitch

Not all elevator pitches have to be selling someone on something. In fact, it is better to create an elevator pitch that sparks interest in you and your business but is not salesy. Use this pitch when you chat with new friends and connections.

Ask others about their work

An excellent way to establish connections with others is to ask them about themselves and their work. People love to talk about themselves and what they’ve got going on, take advantage of that and engage them. They will be more likely to take an interest in your business when you spend time talking about their business.

Give a speech

Offer value to others through speech giving. This will help to establish your credibility and expertise and give you a free opportunity to promote your business. It does not have to be complicated, give a speech at your local networking group.

Use business cards strategically

You don't always have to force your business card into someone's hand to get people to see it. Going to networking groups, with people who expect to be handed business cards, and leaving your cards in strategic places can help spread them. Local businesses and coffee shops often have places for local business cards, and including your business card in education material is another option.

There are all sorts of creative ways to tell people who you are and what you do for business. Consider these tips, and come up with creative strategies of your own, to promote your business to the people around you. Be authentic, without attempting to sell everyone you see, and people will be interested in your business because they are interested in you.

The Pros of Being an Employee

You know you’re getting paid

Even is the business isn’t profitable in one month or the computer system breaks down, you know you will still receive a paycheck. You don’t have to worry about the pulling in business money because that is not your job (unless you work in sales).

Paid Vacations

When you work for an organization long enough, you get paid vacations. You can stop working for up to 2 weeks in many cases, and the business will continue to run while you get paid to take a little R&R.

Taxes are easier

If you work for someone else, you don't have to worry about taxes the same way a business owner does. The HR and payroll department will take care of that for you.

The Cons of Being an Employee

You are not in control

While this can feel like a good thing in the short run, the truth is lacking control in your job can wind up feeling frustrating. You can’t give yourself a promotion, pay yourself for extra effort, or go home when you are finished working. It is up to your boss to allow those things to happen, and let’s face it; we’ve all had bad bosses.

Your job can change

Or even worse, your job can disappear altogether. After years of hard work, there is no security that you won’t get laid off in the next recession. Not only is the economy a factor, but so is technology. Jobs are changing, and some are completely disappearing, with the rise of technology.

Lack of flexibility

When events arise, childcare problems happen, or anything else that life throws at you, working for someone else can get in the way to experiencing those things. If you have a bad boss, it can make missing important dates even worse. As an employee, you give up the flexibility of being someone else when you have to be at work.

Working for someone else, just like working for yourself, has its ups and downs. Know the good and bad side of working for yourself and working for someone else, and you will know the right decision for you and your family. If you are interested in working for yourself in 2018, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to discover how you can start your own business marketing products you love.

The Pros to Owning Your Own Business

You are your own boss

You control your hours, what time you start and end your workday, and how much of the business money goes into your pocket or back in the business. You are your own boss, and you regulate the rules of your company.

Your job security does not depend on one employer

When you work for yourself, you are in control of your own job security. When you work for someone else, they are in control. When you work for yourself, your entire income is not dependent on the decision of one person or department.

The Cons of Owning Your Own Business

You might wind up working more

Depending on what you do and how much effort you put into it, owning your own business often requires more than 40 hours per week to maintain success. These numbers may increase or decrease over time. However, as your business becomes more successful and you can delegate tasks, you might wind up working less in the end.

No guarantee how much money you will bring in each month

This can be both a good and a bad thing. No guarantee of monthly income is a scary thought. However, when you take away the limitations of how little money you can bring in you also take away the limitations of how much money you can bring in. There is no guarantee that you will make $10 or $10,000 in one month, but there is a guarantee that you won’t make $10,000 if you’re working a salary job that pays less.

You might fail

There is a high chance of failure when starting your own business. Most businesses fail within the first year or first five years of operation. However, if you choose a business you love, get support and training from those who’ve successfully run their own business, and put in the effort up front, the chance of failure isn’t quite as high. Set yourself up for success and you will be less likely to fail.

If you are interested in going into business for yourself during the 2018 year, reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs. He’s been running his own business for over 25 years, and he has been helping others successfully run their own businesses too. If you are curious about running your own business marketing products you love and working with a team that can help you succeed, talk to Alan today.

How to Achieve those New Year’s Business Goals

Learn how to delegate

If your business New Year’s Resolution revolves around successfully growing and scaling your business, then delegation is key. You’ve set all these business-related goals, but you can’t accomplish them all without a little help. Delegation will help in this area.

Check in on your business goals at least once a week

Did you do anything to accomplish those goals this week? What steps are you taking now to get your business closer to achieving those goals? Check-in with yourself and your business at least once a week to ensure you are working towards the right goals.

Make time on your calendar

If accomplishing those business goals is difficult due to lack of time, then it's time to start making time. Set aside time blocks on your calendar that are specifically for working towards those goals. Just like we make time for meetings with others, we also need to make time to meet with ourselves and get some work done.

Keep goals realistic

The easiest way to never get anything done towards your goals is to set goals that are impossible to achieve. Set realistic business goals, and you will be more likely to achieve them rather than continue to be stuck thinking about unrealistic pipe dreams.

Goal setting is only the first step in a long line of steps to actually achieving them. Work towards your business goals every week and set aside time on your calendar to make it happen. If your business goal is to start a new business, marketing something you love to people you know, reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how he’s done it for over 25 years.

How to Review Your Business Year

Update your financial books

If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to get all your finances together from the year. Review your income, expenses, and hire an accountant to help if you need. Remember to account for taxes and how to address tax season during this time.  

Review 2017 goals

If your business is more than a year old, you should have goals written down from last year. Now is the time to dust those goals off and see if you accomplished any of them. Where did you fall short?

Do a SWOT analysis

SWOT stands for strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats. With your financial numbers and last year’s goals in mind, take some time to SWOT your business. Look at internal strengths and weaknesses, external opportunities, and potential threats that may harm your business shortly.

Now that you’ve done a proper review of your business in 2017, including goals achieved and SWOT, it is time to look forward again. Once the 2017 year is analyzed, you can start creating achievable and realistic business goals for 2018. If you are looking to make a change completely, and start fresh with a new business in a new year, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs today.

Business Trends 2018

Millennials are working better jobs and positions

Millennials aren’t little kids anymore. They are working better jobs, and some are attaining leadership positions within their corporations. This means more money in their pockets and more money they can spend. Businesses are responding.  

Working remotely is a thing

The future isn’t office free, but the number of Americans working from home is on the rise. Working remotely is more cost efficient for both employers and employees.

Technology, Technology, Technology

We know by now that technology isn't going anywhere in business or life. If you haven’t already, it's time your business embrace the potential value that technology can bring. Either way, keep in mind the technology advances expected in 2018. Many are looking at Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of things, and Machine Learning as big tech buzzwords being thrown around in 2018.

Live streaming video content is a thing

You may have noticed the live streaming on social media gaining popularity in 2017. This trend will continue in 2018, with more organizations also getting involved in the live streaming movement. Maybe it's time your business live stream your next event?

Watch out for these and more business trends in  2018. The best way to stay successful is to keep up with the times and make changes when necessary. Talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about business success and how you can launch your own business in 2018.

Best Business Books of 2017

Principles by Ray Dalio

This book made Amazon’s list of 100 best books of 2017, and it was Amazon’s choice for best book in the business/leadership category. That honor is worth taking a look.

Adaptive Markets by Andrew W. Lo

Andrew Lo, an MIT Sloan School of Management professor, offers a new way to look at the market and market theory.

The One Device by Brian Merchant

This book highlights the history of the iPhone on its tenth anniversary. Going through important decision and breakthroughs, Brian Merchant explains the path taken to create the one “device that made Apple the most valuable company in the world”.

The Spider Network by David Enrich

David Enrich tells a gripping story about the traders, bankers, and lawyers who created one of the biggest scandals in financial history.

Janesville: An American Story

Winner of the FT/McKinsey Business Books of the Year, this book highlights the problems faced by American middle-class through focusing on how one town, in particular, Janesville, Wisconsin, has been impacted.  

Black Edge by Sheelah Kolhatkar

Going deep into Wall Street's dark secrets, Kolhatkar shares the story of Steven Cohen’s former hedge fund.

Rest: My Fight for INclusion and Lasting Change by Ellen Pao

Ellen Pao tells of her personal experience in Silicon Valley, facing bias and discrimination. It was a finalist in both the Financial Times and the FT/Mckinsey award this year.

While it’s important to read the classics, like Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, it is just as essential to stay up-to-date with current business and economic trends.

How to Set Business Goals: Tips and Tricks to Creating Achievable and Effective Goals

Create SMART goals

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based goals. Each objective you create for your business, and your personal life, should include all the elements of a SMART goal to make it clear and focused instead of abstract.

Revisit your goals consistently

If you've created a SMART goal, it will be time-based and have a deadline. It's important to revisit your goals not just at the end of this deadline, but also throughout the campaign, so you know how that goal is coming along.

Create milestones for your goals

Goals don't just happen overnight. Many of them take hard work and necessary milestones before they can be reached. For example, if someone has the goal of running a marathon next year, one milestone they could towards is running a half-marathon in a few months.

Reward yourself

Goal setting, and working toward goals, is hard work. Instead of rewarding ourselves once they are achieved, we often move on to the next target without taking a moment to pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Don't forget this critical component of business goal setting, however, as it keeps everyone involved motivated to keep working towards that next goal.

Business goal setting is necessary to grow your business in a controlled and organized manner. The end of the year is fast approaching, which makes now a perfect time to revisit your business goals this year and start thinking about what next year's’ goals will be.   

Business Brainstorming Tips

Ask your audience what they think

You can do this by using a poll on social media, through email, or any other way you communicate with your customers. Be prepared for sometimes weird and sometimes harsh answers - they are the ones that help you grow the most.

Never shut down an idea

The most important part of a brainstorm session is to be open-minded to everyone’s thoughts, good or bad. If you shut down an idea, you risk shutting down the entire session by making others afraid to express their opinions. What’s stupid to someone else might be brilliant to you, but they won’t speak it if they are afraid you’ll shut it down.

Writes notes

It is a good idea always to have a notebook prepared to take notes. Even a whiteboard is a great tool to use during a brainstorming session. Write things down and make ideas visual to encourage creativity.

Brainstorm bad ideas

Similar to never shutting an idea down, don't be afraid to brainstorm ideas that you think are awful. You never know what great ideas will come from bad ideas.

Don't overthink it

When you are stuck against a wall, experiencing “writer's block” for lack of a better term, the best thing to do is to stop thinking about it for awhile. Let your subconscious stir it over before coming back to it.

Business ideas are valuable resources for business success. Keeping ideas fresh and creative with useful brainstorming sessions could just lead you to your next million dollar idea. Reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs for more tips and tricks on business success and how to start your own business successfully.  

Mistakes to Avoid During the First Year of Business

Keeping your business and personal accounts together

Many entrepreneurs start out in business keeping their business and personal money all under one roof. But it won't take long till the confusion sets in, and you will pay the price in time and effort later. It’s best to get this done upfront before you start collecting revenue.

Spending money on large personal purchases

Perhaps spending money on that brand new car or moving to a new house is not the best idea during your first year of business. We can’t reasonably expect to do everything at once, like starting a successful business and moving to a bigger house in the same year.

Not planning for taxes

Different types of businesses have different federal and tax obligations, but all businesses do have some sort of tax obligation that must be paid. Whether you pay taxes quarterly or at the end of the year, it’s essential to set aside the money necessary to cover your tax obligations.

When going into business for yourself, there are plenty of mistakes made and lessons learned. If you take the time to learn from the minor mistakes and avoid the big ones, your first year of business could already have you on a path to success. If you are thinking about going into business for yourself, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about how he did successfully over 25 years ago.

Unique Marketing Strategies

Create a newsletter

In case you missed it, email marketing is still useful.

Blogging

Improve your website SEO by always adding unique and creative content.

Influencer marketing

Use someone else's audience to help your brand reach more people - just make sure it's the right audience for your brand.

Update your email signature

Get the most out of the piece of content that is attached to every email you send - I’m thinking to add links as a minimum.

Social media competition

Don’t just talk at your social media audience, incentivize them to do something with a fun competition.

Write a column

Whether it’s for the local newspaper or an online magazine in your niche, contribute content, and you might just be recognized as an expert in your field.

Send out press releases

These boring pieces of content are really useful for a news organization that can spread information about your latest product or upcoming event.

Mobile advertising

Don't just start texting people without their permission though, that’s illegal.

Guest blog

Don't want to have your own blog but still want to get some valuable content out there for your ideal audience? Consider guest blogging, and it will help your SEO too.

Send cards

Whether it’s thank-you cards, birthday cards, or holiday cards, just send cards. It adds a personal touch to your business, and your customers will remember the thoughtful card you sent them when no other company did.

Networking

At the end of the day, good old-fashioned networking is one of the best ways to let other people know that you and your business exist.

These are just a few of hundreds of potential marketing opportunities. When it comes to marketing your business, start thinking outside the box and how you can add a personal touch to those more traditional marketing strategies. Talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs if you are thinking about starting your own marketing business but just don’t know how to get started.

5 Ways to Make Money on the Side

Freelance

Got some skills in writing or graphic design? Put those skills to good use by freelancing your services through online platforms like Fiverr or Freelance.com

Watch videos and answer surveys

If you have some free time to peruse online, consider joining Swagbucks or another online platform that pays for you to watch videos and answers questions.

Shop online

Consider joining Ebates to help you get that Holiday shopping done this year. You will get money back for shopping with certain retailers.

Sell your extra stuff

If you've got old C.D.s or old clothes or old decoration hanging around, gather all that stuff together for a good old-fashioned garage sale. Or better yet, sell it online.

Join a network marketing company

There are many different types of network marketing and multi-level marketing companies to work with. It's important to pick an organization you like, with a system that you believe in, in which you are marketing products you love. Spend as much or as little time as you want working with these types of companies, you are your own boss.

If you are looking for a side hustle that you can handle and that you will love, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs today. Learn more about how he’s successfully become his own boss for over 25 years.

Marketing to Millennials 101: the Essentials

Mobile friendly website

Millennials spend a lot of time staring at their mobile devices. Not only are they spending more time on mobile, but they are also spending more money on mobile. If your website is not mobile-friendly, you are missing a huge demographic making purchasing decisions.

Social Media presence

Having a social media presence is essential if you want to run a successful business these days. Millennials, in particular, spend a lot of time on social media, looking at brands they like, reading reviews, and more.

Discounts and deals matter

According to Entrepreneur, “Sixty-six percent of millennials follow a company or brand on Twitter, and 64 percent like a company or brand on Facebook with the sole purpose of getting a coupon or discount.” Millennials love a good deal in this economically-driven era, especially if they are swimming in school debt.

Think visually

Millennials love images, which is made clear by the popularity of social media platforms like Instagram. Using visuals to describe your brand, whether that be through video or pictures, will do your business’ online presence a lot of good.

Whether you like it or not, it’s important to market to millennials. They represent over 83 million people, and it's time we start paying more attention to where they are spending their money. Talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how you can marketing eco-friendly products you love to the largest generation yet.   

Bad Habits Inhibiting Your Business Growth

Staying indoors all the time

To be a successful entrepreneur or business owners, throwing yourself into work is necessary. But networking, and sharing your business with the world, is just as essential. You can't stay indoors all the time and expect your business to take off. You have to network, so the world knows who you are.

Failure to learn from your mistakes

Being too stubborn to learn from past mistakes is a bad habit to have, plain and simple. Be open to your failings, and you will open the door for more successes.

Doing it alone

No matter how good you think you are at getting business done, there is still only so much you can accomplish as a one-man (or woman) show. Business success means knowing when to delegate and when to add team members to help the business grow.  

Focusing on competitors rather than customers

Get out of the habit of stalking your competitor and get into the habit of working for your customer. Focus on the customer and what they want, and you will leave your competitor wondering what you're doing so well.

We all have bad habits. Some habits are worse than others, but some habits can completely derail your business. Be aware of these habits and remember it is possible to change old habits with a little bit of work. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about how your bad habits could be stopping your success in business.

Business Podcasts to Follow 2017

Self Made Man

Self-improvement podcast with entrepreneur and host Mike Dillard

The Tim Ferriss Show

First business podcast to exceed 100,00,000 downloads, hosted by Tim Ferriss with guests including Tony Robbins, Jamie Foxx, and more.

Youpreneur FM

Hosted by Chris Ducker focused on personal brand entrepreneurship

Social Pros

If social media marketing is your thing, listen to this podcast featuring Jay Baer and Adam Brown, all about how to market your business on social media.

Mixergy

Hosted by Andrew Warner and featuring interviews with more than 1,100 successful business owners and entrepreneurs.

Seeking Wisdom

David Cancel and Dave Gerhard host Drift’s Seeking Wisdom Podcast, focusing on management and marketing, as well as health, education, etc.

Startup

Alex Blumberg is the host of this podcast created by the Gimlet podcasting company, and he speaks to what it's like building a business from the ground up.

Smart Passive Income

Pat Flynn’s weekly podcast gives listeners strategies and advice for building an online business that provides passive income.

Entrepreneur on Fire

Winner of a “best of iTunes” award, this podcast covers over 1,500 successful entrepreneurs worst moments, aha! Moments, and hard lessons learned.

Conscious Millionaire

If you are eager to make your first million, this podcast is an excellent place to stop and listen to host JV Crum III.

There are many excellent business podcasts to learn from and follow. What are some of your favorites? Did they make this list? If you are interested in learning more about how to become a successful self-made entrepreneur, marketing products you love, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs.

Marketing Tips for Beginners

Have a website, with content

The first step to getting a real presence online is to create a website that speaks to you and your business. The only way to successfully do that is to create quality content that goes on your website and successfully tells your message.  

Both the real world and the digital world matter in marketing

It would be a mistake to focus on solely internet marketing strategies or solely traditional marketing strategies. People get together and engage with each other both online and in the real world, which is why it's important to have both a website and business cards.

Use social media marketing

No matter how much you may hate social media for yourself, remember that using it for your business is still essential. There are over 2.4 billion people on social media worldwide, so it's time to join that conversation if you haven't already.

Email marketing still works

Contrary to popular myth, email marketing is not dead. In fact, it’s the third most influential source of information for B2B professionals. Email marketing doesn't have to be complicated, and free email marketing platforms exist to help you along the way.

Try these basic marketing strategies before jumping into the more complex marketing campaigns that can bring in big bucks for your business. Remember to track your results along the way. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs if you are interested in jumping into business for yourself and need some help with the marketing game along the way.

Expenses of working from home

High-Speed Internet

Working from home means getting your home office internet speed fast enough to join online meetings and work on multiple online projects at once.

Food

While you will save money not going to each lunch every day, there does need to be some food in your fridge, which means spending more money at the grocery store to keep it stocked.

Office supplies and equipment

Offices usually come with all the supplies and equipment you need, but to have access to that stuff at home, you will need to purchase it yourself.

Expenses of working in an office

Gasoline  

Gas alone can cost an additional $1,200 or more per year.

Car maintenance

The more you drive, the more oil changes and other maintenance checks you have to do in a shorter amount of time.

Lunches and Coffee

Money spent on coffee and lunch out every day can add up to $1,000 or more per year.

There are many hidden expenses of working from home and working from an office. Know where all the potential expenses are going so you are not surprised. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about the benefits of working from home and running your own business.

Entrepreneur and Business Productivity Apps

Pocket

This app is perfect for saving the content you find that is useful to save for a later date. You don't even need internet access when you are ready to view it in the future.

Square

This credit-card processing tool is easy to use and accepts all major credit cards.

Workflow

This app will help you connect multiple apps, and multiple steps, to achieve a task with a single tap.

Toggl

Need to keep track of the time it takes you to do tasks. Throw away all those spreadsheets you were using and use the Toggl app.

Buffer, or another social scheduling tool

If you find social media is taking up all of your time, consider investing a social media scheduling tool that keeps all your social profiles together in one place.

Wunderlist

To keep track of your to-do list, and even share it with others, get the WUnderlist app. No more paper lists that get lost, Wunderlist syncs with your phone, tablet, and computer.

To learn more about the ins and outs of successfully running your own business, talk to Alan with AdvancingWithUs.

Books About Success You Probably Haven't Read

The Introverted Leader

• By Jennifer Kahnweiler

Lincoln on Leadership

• T. Phillips

How the Mighty Fall

• Jim Collins

Essentialism

• Greg McKeown

The Four Steps to the Epiphany

• Steve Blank

The Purple Cow

• Seth Godin

The One Minute Entrepreneur

• Ken Blanchard

The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence

• Tom Peters

The World is Flat

• Thomas Friedman

You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

• Jen Sincero

As a lifelong entrepreneur, it’s important to read books about success and learn how others have climbed the ladder. There are many books available in this area, it is up to us to find them and share them with others. If you are interested in leaving the 9-5 to become an entrepreneur, consider contacting Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how he made it happen almost 20 years ago.

Tips and tricks to Organizing Your Home Office Space

Install sturdy shelves up the wall above your desk

Give yourself extra storage space by building up when there is no more room to build storage space out in your home office.

Store items in containers

Containers are inexpensive and often stackable, making organizing all that extra office stuff easy.

Use a label maker

Easily track all that stuff in the containers by using a label maker to keep things organized. You will always know which container has the exact item you need.

Get a drop leaf desk in a cramped space

So that way you can store away your desk when no longer working in your office space. These are particularly useful in cramped spaces.  

Use a folding screen for separation

If you work in a home office area that is part of a larger room, consider using a folding screen for separation. You can keep it away when the room is needed but then unfold it to give yourself some privacy when it's time to get to work.

When you work from home, it’s important to find a way to make your work space work for you. Get creative, build up if you can't build out, and repurpose old items for organization purposes. Using mason jars to store pens and pencils is a great example. If you are looking for an opportunity to work from home, reach out to Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how you can start your at-home career today.

Basic Email Marketing Tips

The subject lines short, authentic and full of personality

Try writing the email subject line fast so that way your genuine personality can shine through. Don't overthink it and don't make it too long. Consider asking questions or using the word “you” to make it more personal.

Write emails that provide value

We all get bombarded with junk e-mail every day. Make sure that your e-mail message isn’t considered one of them. Instead of sending out emails sporadically, consider sending well-thought out emails, chock full of juicy information, once a month or once a week. Include news, informative content, and promotions your audience is interested in.

Be brief but bold

Don't write emails that are like essays to read. Keep your emails short and to the point, but don't be afraid to show your personality too.

Use email marketing platforms to help

Platforms like MailChimp don't cost money for the first 2,000 subscribers, and they will help you setup beautiful emails through a variety of template options. Email marketing platforms will also help keep your email lists organized and track the results of each email sent.

Don't be afraid to use email marketing for your business, just make sure you are providing value through each one of your email marketing campaigns. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about marketing your business online.

How to Make Social Media Marketing Work for You

Start small, stay consistent

The best way to make social media marketing work for your small business is to post to and engage with your audience consistently. Can't do it every day? That’s okay, do it once a week. Apply a consistent strategy that works so you don’t get burned out.

Track your results

To avoid the pitfalls of social media marketing, track your performance, so you know what's working and what's not working. Measuring your results does not have to be a complicated process. Start by establishing a baseline of your performance and consistent measure those same metrics.

Don't join every new social platform

Join the social platforms that work best for your business and will reach the most people that are likely to purchase your products/services. For example, businesses selling insurance probably won't find much of a market on Snapchat or Pinterest. Focus your efforts on the social platforms that work best for your business.

Social media marketing does not have to be complicated. Start small but stay consistent so you can track what's working and what's not working. Focus your efforts, so you don't get burned out. Plant the seeds of social media marketing and get started today so you can start seeing better results tomorrow. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about how he successfully applies social media marketing to his marketing strategies.

Tips to Beat Work Related Stress

Know your triggers

If the same things make you mad every day, maybe consider changing that thing or scheduling time to deal with the stress that it brings if you can't make it go away. You know yourself and what makes you stressed better than anyone else. Pay attention to what triggers frustration in you so you can better respond when it happens.

Take a break, you deserve it

Taking breaks throughout the workday doesn't just happen because it's the law. Taking breaks actually improves productivity over the long run. Giving your mind a break from the work day tension by going outside or stepping away from your desk can work wonders on your stress level. Give it a try and I can guarantee that you won't miss any work because you took 10 minutes out of the day.

Stop trying to multi-task

Multitasking doesn't really worky anyways. But trying to do too many things at one time is an easy way to start feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Stop. Breathe. Take one thing at a time to ensure it gets done properly.

Get enough sleep

Going into work without a fresh mind for the workday is a good way to set yourself up for a stressful time. Get enough rest the night before and you will feel refreshed and better able to tackle the work day - no matter how stressful it may get.

Try meditation or breathing exercises

If you find stress is creeping into your daily life outside of work and you feel tense or anxious all the time, meditation and breathing exercises will help lower those stress levels. Meditation is good for everyone, but for those who suffer from chronic stress, meditation could be a lifesaver.

Get physical before or after work

An excellent way to relieve pent up stress from a difficult work day is to take it out at the gym or in a kickboxing class. Don't like kickboxing? Try yoga, zumba, or anything else that keeps you active.

Just say no

Stress often happens when we find ourselves overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done. The more people you say yes to, the more you have to get done later. This may be a hard lesson to learn, but sometimes you just have to say no. Even if you don't have something going on later, saying no to others so you can take care of yourself and your own sanity is extremely important. Spreading yourself too thin will lead to unnecessary stress that you just don't need.

Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about a work opportunity that will leave you feeling less stressed and financially secure in the long run.

Inspiring Business Quotes

“Choose a job that you like, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

• Confucius

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

• Thomas Edison

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

• Mark Twain

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

• Winston Churchill

"An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down."

• Reid Hoffman

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

• Steve Jobs

“Success is not what you have, but who you are.”

• Bo Bennett

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

• Warren Buffett

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”

• Napoleon Hill

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

• Peter Drucker

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

• Mark Twain

Hope this helps you stay inspired! Contact Alan with AdvancingWithus to learn more about how you can create the life of your entrepreneurial dreams.

Free Marketing Strategies for Business

Use online tools to create business logo and image assets

There are a plethora of free online tools that you can use to create attractive and professional looking images for your business. Canva is among the most popular online design tools and other tools like Spaces’ free logo maker specialize in creating logos.

Use SurveyMonkey to collect customer opinion

SurveyMonkey is a popular online survey tool that asks 5.7 billion questions every year. It's a great way to gather customer information, discover trends and potential problems, and gather opinion for upcoming products or services.

Use MailChimp to design email marketing campaigns

MailChimp is an excellent tool to use when you are just starting out in business because the platform is user-friendly and is free to use until 2,00 subscribers.

Use social media; it’s free

Although social media marketing can cost money if you decide to use ads, the best social media marketing will still only cost you time. Unfortunately, social media can be time-consuming. It’s best to choose the social media platforms best for your business (including Facebook) and spend time engaging with your followers and potential followers along with posting consistently.

Use content marketing to promote your website

If you have the time and enjoy writing about your industry, consider creating a blog on your website and posting to it every week. The more blogs you post, the more likely your ideal audience will find something on your blog that they want to read. Blogs boost website traffic and credibility.

Free social media exist everyone, especially online. It’s just a matter of getting creative with thinking about how we can reach our ideal audience, and then spending the time necessary to reach them successfully. If you want to learn more about how you can reach your ideal audience online marketing health and wellness products you love, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs who’s been doing it successfully for over 25 years.

The Benefits of Multiple Income Streams

It’s easier to establish multiple small income streams…

...than it is to establish one large income stream. It can take years to work up the corporate ladder to finally land the high-paying job. And if that job goes away…

It reduces the risk of financial instability

If one job or one income stream goes away, there are others still working for you. Creating a life with multiple streams of income will leave you feeling financially secure, even if one goes away unexpectedly.

Ways to Produce Multiple Streams of Income

Begin a side business

Think about what you’re good at and offer that as a service. It doesn't have to be very expensive

Join a network marketing company

There are multiple network marketing and multi-level marketing companies to choose from to make a few extra buck every month. Make sure you pick a company with products you like and a mentor to help you succeed.

Real estate / Investments

There are investment opportunities and real estate opportunities to make extra money; you just need to know what you’re doing first.

Start a blog

Got something to say? Start a blog, and if it reaches enough people, you can charge companies to advertise on your blog site.

Online teaching

Online education is a growing field, and there are a lot of people worldwide who are looking to learn English.

Online freelance work

If writing or art design is a passion of yours, why not make some extra money at it? There are many freelancing websites designed to connect people looking for work with people who are doing the work.

4 Tips to Closing the Deal

Be a Listener, Not a Talker

People love to talk about themselves and their business. When you are trying to close the deal with someone, let the potential customer be the talker. Tarun Pant says, “keep asking why till you understand what’s really driving change in the business.” The more your customer talks, the more you will understand what drives them (and their purchasing decisions).

Know Your Numbers

Walk into every meeting ready to answer questions about your industry on the fly. Know the data on the latest research, the latest trends, etc. - and use that knowledge to your advantage during sales meetings. Show how much of an expert you are, and you won't need to stretch to sell because people will be ready to buy.

Follow-Up

I cannot express enough how many opportunities are missed due to lack of following-up. Not only should you be following-up with every potential customer, but you should know how and when to follow up to get the best response for your industry.

Learn from Others

Whether you hire a mentor to help you succeed in your home-based business or you learn from the best sharks in your company, the best way to start getting better at sales is to watch and learn from someone who is already successful. Take the time to find someone who has the experience you need to improve your sales pitch.

Let’s face it; not everyone enjoys closing the deal. Sales are sometimes sticky, but necessary to continue growing your business or your career. To learn more from an entrepreneur and coach who has more than 25 years of success, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs.   

4 Ways to Jumpstart a Productive Day

Set a Routine and Stick to it

If you are a night owl, set a sleeping routine that will work for you and stick to it. If you are a morning person, set a routine to wake up every morning at a designated time and stick to it.

Drink Water

The first thing you should do each morning when you wake up, whether it's a work day or not, is to drink a glass of water. Add a little lemon, and it will help boost your energy levels throughout the day. Why? Lemons are packed with nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C and antioxidants.

Don’t skip Breakfast

No matter how important it is to start your work day, it is just as important to eat a well-balanced breakfast that will help you kickstart the work day with more energy and ability to focus. Breakfast is commonly called the most important meal of the day for good reason. It jumpstarts your metabolism, boosts your energy, and is the perfect way to start a productive day every morning. Plus, who doesn't love breakfast?

Eat a Frog Before Reading Emails

Okay, I know this one sounds weird. But in business terms “eating a frog” refers to getting the worst task done first. As Mark Twain famously said, “eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

There are many ways to jumpstart a productive day. It’s all about what works for you and your family. But the most important thing to remember is to find a routine that works, and stick to it for optimal productivity. Talk to Alan to learn more about becoming your own boss and running your own successful business online.

The Power of Networking for Your Business

Ever hear the term “it’s not what you know but who you know that matters”? Networking is so powerful because it provides the opportunity to know more people. The more people you know, the more connections you will have. The more connection you have, the more likely you’ll get business. After all, no one is going to buy your product or service if they don't know who you are.

While it's possible to meet new connections and do business through social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, it is just as important to networking face-to-face too. To make real connections, it’s not just what you say that matters, it's how you say it. 95% of those studied stated that face-to-face meetings are essential for long-term business relationships, and 46% used traditional networking to find new employment.

Taking the time to network with others in person can bring new connections, new friends, and new job opportunities you may have never thought of before. Learn more about four reasons to network for your business here, and contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to find out more about how to use networking to start your own business.

Four Things Every Entrepreneur Needs to Succeed

The right niche

Becoming a successful entrepreneur all starts with choosing the right niche for you, your family, and your talents/passions. There are many opportunities to work from home, and for yourself, it’s just a matter of finding the right one for you.

Organization

From knowing your numbers to using the best online marketing tools for your business, business won’t succeed long term without a little organization. To make organization easy, start doing it as soon as you start your business. Don’t put off for tomorrow what can be done today to make your business work a little smoother.

The ability to delegate

Without the ability to delegate certain tasks to certain people, you will never be able to grow and expand your business. No one person can do it all, so the sooner you figure out how to delegate the less important tasks, the better your business (and sanity) will be.

A vacation

That’s right, I said it. Being a successful entrepreneur means hustling when your business needs it, but taking a break and relaxing when your body and mind need it. No one can work all the time and continue to live a healthy and happy lifestyle. The happiest entrepreneurs are those who know when to take that vacation and soak up those sun rays so that way they come back to work regrouped, refreshed, and focused.

If you are considering taking the jump to be an entrepreneur and work your own business, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how he made it happen for his family over 25 years ago. It’s not only possible to find success as an entrepreneur; it’s possible to make seven figures growing your business as long as you surround yourself with the right tools and the right team.

Work From Home and Work For Yourself Job Opportunities

Virtual Assistant

Becoming a virtual assistant is easy and in high-demand these days. From websites like Fiverr and Upwork to virtual assistant companies, there are lots of opportunities to become a virtual assistant online.

Social Media Consultant

If social media is your thing, why not get paid for it? You’d be surprised how many small business owners hate running their social media, but they know how important it is. This is where social media managers and consultants can get paid to get the social work done for them.

Tutoring

With so many people in the world, lots of them need help learning. English-as-a-second-language tutors are always in demand and, if you’re well-educated, you can even become an academic tutor online and get paid well.

Network Marketing Opportunities  

For those who want to quit their job and run their own business marketing products or services they love, network marketing and multi-level marketing opportunities are everywhere. From marketing green products sold in an online wellness store to marketing flameless candles or legal protection services, there are lots of opportunities available.

Freelance Writing or Web Design

If you have a skillset in writing or web design, graphic design or even video production, you can consider going solo as a freelancer to make your own money. You can find plenty of freelance opportunities online, including Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, and more.

These are just a handful of the many opportunities we have to work for ourselves and start our own business. Other opportunities to start your own business include becoming a blogger, a standup comedian, a caregiver, a life coach, grocery delivery, and more. We live in a time where the Internet allows us to work whenever and wherever we want. If you are tired of being an employee and looking for an opportunity to work for yourself and be your own boss, consider making the jump to quit your job this year. Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn how he successfully launched his own business over 25 years ago.

6 Books Every Entrepreneur Must Read

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This book is a classic and a must-read among entrepreneurs. With over 15 million copies sold worldwide, many successful people have claimed this book changed their lives.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

This book is highly recommended by both Mark Cuban (self-made billionaire) and Charlie O'Donnell (a partner at Brooklyn Bridge Ventures). One line that sums up the book well is this: “The question isn’t who is going t o let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

The Power of Broke by Daymond John

Daymond John, Shark Tank star, explains how to use limited resources to your advantage when first starting a business.

Choose Yourself by James Altucher

This book is recommended by both Forbes and Lifehack, and for good reason. It is both honest and brutal, giving every entrepreneur the motivation they need to get started or keep going.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Another classic book about leadership and success, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a timeless read. With millions of copies sold, this book is a must-read for anyone just starting out in entrepreneurial business.

The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris

This book has been recommended by many entrepreneurs, big and small. The author simplifies the steps it takes to bring your big idea to the marketplace, helping you to work smarter not harder.

Contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to find out more about how to become a successful entrepreneur with the right niche for your family, the right support system for your business, and the right education.

Tips for Using Social Media for Your Online Business

Create Original and Good Content

Okay, this one may be easier said than done, but the truth is it just takes practice and paying attention to what works and what doesn't. Don't be afraid to get creative and try something new that attracts the right people to your brand.  

Be Consistent

One of the most important rules of social media marketing is consistency. The more consistent you are, the more people you will reach over time. Social media marketing is not a 100-meter dash. It is a marathon, and as such it requires consistency over time to see the best results.

Post at the Right Times and on the Right Platforms

There are lots of different social media platforms out there, so take heed in knowing that you don't have to be on all of them to get your business noticed. Pick the platforms that are best for your business and industry and learn the best times to post to those platforms for optimal engagement.

Ask Questions and Join Conversations

Social media works best when you ask questions and attempt to have conversations with your audience. Be sincere and authentic, ask questions that you are genuinely interested in, and respond to every comment, review, etc.

Share Relevant News

The best social media marketing practices include sharing valuable content that your audience will be interested in seeing. It's not just about self-promotions and engaging posts; it's also about being an active member of your industry and sharing valuable content.

Social media marketing is easier than you think. All it takes is a little consistency with good content and conversational posts. Don't use social media to sell your product and create customers, use it to create fans who love your brand and they will become customers for a long time. Learn more about social media and other internet marketing techniques that can be used to build your online business with AdvancingWithUs.

5 Reasons to Start Working For Yourself Today

1. Working online is easier than ever before - The creation of the internet has led to many new opportunities in our society. One of the most notable opportunities is remote work online. Instead of going into an office, people can work for themselves online with networking marketing businesses, virtual assistant jobs, freelancing opportunities, or working with AdvancingWithUs, and more.

2. You can't find a job that pays enough to make a living - This one rings true among young and older Americans alike. Many people have to work two or more jobs to cover the bills and provide for their family. Instead of spending all your time working just to live paycheck to paycheck, there are better ways to support your family by working for yourself. A part-time side business can turn into your full-time career if you take the risk to trust your gut and work for yourself today.

3. You are unique and traditional jobs just don't work - The times we live in allow people to be more original and unique than ever before. While we are becoming more accepting of each other on a personal level, many corporate jobs are still stuck in the traditional mindset. If you’ve been struggling to find a job you love, create one that will fit your unique abilities by working for yourself from home.

4. You can help the environment - Taking care of our environment is a critical issue in our time. To ensure the planet is still beautiful for our children, we must take care of it today. Working for yourself means no more wasting gas getting to and from another’s workplace. Less gas spent driving across town to work for someone else means more gas and money saved while starting your own business.

5. It’s now or never - The best reason to start working for yourself in 2017 is the knowledge that life happens now or never. Don't spend so much time planning for your future life that you forget to start living it. Don't get caught up living your current life that you are too busy to start living the life you’ve always wanted.

If you always wanted to start working for yourself, or start your own business, now is the best time to take action. Take action with AdvancingWithUs and launch a successful business working when and where you want. It's now or never.  

Mistakes to Avoid When Going Into Business for Yourself

Doing it alone

Remember that there were many business owners and network marketers who came before you, and many will come after you. Some of them failed, while others succeeded. Listen to the advice of both. Reach out for advice from fellow business owners who are reaching success. Find a mentor. Find a business coach. Whatever you do, just make sure you are not going at your business completely alone - because there are lots of people that can provide you valuable information that will help you succeed.

Choosing the wrong niche

Before going into business for yourself, spend the necessary time making sure you are going into the right business for you and your family. Choose a business that sells/markets products that you already use and love. Do some research on the various types of networking marketing opportunities and other self-employment options before committing to any one business path.

Skipping the marketing

No matter what business you choose, know that customers will not just find you now that you are a business owner. You must market yourself to get noticed, even by the people who call you a friend. They can't buy your products or service if they don't know what you are doing. That's why marketing is so important, no matter the size or type of business.  

Being a perfectionist

One of the worst mistakes you can make as a new business owner is to be so much of a perfectionist that nothing can move forward promptly. While we all want to be the best versions of our business selves and strive for excellence, the truth is that no one is perfect. And starting a new business means making mistakes, learning from them, and trying again. So let the perfectionism go, and you will achieve the excellence you seek through experience.

Keep these tips in mind when starting your own business. Whether you are marketing health and wellness products you love or working another virtual business opportunity, making the same mistakes will lead to the same outcome. Avoid the fatal business mistakes listed above and contact Alan from AdvancingWithUs to learn more from a business coach with 27 years experience to offer.

4 Reasons to Network for Your Business

New connections

The best part about networking for business is making great connections you would have never made otherwise. The more connections you make, the more likely you will meet someone good for your business. Even if the connections you make now won’t fit for your business, the people those connections know may fit your business in the future.

Great advice

One of the great things about networking is the opportunity to be in a room with like-minded individuals, all striving to make new connections and talk about business. Many of these business professionals face the same challenges you face as a small business owner. Networking is a great way to get advice from these professionals, and that advice could help raise your bottom line.

Improving your social profile

Networking with other business professionals not only makes you great connections in real life, but it will also boost your social presence online if you do it right. Every person you make a genuine connection with at a networking event should also be connected with online. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with other business professionals online and continue the conversation you had in person. Don't count out networking on social media, because that can get you a lot more business than you expect.

Better speaking skills and confidence

Don't we all want to feel a bit more confident in what we do? Getting out, getting social, and speaking about your business in front of others is a great way to boost that confidence in your business self. When you first start networking, explaining your business in a timely manner might be difficult. However, keep at it and in three months you will find yourself talking more confidently and concisely than ever before.  

Some people are hesitant to go out and network. It takes work, putting yourself out there, being social, and there is no guarantee you will walk away with a great connection. But the more you put yourself out there in the world, the more the world will get to know you and your business. The more the world gets to know you, the more business you will get. If you want to learn more about the importance of networking and networking marketing business opportunities, talk to Alan from AdvancingWithUs and don't be afraid to get social.

4 Benefits of Being Self-Employed

You are your own boss

No more waking up early to make someone else money. No more working late and missing family dinner to meet another person’s deadline. Now you can decide what time you want to get up in the morning, how long you want to work today, and live your life according to your schedule - not your boss’ schedule.

You can earn more money

It’s true that your next paycheck is no guarantee when you work for yourself. It all depends on how hard you work for it. But that also means that your next paycheck can be double your last paycheck. That’s an opportunity an employer won’t provide, no matter how hard you work.

You spend less money

No more wasting money on gas getting to and from work every day. No more buying lunch out every day because you are stuck at work. Being self-employed allows you the opportunity to save your pennies and spend money creatively.

Tax Benefits

If you are self-employed, you have to spend more time working on your taxes than when you were an employee working for someone else. But you can also take off more in taxes than you could as an employee. Your home office space, internet and phone, meals and entertainment, and even travel, can all be tax deductible. So while you’re spending more time doing your taxes, you are also potentially saving a lot more in taxes.

It can feel scary to become your own boss, knowing that your next paycheck is not guaranteed. It’s true that there is no guarantee that you will make as much money as last month, but there is nothing stopping you from making double either. If you are thinking about working for yourself, consider all the pros and cons to determine what's best for your family. Then, give Alan a call from AdvancingWithUs and see how a team of successful marketing executives can help you become your own boss.

Ways to Save Money While Building Your Own Business

Choose the right business for you

When you decide to work for yourself, you will notice that there are lots of opportunities to start your own business. Many network marketing opportunities are out there, and you will want to take the time to decide if this is the right path for you and which business matches your lifestyle best.

Take advantage of free advertising tools

Not all advertising costs a lot of money. When you first start your at-home business, do as much as you can to get in front of people you already know for free before spending money advertising to everyone else. Some of the best free advertising tools include social media, email marketing, and even networking.

Ask for help

No one starts out knowing the best way or all the best tools to use to run their own business. This is why asking others for their help, advice or tips is always a great idea. Asking your friends, family and business acquaintances how they got started and their favorite tools to use will save you a lot of time not having to figure it out yourself.

Invest in yourself

Becoming a succesful business owner doesnt happen over night. It requires training and learning to bring out your best business self. It’s okay to spend the money up front to advance your skills, just make sure to invest wisely with the right expert(s) that will best help you succeed.

Getting creative with money and keeping business expenses minimal is possible. Take the time to ask friends for help, use free tools, and invest in yourself in the right places, and your business will grow the smarter and harder you work for it. If you are interested, learn more about working with a team of professional marketing executives and running your own business marketing health and wellness products online with AdvancingWithUs.

Essential Online Marketing Tools for Entrepreneurs   

Social Media Management Tool

We all know that no one has time to sit on social media all day posting relevant posts about your business. That’s why social media management tools like Buffer are good to use. Now you can create your posts and schedule them out across multiple platforms all from one dashboard. Don't like Buffer? There are lots of other social media management tools, all of which offer slightly different abilities to manage your social media.

Email Marketing Tool

Email marketing is one of the most effective online marketing strategies out there. Use email marketing well, and you will see your business grow. The best part about email marketing for entrepreneurs and people just starting their own business is you can utilize email marketing platforms like Mailchimp for free. Mailchimp is perfect for newbies just starting out because it offers free templates, free video guides, and help you keep your contact organized as they start coming in.

Graphic Designing Tool

Let’s face it, most of us don't have a background in graphic design and creating great looking designs can take us hours when it would take a graphic designer only minutes. This is where easy-to-use tools like Canva can be beneficial. Canva is less expensive, and less difficult to figure out than Photoshop. Plus, Canva has hundreds of free templates to work with.

Google Analytics

For any entrepreneur or network marketer with a website, the most valuable marketing tool you can have is some way to track the performance of your website. This includes how much traffic you’re getting, which pages are performing better than other pages, how most of the traffic is entering your website, and how long they’re staying before visiting the contact page or exiting the website. Google Analytics can provide all of this and more, for free. Wordpress websites are some of the best and most user-friendly websites that entrepreneurs with no experience in website development can still use, and they support Google Analytics.

When you work for yourself to market something you love online, the sky of success is the limit. However, it's important to set yourself up for success by utilizing business and marketing tools that will help you achieve that success. Using free and inexpensive marketing tools online will help get your business seen by more people while you start to work smarter, not harder. If you want to know more about how to set yourself up for business success working for yourself from home, learn more Alan Pariser and don't be afraid to make the jump into self-employment when it feels right.   

Beginners Guide to Working From Home

Set up an Office Area

Successfully making money while working from home requires more than a laptop and your bed or couch. To set yourself up for success, you will want to setup an office area that you can work in privately, no matter how small. Make sure your office area has a stable internet connection, silence when needed, a headset if you find yourself making calls all day, and anything else you need to ensure a successful working space in your home.

Get Dressed

Even if you don't have to exit your place of living today, it is still essential to get up and get dressed every morning you decide to work. Why? Getting dressed will get you ready to start your day. Just like going to any other job, getting dressed is the first step to begin the day productively. If you stay in pajamas all day, productivity while working from home will surely decline.

Don't be Afraid to Get Technical

We live in an amazing time that’s made working remotely from home not only possible, but workable. All of this is made possible through our advancements in technology, So don’t be afraid to take advantage of all the technology that is literally available at your fingertips. From online chat rooms and share-screens, to email software tools, writing assistance tools, and everything in between, if you need assistance with something in your remote work there is probably a piece of technology that can help. If you don't know how to find that piece of technology, just Google it.

Working from home has never been easier and more convenient than ever before. It is possible to actually make good money working for yourself without even leaving your house. All you need to do is follow the tips mentioned above and secure a good team of people supporting your new journey. Learn more about how you can own your own business, be your own boss, and secure your financial future with AdvancingWIthUs, and how we can help your journey to success working from home.  

Why the 40 Hour Work Week is Unproductive

Not Everyone Operates Between the Hours of 9 and 5

Not everyone operates best between the hours of 9am and 5pm. We all know someone who is a night owl. Others may think that they are lazy sleeping in all the time but don’t know that these people actually get their best work done at night. Why force your body to operate between 9am and 5pm if you get better work done outside those conventional times of day?

Burnout

Burnout from a 40 hour work week happens in two ways. First, coming and going to work everyday at the same time to do the same exact thing will lead to mental exhaustion for anyone. This is why vacations are necessary for people working 9am to 5pm jobs. They have to leave the monotonous routine in order to come back rejuvenated and more productive... for a brief time before the cycle is mentally draining again. The second way burnout hits employees of the 9 to 5 is the fact that many employees consider 40 hours the minimum amount they should be working, often taking their work home with them in order to complete projects on time. While they are exhausted during the day, they stay up all night to meet a work deadline.

Boredom

As mentioned above, not everyone operates between the hours of 9am and 5pm. The same holds true for various types of businesses. When employees are faced with long hours of the day sitting in boredom only to be swamped by work in bursts that require overtime to get it done, there needs to be a restructuring of times when employees work. And let’s face it, corporate businesses don’t like to restructure until it’s absolutely necessary because bankruptcy is around the corner.

The 40 hour work week is dying. People are already working their own hours, with many of them working overtime for someone else’s dream. But with the advent of the Internet, more and more people are choosing to work their own hours, from home, and for themselves. If you are tired of working the 9-5 work week for someone else, consider AdvancingWithUs as your opportunity to break free from the standard 40 hour workweek and work for yourself from home.

Signs It’s Time to Leave Your Job

1. You’re not learning or growing anymore

If you feel stagnant in your 9-5 job, working for someone else but not getting the growth you desire, it’s time to leave for a new opportunity. One in which you will continue to grow and learn in your professional career.

2. You’ve been at the same company and position for years with no advancement

For some large corporations, it's hard to advance quickly. But it should still be possible within a three year time frame. However, many employees still find themselves with the same job and position for years. If you want to keep growing in your professional career, it's time to start looking elsewhere and perhaps start working for yourself selling natural products online instead of working for a large corporation.

3. There is constant turnaround

If you are always going to coworker's going away parties, in which they are leaving the job for better opportunities, you can bet that there is probably a better opportunity for you too. Companies with disgruntled employees and constant turnaround usually indicates a bigger problem than just employees. You don’t want to be there when the big problems start coming to light, especially when you can find better opportunities elsewhere.  

4. It feels like it’s time to leave

Sometimes, it just feels like the time to leave a job. Whether it’s new leadership or constant restructuring or a combination of the above listed reasons, you will know when it’s time to go. And it’s best to leave when you feel that urge before future bridges are burned as you become less and less happy at the job.

Leaving a job you’ve been at for years can be tough. Taking the risk with something new, especially when you have a family and monthly bills to think about, can feel challenging. However, you can set yourself up for success from the beginning by choosing a career path that works for you, your budget, and your family. With AdvancingWithUs, you can work for yourself and be your own boss with a team of professional marketing executives behind you and supporting your continued growth marketing products for the largest online wellness shopping club, natural products you’ll love. Contact us to learn more.

5 Tools Necessary to Successfully Work From Home

1. High Speed Internet. This one may seem obvious. But that’s because it is probably the most important tool you need to make working from home work for you.
2. Google. Google has become a lifesaver for many entrepreneurs working on their own. From Google Calendar’s ease of use, to Google docs for file sharing and Google hangouts of instant chats, Google is an excellent resource for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
3. Skype. Or some sort of platform in which you can have business meetings remotely over the Internet. Skype is one of the most popular.
4. Trello. If you have a team working underneath you, Trello, or another collaboration tool that organizes projects, will be a great way for your team to communicate on various projects.
5. Automation tools. Whether it's automating your social media using a platform like Hootsuite or Buffer, or apps that automatically track your gas mileage, there are plenty out there that will make your life as an entrepreneur more streamlined.

Successfully working from home as an entrepreneur is easy as long as you put the tools and team in place to help you meet your goals. The tools listed above are just some of the many that are out there. As for getting the right team in place to support your success, contact AdvancingWithUs to learn more.

How Direct Sales and MLM Companies are Different

High monthly reorder rate / customer retention in direct sales

Unlike many MLM companies, direct sales companies who market green household products have a much higher customer retention rate. Many MLM companies sell products and services that come with a low customer retention rate for monthly sales, and require repeat sales presentations.

No “pyramiding” effect that allows the people above you to earn more on your efforts than you do with direct sales

One of the key factors of making a multi-level marketing company is the pyramid of commision they put in place. Multilevel distributors usually make lower commissions on product/service sales so more of that money can be funneled to people higher up on the pyramid. Direct sales companies don’t work like that. Distributors for direct sales companies tend to make a higher commission because there is no one up the chain that is making more money on their sale than them.

Many MLM distributors purchase and resell or stock product to meet monthly goals

Many MLM companies are structured in such a way that forces their distributors to purchase product monthly in order to keep up with their numbers and not fall behind the people below them. There is an immense amount of pressure every month to purchase or sell enough product to meet goals that leave distributors spending more money on their business than they’re making. At direct sales marketing companies, that pressure to meet numbers or fall behind is not there. You can choose to work as little or as much as you want, and you will always make the money you earned without having to worry about losing out for taking your time.

At the end of the day, there are many MLM and direct sales companies that are great business opportunities for those who are looking for something different than a standard 8-5 job. It’s important to do a little research on how the company you’re interested in is structured so you know exactly what to expect from each person you market services/products to.

Four Tips to Follow to Successfully Work From Home

Time management

Time management is the first step it takes to successfully work from home and be an entrepreneur. There is no boss to hold you accountable, so working from home means becoming your own boss. You should create a work schedule, and stick to it, if you want to make an at home business grow and flourish.  

Do what you love

Successful time management isn't going to help you make money working from home with an online business if you don't enjoy what you do. The type of business you choose when working for yourself will influence how successful you will be, so make sure you pick a business that represents your values and is useful in your home-life. Selling health and wellness products online might be the type of business you choose to provide value to your customers and make money for your family.  

Focus on the Customer

Entrepreneur explains that “your home business is not about the products or services that you sell,” it’s about the people that you serve - your customers. It's about providing them with a product that they will love and will help them and their family live healthier lives. When you go into business for yourself, you want to make sure that your ideal customer will actually benefit from the products or service they use.

Promote your business without spamming your friends

Entrepreneurs and moms working from home want to have a business to be proud of, and they have every right to promote that business to their friends and family, and the rest of the world. However, there is a fine line between promoting your business and spamming your friends. Self-promotion is an essential and effective way to inform your connections of all the amazing things you are working hard to make happen. So don’t avoid self-promoting in fear of spamming others. Just make sure that you aren’t overdoing the ads.

Become an expert in your field

When you go into business for yourself, it's best to know the ins and outs of your chosen business. For some, learning while they go is their only option. But this leaves room for mistakes that could be otherwise avoided. For moms wanting to work from home, it's possible to go into business working for yourself and still have a support system of professional marketing executives helping you market for the largest online wellness shopping club in America.

Becoming a successful entrepreneur isn’t for everyone. But it is easier than you think, if you put in the work necessary to make it happen.

The Best Online Marketing Tools

AgoraPlus

If you have started a home based business, you’ve probably been told that you must be online. That means starting a social media account or two for your business. Yes, this is absolutely vital. But the other half of that argument is that you need some way to manage those profiles if you are going to start them. That’s where social media scheduling tools come in to play.

There are many software tools like this and you can play around with the different ones to see which one you like the best, but this one is ranked quite high and worth a try. Make it easy to schedule out posts, make calendars, and optimize your social accounts all at once. Give a try.

Social Mention

It can be a hassle, monitoring your social media posts, especially when you’ve already got a full schedule to handle. You're busy, doing all the home-based business tasks. So using Social Mention will streamline the whole process in a very automatic and efficient way.

Buffer

This one allows you to deal with all your social media at once. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of your profiles were in the same place? With Buffer, you can monitor and make changes to all of your accounts with one single app. It makes the management of all social media channels as easy as checking your Facebook once and being done for the day.

IFTTT

IFTTT, or “If This, Then That,” is a really easy and, actually kind of fun website to use for your social profiles. This one allows you to fiddle with the algorithm a little bit and experiment. You can program it to automatically post content from your website, like blogs or onsite pages, to ALL of your social profiles… without even having to lift a finger. Just post to your website, or schedule it to post already existing content. You can customize the messages that come out of it too.

Calendly

Calendly makes it really easy to schedule meetings without the back and forth of emails. Instead of wasting hours, or even days, trying to match schedules, simply send your calendar link to the person you want to meet with and they will select the time that works best for them. Talk about taking the hassle out of scheduling meetings.

We work with the best company on the planet and are always looking to help others do the same… let us know if we can help you too!