Dear Entrepreneur, Have you ever had a dream that you believed you could never achieve and never acted on it? Or do you have experience pursuing a dream, only to have life and business realities get in the way? I have learned that sometimes all you need is to start from where you are. If [...]

When most entrepreneurs think of obtaining the financing they need to build their businesses, they usually think of banks as a likely source. But the reality can be otherwise. Banks can be tough for entrepreneurs to deal with, but if you understand the bank’s decision making process, you will put yourself in the best possible position.

To some degree we all are a little out of synch with fantasy versus reality when it comes to our businesses. For me, it used to be finances. Somehow I figured the receipts would just sort themselves. Needless to say, this never happened.

Recently I had a conversation with a friend of mine. She is a former, highly successful model who is now building a highly successful network marketing business. As we are both entrepreneurs, we talk a lot about our businesses, we egg each other on, give each other advice, commiserate… My friend was feeling frustrated. “Amateurs,” [...]

With fall fast approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about hats lately. I am a Creativity and Life Coach and owner of a business called Art n Soul, Inc. (www.artnsoulinc.com), so people often come to me at transitional points in their lives…to try on a new hat, so to speak. I’ve had women on the [...]

Admit it. Way before you started your company – you began to fantasize about it. You yearned to break free of your hum-drum job and show the world just how amazing you are. You daydreamed during meetings, pondered possibilities on your commute. The mere thought of your anticipated new life made your heart beat faster. [...]

The World Wide Web has opened up the possibility for so many people to start selling their products online. Every day someone looks at the web and they say to themselves – “How can I capitalize on this growing medium?” The story is a common one, today Martha is making cookies or jewelry or pillows [...]

Daydreaming has gotten a bad rap. As adults, we certainly are not encouraged to do it. We are taught to believe that if we want to make it in life we need to be focused, driven, and yes, practical. And even as children arrive in school they are snapped back into reality with comments like, [...]

Communication Styles and Personality Types Effective businesspeople need to be aware of the communication styles and personality types of the people they meet. Whether you find other people’s styles welcoming or challenging, it is your responsibility to adjust accordingly to make a positive connection. Those who are the best at this skill know their own [...]

In 1921, Stanford University began studying children who had genius level IQs. They discovered that IQ or intelligence is not the most vital element for success. Rather, it is self-confidence, perseverance, and an inclination to set goals. In other words, the simple act of acknowledging and defining what we want to accomplish is more important [...]

I have met a lot of entrepreneurs who proudly tout their one-page agreements like they have found the Holy Grail of business contracts. But that’s rarely the case. Sometimes, 1-pagers are more like Dixie® cups: inexpensive, designed for uncomplicated situations, and if you drop one on the floor, it won’t make too much of a [...]

When you’re ready (already) for dreams to come true… Dear Jill, During the past few years, I’ve gotten in touch with some dreams for my professional life. I’ve read books on attracting what we want, but don’t seem to be making much progress. Is there any particular “secret” you’d suggest? Thanks, Jenn Dear Jenn, Although [...]

Smart entrepreneurs know the difference between a cool idea and a profitable one. If you have a natural eye for new and interesting ideas, you probably have had many fantastic thoughts as to how to create or improve something. Don’t let those dreams go to waste. You need to put them into action to make [...]

There are tons of resources out there that claim their process is easy or that their solution is easy to implement. Believe me some things are easy but be careful with wanting EVERYTHING to be easy. What am I referring to when I say EASY? Have you seen those office depot commercials with the big [...]

All successful people are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect and they work everyday toward their distant vision, that goal or person. -Brian Tracy Every individual begins life with two fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. As children we play “grown up.” Who [...]

Let’s face it, staying motivated and inspired can be challenging especially when we get caught up in daily stressors. One of the books I keep handy for just those days is The Four- Fold Way by Angeles Arrien, PH.D. I LOVE THIS BOOK! The author is an anthropologist, author, educator, and corporate consultant. On page [...]

Cheryl Diamond – Background When did you start modeling? At fourteen. It was quite a change from my former vocation as a ballet dancer and touch-football aficionado. But, I was getting too tall for dance and in the twilight of my career as a tomboy. Modeling seemed like a good idea. How did you get [...]

It is interesting that we are featuring Amy Gibson in the Dreams and Realities issue, and you will learn why as you read this interview. Amy Gibson is an inspiring entrepreneur and role model and the founder of Crown and Glory Enterprises, a company that offers wigs and counseling services, and she established her business [...]