It Pays to Shop Around

Health insurance is a must. Here’s how to get the best deal on the right plan for you.

Medical expenses can add up quickly. In fact, health-related costs are a leading cause of bankruptcy in America today. That makes adequate health insurance a must. But health insurance can be a tricky thing for entrepreneurs. Without the benefit of an employer-sponsored plan, self-employed individuals are left to fend for their own health insurance needs. That dilemma alone is often a major obstacle for people who want to take the plunge into business ownership. On the other side of the equation are small-business owners searching for affordable benefits so they can attract and retain quality people. Read more

How are Your New Year’s Resolutions Holding Up?

It’s the beginning of February: How are you doing on your resolutions?

Are you still exercising, avoiding cigarettes, eating dinner with your family, saving money, packing a lunch instead of eating out, making those extra sales calls, volunteering regularly and (fill in the blank)?

You’re not alone if your commitment to your goals has faltered; it’s easy to slip back into old habits. One of the keys to staying on track is to write down your goals and put them where you’re reminded of them daily. If your weight-loss goal is posted on the fridge, you’ll see it when you’re in the mood for a late-night snack, and you’ll be forced to make a conscious decision about whether you really want that second (or third) brownie.

Another key to keeping your resolutions is creating new thought patterns. One of the best ways to do this is to read idea-inspiring books. Whether it’s the biography of a person whose success you admire or a book on how to achieve your goals, feeding your mind with positive, thought-provoking messages can change your life.

Here’s a recommended reading list for February:

48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. Check it out at www.48days.com.

See a Need. Do a Good Deed.

To those who think you can’t have it all, woman entrepreneur Kim Lim says, “Watch me.”

As a single mother, owner of two businesses and recipient of three academic degrees, Lim has had her hands full during the past few years. But following painful divorce, and with the creation of two new and starkly different career paths, Lim forges ahead. She says today, she’s doing everything she’s wanted in life, all at the same time. Read more

The Secret to Success—Anytime, Anywhere

When you think of success, what comes to mind? Do you think of living in a huge mansion on a hill, with more money than you could ever spend? Or do you think of days filled with happiness and a career that you find personally satisfying? Whatever your idea of success is, you can rest easy knowing it’s only a few small steps away.

Surprised? Most people are. It’s far too easy to become buried in the avalanche of responsibility that comes with adulthood, leaving us feeling like it would be easier to climb Mt. Everest in a snowstorm wearing a mini-skirt and stiletto heels than to achieve our dreams. 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