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A small business owner is expected to be creative and inventive, if s/he is expected to succeed in the operation of his/her enterprise. While small business owners are not expected to be geniuses, most of them are entrepreneurs, and therefore must possess the skill, creativity and commitment to their craft in order to be successful. If you have a sneaky feeling that creativity is not one of your strong points, you may then ask, what can I do to stimulate my brain and get it kicked-started? The answer may lie in the few ideas provided in the following paragraphs

Be unlimited

Too many people are ‘limited thinkers’. They have their world placed squarely in a box and nothing can exist outside of that. If the newspaper reports something then it must be right. If Joe next door says that something is impossible then he must be right. As a small business owner, you cannot afford to be a ‘limited thinker’.

You have to be an ‘unlimited thinker’ in order to be a successful entrepreneur or enterpriser. Get into the habit of seeing no boundaries; decide that there are no taboos. Be imaginative, originative, even fanciful. Have the belief that with a bit of focus you can find a creative solution to all of your problems. This is the foundation for a creative thought process.

Be a future-focused writer

Creative ideas invariably come when you ‘look’ into the future. The feeling of propelling yourself forward and seeing the problem solved is a great motivator. Do you think you could achieve the same result if you were backward focused? I don’t think so! Train yourself to be future-focused, always looking ahead, not a traditional thinker who tries to find answers in today’s world.

Once you open your mind to the joys of creativity the ideas will quickly start flowing, as if someone has opened the flood gates! Just like flood water, unless you catch it the ideas are lost for ever. Capture all your ideas by carrying a small pocket notebook with you. As soon as an idea pops into your mind, write it down. It doesn’t matter how outlandish it is, you can look at it in the cold light of day later on.

The invitation is yours to accept. The objectives are real. The journey is rewarding!

The fact you are responding to the ideas by noting them will further encourage you to be even more creative – good deeds encourage more good deeds! And the same can be said of “good habits”. If you get into a good habit routine, you will be pleasantly surprised at how your actions will automatically adjust to the good habit routine with little effort on your part.

Be clutter-free & action-oriented

If you are naturally an untidy person, then get out of the habit! A cluttered office will lead to a cluttered mind. You cannot expect your brain to work efficiently when all it’s doing is constantly reminding you how untidy your office is. To be creative remove all the clutter from your life and free your mind.

All of these points are great, but if you don’t take any action with your ideas, then you may as well not have bothered. An idea is nothing but a thought unless you take a specific action to help bring it to life. Periodically review your notebook and see if there are any hidden gems, or ideas which can be quickly actioned.

A lot of your ideas may not suit at all but in there somewhere is probably an idea, which if acted upon, could change you or your business. Commit fully to move forward on as many of your ideas as you can. Don’t be afraid to break down the boundary walls. As John Stuart Mill said, “That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next.”

And yes… be a dreamer!

There’s a great line in Alice in Wonderland when the Queen says, “Sometimes I think of 6 impossible things before breakfast.” I think you’ll agree that this has to be creativity at its best! As a small business owner this is an ideal you really need to strive for … but how on earth can you open up your mind to get to the point where ideas just spill out?

I’ll leave you with this thought to ponder: If you can be creative enough to be dismissed as a dreamer, you may just be on the fast track to success as an entrepreneur. If not, you need a little practice, and NOW may be as good a time to get started as any.

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More time = more money?!

The old adage “Time is money” have been often repeated by many Web entrepreneurs like us, as well as numerous business people in the offline marketplace. This adage rings true in most circumstances because it seems to make sense that the more time you have which can be devoted to plying your trade, the more money you have the potential of earning.

However, in many cases, freeing up this precious time is easier said than done for a lot of entrepreneurs and for various reasons, none more prevalent than finding qualified people to work within our offices/studios/work places. And when we do find the right persons (or assistants) to work with us, we must be mindful of certain labor laws which cover these new employees; But what if there was a way to free up your time without these worries? Ever heard of a VA (Virtual Assistant)?

The pro VA alternative

A professional VA can offer all the benefits of a traditional administrative assistant, without the need to provide a “space” for him/her. Most VAs offer a wide range of services to pick and choose from; ranging from the basic, such as telephone answering; to the more advanced, such as web hosting and meeting room hire. In this way, how you benefit from a virtual office is entirely up to you and the sky is literally the limit. Just do a Google search for virtual assistant to find available VAs for your business.

According to Wikipedia, “A virtual assistant (typically abbreviated to VA, also called a virtual office assistant) is generally self-employed and provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients from a home office. Because virtual assistants are independent contractors rather than employees, clients are not responsible for any employee-related taxes, insurance or benefits (except in the context of those indirect expenses which are included in the VAs fees).”

Who does this benefit?

Virtual offices can benefit a wide range of users. This ranges from an Web-based entrepreneur working from home seeking a professional image to an international concern looking for a short-term solution to increase global business. In other words, a VA will be beneficial to your entrepreneurship if you are looking to free up some time to devote to marketing your business and leave the administrative work to a qualified someone else.

Not sure if you need a VA? If you are a solopreneur, Webpreneur or entrepreneur the only sensible solution to growth is to add to your staff. Yet, you may have a lot of reasons that prevent you from hiring an “on-site” assistant, even if you need one. Wouldn’t it be great if you had an assistant that was always there for you, when you need them? Say hello to your new virtual assistant, a proven concept that provides great solutions for small businesses and helps to give your new endeavor the manpower it needs.

Evaluating costs

Salaried workers are much more of an immediate expense. You have to provide a work space, computers, supplies, among other items; and you also have federal and state tax obligations. Don’t forget about benefits – sick leave, vacation time, holidays. Did you know the true cost of an “on-site” assistant is possibly double the cost of their yearly salary in terms of benefits and liabilities?
It’s true!

Plus the “personality issue” can be problematic when you’re sharing physical office space with someone whom you will probably spend more time with than your family! If it is not a “perfect fit” it can be a strain. Today’s Virtual Assistants are used to getting along with a wide variety of personalities due to the global nature of their businesses. They have a “built in” office manager hat which enables them to handle many difficult situations. You may find that a VA is a perfect fit for your Web business.