Virtual Book Tour: The Commonsense Virtual Assistant
Sue L Canfield recently released her book, The Commonsense Virtual Assistant – Becoming an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee. Today, she’s stopped by my blog. Sue L Canfield Why did you write this book? My husband, Joel D Canfield, and I co-authored the book to help newer and aspiring virtual assistants understand what it takes to run a successful business. Over the last two years, I found that many newer and aspiring virtual

The Art of Embracing Fear
Fear surfaces at pivotal moments in our lives: when we fall in love, when we make a major career decision, when we have children, and when something bad happens to someone we love. When fear is present, we have a choice: we can let it make us weak and hold us back, or we can find a way to use it as fuel to move forward. When I quit my Silicon Valley job in 2003, fear was inevitable. I was entering into unchartered territory and abandoning the “security” of a paycheck (I have a whole different perspective on that paycheck-security thing now, but that’s another story). I worked through that fear by preparing for the journey, studying, and plotting out the road ahead. I would n

Kindle Sales of Dan Brown’s New Book Outselling Hardcover on Amazon?
‘Da Vinci Code’ author Dan Brown’s latest title was released last week:’ The Lost Symbol.’ According to reports on People.com and CNet, it appears that the

The Black Eyed Peas Flash Mob Dance on Oprah = Viral Marketing
I finally fired up the TiVo last night to watch Oprah’s street party on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. The Black Eyed Peas were the opening act and their performance was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and one of the most inspired viral marketing campaigns out there. If you don’t want to read the spoiler to this, go watch the video and come back for the rest (trust me, this video is really fun to watch!)… http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090908-tows-flash-mob-dance The event featured a flash mob, which is essentially when a c

Reclaim Your Time: How to Manage In-Person Meeting Requests
As entrepreneurs, one of our objectives is to make and build connections with others. Sometimes, we can let this area get out of control. Do you have people calling to have coffee,or lunch so they can get to know you, or to pick your brain? Is that always the most effective use of your time? Is your business best served by driving to the location, and waiting on food service? When it isn’t, you may not feel comfortable giving them a flat out “No, I don’t have time”. Instead, you can let them know that you’re too busy to meet, but would like to set up a time to talk. Suggest that you schedule a 15 minute or half hour phone