Month: February 2021

Do you work with a partner? Did you start a business with one or more people with whom you now work on a daily basis? If so, you know that it can be relatively tricky to work with a partner, and over time, this relationship can become emotionally charged, tense or even boring. Like other important relationships in your life, you have to work on a business partnership in order for it to work well long-term.

One way you can work on your partnership is to be intentional about being kind and emotionally intelligent with each other. If you’ve worked with someone for a while, you know how they tick, and you can talk through things that may hamper your working relationship, such as bad moods, exhaustion, differing opinions and more. Sometimes, simply talking through things can be an act of kindness because it allows both parties to get their feelings out in the open.

If you are struggling in your relationship with your partner, you may also want to try and reconnect over the things that brought you together in the first place. If you started a business together, it was probably over a common talent or passion. By getting back to that, you may be able to find middle ground on some problems or disagreements that keep popping up in your relationships.

It may also be helpful to remember that each of you have different strengths and talents. You do not have to agree all the time or even see things from the same perspective to work well together. Give each other room to play to your own strengths, and use those differences to your advantage.

Partnerships take work in order to work well. It’s important to put the time and effort into ensuring you both feel understood and appreciated. With intentional effort, you can have a healthy and successful partnership for years to come.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

The past year has been a difficult time for individuals and business that have certain financial goals. No one predicted a global pandemic would alter virtually every area of life, but you may be one of many who wonder what the next year will be like and how you could make up for lost ground. Thankfully, your financial goals are still attainable, even if you feel like you are behind. Just like any other challenge, planning and preparation will help you achieve your goals.

The first thing that may prove helpful is to do a review of the last year. You need to know how far behind you are, what losses you experienced and how far you need to come to make up for what you lost. An honest assessment of your situation can help you understand what steps you need to take as you move forward.

Second, you need to identify your best opportunities for financial growth this year. While things are more normal in some ways now, you may still have to make adjustments and changes in order to be more profitable and successful. It may also help to look at what didn’t work well last year, as these disappointments can point you to changes you may need to make in 2021.

Finally, don’t get discouraged. You may need to adjust your financial goals and reconsider steps you need to take to make up for any losses you experienced this past year. It can be frustrating to look back and see how this part year affected your finances, but this doesn’t mean a strong financial future is unattainable. Plan now for prosperity and security in 2021 by both looking back and planning ahead.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Over the last year, many people find themselves working from home full-time. You, like many others, may be struggling with extra weight gained from a year of a more sedentary lifestyle, ordering food in on a regular basis and boredom eating. If you are struggling with pandemic pounds, you are not alone. However, now is a good time to regain control of your health, especially if you will be working from home long-term.

There is more to losing weight than just eating carrot sticks and working out every day. It involves changing your mindset as well. If you want 2021 to be better mentally and physically, you may consider the following as you develop more personal discipline and a healthier lifestyle:

• Set a workday schedule for yourself. This will make it easier to stay on track with your workouts.
• Find a workout that excites you. It may be running, using a workout app, following a plan in a book or even taking online cycling classes.
• Make it a point to drink a lot of water. Get a large water bottle and refill it often throughout the day.
• Stay accountable by partnering with others from your work or friends who may also be striving to get in shape.
• Keep your fridge stocked with healthy food, and plan your meals for the week so it will be easier to stay on track.

If you want long-term success over your pandemic pounds, you must set yourself up for success now. With planning and commitment, you will not only lose weight and reclaim your health, but you may also find you’re in a better place mentally and emotionally. Losing weight and getting healthy is not about looking good on your Zoom calls or buttoning your skinny jeans – it’s about investing in yourself and your future.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Like many others, you may have resolved to take time this year to get more organized. Organization is a popular resolution each new year because many people recognize that lack of it can lead to frustration, stress and other complications. Getting more organized is not a magical elixir that will solve every problem, but it is something you should consider as an investment in yourself and your future success.

Getting organized can take a significant amount of work up front. You will have to develop new habits and perhaps even gain new skills to reach the level of organization you need. If you aren’t a naturally organized person, this can be frustrating or even boring. You may not enjoy it, but getting organized can bring the following benefits:

• Organized business operations can lead to a higher level of profitability.
• It can make it easier to delegate tasks to others.
• It will save you and others on your team valuable time.
• Organization can create a better and more cohesive company culture.
• It makes the storage and retrieval of information easier and faster.

Organization is good for business, but it starts with you on a personal level. You can’t have an organized company or do your job with exceptional levels of efficiency if you are not organized yourself. If you are unsure of where to begin, start with an assessment of yourself. In what areas do you feel out of control? Do you lose papers or have trouble keeping up with things? Identify your own organizational needs and start there.

You don’t have to be a naturally organized person to successfully develop this discipline in your own life. You simply have to be willing to do the work. Consistency in this area will eventually pay dividends, and you will see a return on the investment of your time and effort.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC