Category: Work-Life Balance

How to Get a Mortgage When You’re Self-Employed

How to Get a Mortgage When You’re Self-Employed

Before the mortgage crisis and credit crunch of 2008, it was very easy to obtain a mortgage, even if you were an entrepreneur or self-employed. In many cases, self-employed individuals could obtain a mortgage without the requirement of proving their income using tax returns, financial statements, and bank statements. Instead, the mortgage lender/banker would just take the "word" of the entrepreneur on what their revenues or profits were. Of course, without checks and balances in place, individuals were able to… Read More
The Loaded Gun that Every Executive Carries (and When to Fire It)

The Loaded Gun that Every Executive Carries (and When to Fire It)

This article originally appeared on Inc. Growing up in a small, religious community, I did my fair share of Bible study. One or two verses stuck with me over the years. James 3:5, for example. The subject is the human tongue, paltry in size yet able to cause enormous trouble with a few ill-chosen words: "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" The language has aged,… Read More
3 Steps to Make You Happier & More Productive

3 Steps to Make You Happier & More Productive

To run a successful business, you have to be able to crank. You have to be able to dig in, put your head down and focus like a laser on completing a specific task. No one and nothing can distract you. All of your energy, all of your efforts, are directed at a single objective. Entrepreneurs with legitimate cranking skills are likelier to achieve their ambitions than entrepreneurs without them. The demands of business are varied, quick-moving and constant — if… Read More
Can You Get Out of Jury Duty as a Small Business Owner?

Can You Get Out of Jury Duty as a Small Business Owner?

Jury duty is a time-honored civic tradition for many Americans, but it's also a major point of complaint. In particular, small business owners have reason to dislike jury duty. As a small business owner, your absence from your company for several days or more could disrupt your workflow, lose customers, delay projects and even force your business to shut down completely while the trial is in progress. If you've recently received a summons, you might be wondering what your options… Read More
5 Ways to Plan a Vacation as a Small Business Owner

5 Ways to Plan a Vacation as a Small Business Owner

Summer's a short hop and skip away! But that doesn't mean the same thing when you're running your small business as it did when you were in school, does it? As a small business owner, you don't have the luxury of working part-time, spending 90% of your paycheck on parties, and taking spur-of-the-moment vacations. Of course, that doesn't mean you should give up altogether on taking a break from work and going on a vacation. We reached out to small… Read More
Not an Early Bird? Here’s How Night Owls Can Still Find Success

Not an Early Bird? Here’s How Night Owls Can Still Find Success

I’ve never been an early bird. Early birds hit their stride at sunrise. As a night owl, my best ideas arrive when the sun sets. Living in a 9-to-5 society can be tough on night owls. See if you can relate: You wonder if you’re a slacker or just genetically deficient. You make up for your sluggish mornings by outhustling early birds during the day. You read article after article about how to establish a morning routine, but the advice doesn’t… Read More