New Year, New Approach

As the New Year approaches, many companies are struggling with the direction of their marketing strategies and how to implement them. There are no certainties in marketing, but something must be done to promote your business.

The news media has nothing positive to say. It’s doom and gloom every way you turn. How do we get out from under these clouds? If your business is like many others, you have these same concerns and may be in a place where you need to do something! Now! Read more

10 Holiday Health Tips

Boost your mood and metabolism during the holidays.

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year… to stay fit. When parties and shopping come to the forefront, the first thing to keep on your nice list is exercise. You might be asking, “How can I possibly find time for fitness with houses to decorate, parties to host, gifts to wrap, cards to send and turkeys to cook?” Well, I promise you can.

Fitness is your answer to keeping off the holiday pounds, looking great on New Year’s Eve, boosting your immunity through flu season and managing the demands of a season full of activity, all while enjoying the process.

Here are a few things everyone can do to stay fit and stress free this holiday season. Read more

An in-JEAN-ious Idea

Alison Barnard believes smart entrepreneurial risks are worth the rewards.

When Alison Barnard researched the idea for a blue jean boutique—where women could try on different brands, sizes and styles of jeans and receive input from denim experts—she knew she was on to something good. She also knew that if she didn’t pursue the idea, someone else would. “I knew I had to act on it,” Barnard says.

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Taking Stock

As the end of 2008 approaches, it’s time to evaluate what you’ve accomplished this year.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Did I meet my personal and professional goals this year?
• Is there anything on my “to-do-this-year” list that I can accomplish with a little focused effort? (For example: write that business plan, finish that book, read a book, take a family vacation)
• What did I accomplish this year that I should be celebrating? (It’s easy to get too busy to notice all you have accomplished.)

Before you begin making your New Year’s resolutions, block out some time and make note of your successes and the areas you want to improve.

Here’s to your success!

Five Steps to Inner Peace this Holiday Season

While the holiday season is a favorite time of year for some, this upcoming stretch can also be incredibly stressful, emotionally taxing and just plain exhausting for many of us. (There is a reason the rates of depression and suicide skyrocket in December and January.) Read more

Choices, Choices

Leverage your strengths by limiting your options.

Have you found yourself in this scenario? You walk into the local department store in search of a new pair of jeans. You’ve carved out an hour and a half on your lunch break to run in, try on as many jeans as you can, and select the perfect pair for this weekend’s holiday party.

Of the 57 pairs of jeans you try on, you select one. And let’s be honest, they’re not perfect. Herein lay the problem for many of us: Life provides us with too many choices to be happy with our selection. Read more