As a self-employed business owner, you know you've got to deal with contracts. But this isn't the fun part of the job. It might even be scary to make something "legal" like that. What you don't know is that a good contract is at the root of making client experiences more ease-ful. Here I'll break it down into three simple principles, making it easy for you to reap the rewards of contracts.
Read MoreThis article is for busy self-employed business owners struggling with doing too much. You crave identifying which operations in the business to streamline. Sounds like you need an Operational Plan! I'll help you clarify your priorities and help you feel less overwhelmed by your task list.
Read MoreYou're no dummy. You know a financial plan is a key part of business, even for a self-employed business that's just getting off the ground. You want to have reasonable financial expectations for your business. And it'd be great if you didn't have to overwork to get there. (But is that even possible?) This article is for anyone struggling with overwhelm when trying to understand the money side of their business. Here, I'll help by providing you with clarity and simplifying the mathematical process. This will help you to launch a business with a solid financial footing.
Read MoreYou can't know what you don't know, and that's true of so much for self-employed folks who are just getting started. You could be missing out on clients that you're not even aware of! That's not clickbait, it's just a fact. People interested in your services might never contact you. You can't completely solve this, but there are things you can do. In this article, I provide clarity for the client's purchasing decisions. Then I illuminate an easy but significant change that will help you to have more client inquiries.
Read MoreOnce upon a time, you decided on rates for your business. They made sense at that time. But now, you're not sure they're working for you anymore. Is it time to raise prices? What should you raise them to? How do you roll out these new rates? This article is for folks like you: business owners who are struggling with changing their rates. You don't know how to raise your rates and want to confidently decide upon and implement a new price. Read on as I clarify the process. You'll get instructions on each step so that you can confidently make an increase in your rates.
Read MoreHow would an elevator speech help your business? This is a blog article for authentic business owners who are struggling to talk about their businesses in a meaningful way. Here I'll illuminate the key objectives of an elevator speech and how it can help you talk about your business. You'll discover how a good elevator speech will help you to promote your business authentically. Authentic promotion is possible whether it's a meeting with investors or a spontaneous casual interaction.
Read MoreA gratitude practice is a powerful way of positively reinforcing and cultivating motivation in your life.
Read MoreI don't know who's promoted the idea that business owners are universally good at money. We're not. And even then, those of who are good at it, it's not because of a god-given talent or anything. It's because we learned it. Being "good at money" is a complex set of skills that are rarely taught, but are totally learnable!
Read MoreDecision making is a challenge for anyone, but the stakes are the highest for business owners. If you're tired of fretting, stressing, and wondering if you made the right choice, I have a solution. It's not a quick fix, but by turning inwards you can find your own repository of wisdom. Read on to learn how to take the first step!
Read MoreWebsite analytics can be nebulous and overwhelming. In this article, I hone in on what's most important for self-employed business owners: understandable and useful data! Conquer your analytics with this simple strategy.
Read MoreAre you feeling overwhelmed working an 8-hour self-employed day? Maybe you feel like you're working endlessly, but it's never enough? It's time for you to adopt the 5-Unit Day.
Read MoreSeeing as this blog is mostly about starting a self-employed business, I can see how an article on meditation might seem off topic. In actuality, I’ve found that meditation is a vital tool as a business owner. Read on to see if I can get you on the meditation bandwagon!
Read MoreIf you’re afraid of launching your self-employed business a plan can be an easy way to alleviate some of your fears. You don’t have to leap blindly, you can have a plan for each of the three phases most people go through when launching their self-employed business. You’ll also find that having a solid plan B is both motivating and comforting.
Read MoreAre people finding your blog on social media? Make it easier for people to find and share your blog on their favorite social networks. Let them do the work of promoting your blog for you!
Read MoreA lot of being an entrepreneur is a lot more circuitous than a well-laid and direct plan. Whether you're already running your business, or if you're just thinking about it, you can start cultivating the tools you'll need at any time. The sooner you get started, the sooner your business will be thriving and as an added bonus you'll likely be enjoying your business far more!
Read MoreImprove your effeciency with a DIGITAL to do list!
Read MoreMaggie Karshner is a self-employment coach based in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. She specializes in coaching solo entrepreneurs and owner-operated small businesses in industries such as real estate, mental health therapy, massage therapy, yoga, doulas, and non-profit.
Maggie's coaching practice encompasses one on one coaching, group coaching, and asynchronous learning via the member area of the website.
As seen on King5's New Day NW and in The Seattle Times.
Is your fear of failure holding you back from launching your business? This article is a pep talk to risk-averse, aspiring self-employed people everywhere. Here, I propose a different way of thinking about failure and a couple of strategies to practice this new way of thinking.
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Does it feel like your accountant is casting magic spells? You're not alone, and your finances don't have to stay a mystery. Accounting is essentially where your money comes from, where it goes, and what it all means. But in weird accountant language. I'll explain the five fundamental account types and the two key financial reports. With this, you can make smarter, more confident decisions about your business future. No accounting degree required.