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Is It Time To Go Out On Your Own?

time to go

Perhaps you’ve been thinking about starting your own company or moving forward with your pursuit of that next career goal. It’s not always easy to determine if it’s the right time to go for it, especially after a year of difficulty and massive changes. A careful look at your career and other circumstances can help you understand if you should move forward or if you need to be patient for a bit longer.

One of the first signs is that you are weary with your current circumstances. You no longer find joy or fulfillment with what you are doing, and you find yourself constantly thinking about doing something else. Part of these feelings of weariness and discontent is that you feel you have something to offer that’s new and needed, and you want to put it out in the world.

A key component to success is offering a product or service that is needed or wanted by your target market. Perhaps you can solve a problem many are facing, or maybe your services can meet a need in a way that is novel and important. If you have pinpointed how your plans will do these things, it could be a sign you are ready to take the next step forward.

If you want to go out on your own, you will need self-discipline and self-motivation. New business owners or individuals pursuing specific career goals will need to have the ability to be self-starting, driven individuals. This drive and motivation will be necessary for when things are difficult or you experience a setback. If you possess those qualities, you will be able to make it on your own.

One requirement for those who want to start their own company is the ability to expect and face diversity head-on. You will go through hard times, and you will have times you want to quit. To succeed, you have to consider these instances as opportunities for growth and learning. Failures and setbacks are inevitable, but what you do next after they happen is what could make or break your business goals.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Finding Purpose In Your Work

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There is an assumption that one must be doing exceptional or purposeful work in order to find meaning in it. In reality, you can find purpose in your work no matter your job description or what you do for a living. Sometimes, purpose is about what your perspective is rather than the greater good. For example, you don’t have to start a non-profit or be a brain surgeon to do something meaningful.

Maybe you work in a restaurant or sit behind a desk, but it is still possible to have a purpose. With a deliberate effort, you can intentionally interject more meaning into what you are already doing. Purpose isn’t something you find by accident or with a specific job—purpose is something you create for yourself. It should be a very personal journey and specific to who you are as a person.

You can have multiple purposes. For example, you can find purpose in parenting your children well, but you can also have a different purpose when you’re at work. Maybe your purpose for your job is self-improvement, helping someone, honing your kills or putting your very specific set of skills to good use. It’s also completely reasonable to find meaning in your work simply because you enjoy it for what it is.

You are not a less important person because you have what you may consider to be an average job. The meaning you find in your work is totally up to you—not society’s definition of it. Whether you love your job or you just love the people you work with, your purpose is what you make it to be. If you are discontent, consider ways you can inject more meaning into your daily tasks and in your overall perspective of your job.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Avoiding Financial Pitfalls As A New Entrepreneur

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As a business owner, you understand how important it is to manage your money carefully. Your personal financial health affects your business’s financial health, and it’s critical to learn how to avoid the pitfalls many younger and inexperienced business owners make. Strong money management skills are important, but they are especially critical in the early stages of a business.

One beneficial step is to be protective of your credit score. If it’s low, work to bring it up. Good credit can be important if you need to borrow money in the initial stages of your business. Your eligibility for a potential loan and your interest rate will depend on your score. If you must use personal funds to run your business or take a personal loan for that purpose, be certain you can pay it back.

As an entrepreneur just starting out, it’s essential to be realistic about your financial circumstances. Don’t live beyond your means. Instead, develop a budget that will allow you to pay for essentials and give yourself some breathing room. Living this way will enable you to save and have the room you need in your budget in case the unexpected happens in your personal life or with your business.

In your budget, create a line item that allows you to set aside money to establish an emergency fund. Having a cushion is essential in the beginning stages of a business when expenses can be high and profit can be low or inconsistent. As a business owner, you will also want to prepare for your taxes each year. By setting aside what you will most likely need, you won’t find yourself surprised or overwhelmed by what you owe the IRS each year.

The key to financial stability as an entrepreneur is preparation and a willingness to sacrifice. You may have to work very hard for little or no return for awhile, but you can lay the foundation for a strong financial future with a few simple steps now. Saving, careful spending and budgeting may be necessary, but these are prudent habits that will pay off now and in the future.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC