Debt Monkey: My nickname for all of the debt that you may carry.  Every piece of debt you have is a chain around your neck…or more affectionately, a monkey on your back slinging poo in your face.

Familial Money Pattern: The way that your family has dealt with money over GENERATIONS.  You’ll be amazed at what you learn about your own money pattern when you pay close attention to how your immediate family deals with money. I will detail an exercise you can do around discovering your family’s money patterns later.

Financial Freedom: When you are free to do with your money what you see fit.  You don’t have to work to earn a living; you work because it’s your choice. You get up and go at your choice, money is a second thought and not the first consideration when you are making daily life decisions.

Financial Fuckery: Doing simple-minded things with your money; things that don’t support you, your family, your dreams or the life that you are working to build.  You know, things like not paying your rent on time, but paying for bottle service at the club, using credit cards to buy designer gear that sits in your closet-never worn, and investing in get-rich quick schemes that don’t work (no you won’t be a millionaire in 30 days by sitting on your lazy ass)

Money Mindset: Your prevailing thoughts about money- do your thoughts skew to the positive or negative end of the though spectrum.  If I were to say “Money is…” would you finish the sentence with “the tool I use to live the life that I want” or “the root of all evil and why I can’t get ahead in life”.

Money Relationship: How you personally relate to money. Does it govern you?  Do you use it as a tool to get things done?  Does it make you smile, make you cringe, facilitate your dreams?

Money Response: The initial reaction that you feel when you think about money and your personal money situation.

Money Story: What you tell yourself about your money.  This also encompasses what other people told us about money, what our family explicitly and implicitly taught us about money, what we experienced with money in the past and how we use and experience our money in the present. (It will dictate your future)

Financial Empowerment: When you are fully in alignment with your money. You possess the power over your money- you control your money; your money does not control you.

What are your thoughts?  Am I missing anything?

Scrooge McDuck

Entrepreneurship is risky, particularly from a financial perspective.  You can reduce some of this risk by following some friendly financial guidance. Had I followed all of my advice to a Tee (especially number 4) I probably …no I definitely would be experiencing less stress.

1. Screw debt:  get rid of as much debt as possible while you still have a steady paycheck. Debt payments and entrepreneurial paychecks are like oil & water…they don’t mix.  Building your brand is stressful enough. Don’t add the burden of having to pay consumer debt to that mix. I did this and it was very helpful. But then I charged everything back up again #facepalmheaddesk
2. Save: Back to that entrepreneurial paycheck…sometimes it does not exist in the beginning.  If you are still working, save now while you can. Build a cushion for the future and manage that cushion wisely. If this current economy taught us anything- you will need it and its great to have. My cushion saved my ass on numerous occasions.  Having gutted my cushion, I am slowly (like the speed of frozen molasses) working to build it back up again.
3. Clean up your credit: You will most likely need it.  Small businesses rarely- if ever get credit on their own accord and the owner(s) most always have to put up their own credit as a personal guarantee (I am working on a post on how to start building credit W/O a personal guarentee…it can be done).  Also- if you do run into some lean times- it’s easier to negotiate with your creditors if you have been a “good customer” and have just hit a temporary rough patch.
4. Calculate how much money you need to (a) maintain your current standard of living (b) a modified standard of living (c) a basic standard of living.  Based on your assets, cash on hand, savings etc, figure out what you can sustain. May I suggest that when you do take the leap, start with B and then go to C. Trust me on this.  Unless you are independently wealthy, your paycheck lifestyle will be different from your entrepreneurial lifestyle.
5. Cut back your expenses now. Train yourself to live on less. Even having six figures in the bank does not guarantee anything. Live modestly- enjoy what you have and spend on what matters to you.
6. Dedicated cash: start putting aside money for your new business. Business cost and not everything can be bartered (nor do you want to barter because time is also money). What ever you think you need money wise to start the business- double it, cut back your wants to the basic needs to get up and running, and use some of the money for a cash cushion (what we call working capital/ free cash flow).
7. Use social coupons & cut real life coupons: If the show Extreme Couponing does not motivate you to spend less, your inner Scrooge may be dead inside.  But seriously- I once challenged myself to live on nothing but social coupons and it was pretty easy (being a single, childless woman of course). The takeaway is Coupons Save.  Hell- that $50 trip to Target can be brought down to $25 with masterful use of coupons.  Get you some.

Check out my article at Examiner.Com: I talk with an expert who gives the ins and outs of financing a start-up business!Any other tips to financially prepare for entrepreneurship?

• Money Story: What you tell yourself about your money.
• Familial Money Pattern: The way that your family has dealt with money over GENERATIONS.
• Money Relationship: How you personally relate to money
• Money Response: The initial reaction that you feel when you think about your money situation.

I will further explain each of these in subsequent blog post so let’s keep going…

What’s the predominate money thought running around in your head?

Is it this: Never enough….

Is it this: I Will Always Struggle….

Or is it this?: I have everything that I need and more…

One thing that I have learned the hard way is that financial empowerment and freedom don’t come from miraculously getting a lump sum of money- they come from making up your mind to have financial empowerment and freedom in the first place. The money tends to come AFTER the mental shift.

Let me explain:

If your financial freedom is based on the mindset that “I must get this much money to pay down my debt”, your physiological response will be stress, anxiety, depression and more stress; mental and physical conditions that deplete the body of the critical creative energy needed  (amongst creating other dangerous health related-conditions) to EFFECTIVELY problem solve so that you can ACTUALLY live a financially peaceful, free and empowered life.

When you cannot objectively view your problems, you will be hard pressed to solve them.

The long and short of my premise is that in order to get financially free, you have to make up your mind to get free. Once you make up your mind, you will automatically start taking the necessary steps and making the best decisions that support your DECISION to get free.

So how do you start the process of getting free?  By Being. And Doing.

Being: Make a decision to AFFIRM your financial abundance on an incessant basis.  Write affirmations to yourself on post it notes and post them everywhere that you will see them.  Say it until you believe it in the core of your being.

Practical Action Steps: This may seem a little bit out of order…but its not, because if you are in financial hell, (i.e debt and some more crap), you are probably engaging in Panic Spending and a whole bunch of worrying.   To bring some instant peace right now:

(1) Take stock. You owe what you owe and your credit is what it is. Make a decision to get out of debt and do the work to clean up your credit.  Identify your financial priorities and put yourself on a spending plan.

(2) Remember this: If you ain’t got it- you can’t pay it.  If you’re already late, you’re late. These words are cold comfort but let’s get real: it’s water under the bridge and it’s really a waste of your time and energy to worry about it. Instead of worrying, channel your energy into figuring out your plan to get yourself back to financial rights. Helplessness begets more helplessness.

(3) “Panic Bill Paying: i.e. the first bill collector that calls gets the loot.  Instead (if you don’t have any immediate and pressing- they are gonna cut the lights off type bill payments), when you get some resources, let the money sit in your account. Let it marinate, let it charge, bless it, thank it, look at the big number print it out to remind yourself that you are abundant in that moment. Allow yourself time for gratitude. As a matter of fact, every payday print out the online statement and post it somewhere.  If you are un-or underemployed, every time you get a little bit of money, do the same thing. Let it marinate.

Next, prioritize your bill payments and spending.  What comes first? Roof over you and your family’s head, food on the table, transportation to work, pocket money, electricity, heat, hot water. Make sure your physiological comforts are taken care of because this will help alleviate the stress.

(4) Prioritize and negotiate your debt: It’s the monkey slinging poo at your face. Debt is annoying but can be dealt with. When it comes to credit card debt, my new rule of thumb is to negotiate, settle and move on. Let me repeat: Negotiate, Settle and Move On.  In collections?  Negotiate, Settle and Move On.  (BUT, before you pay one red-cent- make sure the creditor sends you a letter with the terms, including REMOVAL of the collection account and a “Paid as Agreed” rating).

(5) Change your Money Response: I keep repeating this but its true (Thank You Dave Ramsey): You owe what you owe and If your late, your late. This is not going to change overnight unless you win the lotto and the likelihood that the money you need will drop from magical ethers without a huge shift in your Money Story is slim.  HOWVER! When you begin to put into practice the things that I mentioned above such as changing your inner dialogue, charging your money and expressing gratitude for every cent that you do have, you will set yourself up to attract solutions and resources. This may include cash money to pay, the debt collector that is willing to negotiate or a change in terms that is favorable to helping you pay down and get rid of the debt.

Next Post…….Defining our Terms: Money Relationships, Money Story, Money Pattern and Money Response.

Another change that is coming down the pike is the creation of my new community especially for artists, crafters, designers and creative entrepreneurs.  This was long in the works, but this recent blog post by Seth Godin (The Forever Recession) has only served as confirmation that this body of work and this community are important and needed. The anticipated launch of the site is December 2011 so stay posted.

What this means is that a majority of the entrepreneurship and business blog posts will be moved over to the new space and this blog will focus primarily on holistic money healing, advice and fiscally fit ways to stay fashionable. Speaking of, click forward and check out the latest blog posts I have shared about Money Relationships, Money Stories, Money Stress Response and Money Freedom and Empowerment.

And yes, I said holistic money healing because many of us need it.  (I don’t think it is a secret that I practice a deep-seated spiritual understanding…but if it was a secret, consider this my outing.)  There is no question that the economy is FUBAR and that people are struggling.  In my opinion, the struggle does not exist because of greed and the lack of money management skills but has to do with the lack of innovation, under-employment and the inability to find gainful employment with one’s matching skill set and the jacked up relationships that many of us have with money.

I have this whole theory on why innovation and entrepreneurship as a career choice is going to save our collective asses, but more on that later.

Happy Reading!

How many of us out here can sew or make jewelry? How many of us have received numerous compliments on our work and have decided we want to take a foray in starting our own lines and collections?

I ask this question because as the creator and force behind DC Fashion Foundation’s Fashionably Business program, I have the privilege of working with so many talented existing and emerging indie designers, vintage resellers and others who are trying to launch their fashion dreams.  I most enjoy chatting with folks during our one-on-one conversations and really hearing about what makes their dreams tick.

Having worked with this program for two years now, I find myself giving the same type of advice over and over again. I thought it would be cool to sum it up here on the blog so “my words” could be immortalized forever.  Keep in mind my insight does not come from years of working in the fashion industry. It comes from years of working with creative people and businesses,  teaching in a college level fashion program, directly helping indie retailers, my experience as a freelance makeup artist working with a well known global beauty brand and being a jewelry crafter in my own right.

This is kinda long (and not nearly as all inclusive as I would like ) but packed with some great tips:

(1) Stop making excuses & just do it already: Its not easy. If your serious  know that you will be in it for the long haul. Make your DREAM a priority and stop making excuses as to why you are not doing it.

(2) Get your money straight: Don’t let the lack of money stop you from your dream, but DO get your money straight. Know how much the initial aspects of your line are going to cost. Get your own personal finances in order- take stock of what you do and don’t have.  Need to use other people’s money?  Make sure you are able to pay them back whether it’s from your own pockets or through business sales.

(3) Trend Research: Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Learn how to forecast trends.  Track them & take them into consideration.  Great websites include SpringWise and TrendWatching.com. You can also check out what young trendsetters are wearing. Maybe YOU are the trendsetter.  Be bold and set your own trends.

(4) A small start is not a bad thing: I have been seeing a lot of emerging designers take their wares directly to the consumer via trunk shows and pop-up boutiques. If the long-term goal is to become a mass-retail brand, this approach may not be a bad idea as long as you are being strategic about HOW you are using these opportunities.  Are you inviting bloggers and other press people to your events so you can get critical exposure?  Are you reaching out to buyers and boutique owners in your area?  Have you reached out to the local trendsetters and decision makes in your community? It’s as much about the exposure as it is about the sales.

(5) Industry Terminology: wholesale, retail, supply chain, production, private label, types of retailers, fashion cycle, manufacturing, distribution, factoring, markup, net/30…these are all key important terms that all indie designers must know and understand. Take a class or get a fashion dictionary.

(6) Sales Channel:  In line with creating a viable business model (see number 6), success comes from building a very robust wholesale business and/or an equally robust retail business.   Do you want to wholesale your pieces to other retailers?  Do you want to retail your own pieces in your own store or via trunk shows and pop-up events? What do you want? Educate yourself, decide how you want to approach your business and then create your game plan for success.  As an aside- selling pieces on consignment is a cash-flow killer for an emerging designer. It may be necessary to gain visibility, but I do not suggest on using this method as your primary sales channel (speaking from personal experience).

(7) Business Model: Once you figure out you desired sales channel, start building a SIMPLE business model that works.  If you are creating this as a part-time side business that is one thing. A smaller scale will work to your advantage.  If you are looking create a sustainable business on a full time basis, build a business that supports the desire.  Making and selling one-off pieces is not going to allow you to quit your day job.  Early on, you will have to decide where you want your merchandise to be. Wholesale, retail and hybrid models require something a little different. They also all require having access to money.

(8) Embrace the Business Side: the fun part is creating; the hard part is selling. Understand that fashion is just as much creativity as it is the “art of the effective sell”.  You can make the best pieces in the world, but if you don’t know how to get it to the consumer, your pretty much up a shits creek.  The nexus between the two is embracing the “business side” of your brand and working the hell out of it so that you will make money and survive longer than 13 episodes in Project Runway.

(9) Supply Chain & Production:  Is crucial to the indie designer. HOW are the pieces going to be made?  When YOU the designer are the maker- how will you meet demand?  Can you afford to outsource? Do you even know where to start?  Before pitching your merchandise to stores, make sure you know HOW you are going to be able to fill those orders.

(10) Pricing Strategy: What’s your pricing strategy? Pricing and setting the best markup is a fine art where you have to take factors into consideration such as the market, the economy, your target customer, competitors and your cost to produce each piece. What happens if you sell both wholesale and retail?  How do you set your prices so that you are not undercutting yourself and undercutting a retailer who is carrying your line? As an indie designer, your ability to generate revenue AND make a profit (two different things) lies in your ability to (1) set prices (2) sell your merchandise (3) collect the money from the merchandise sales.

(11)  Strong Visual Presence:  This could be in the form of a well designed, simple to navigate website (crucial), physical and/or digital look books (critical), professional business cards etc.  It’s only to your benefit if it is easy for people to find you.  Make your visuals great. Make them easy to find. Remember this:  “Tacky is Not Your Friend”.

(12)  Get help:  work with experts in the industry. Attend different workshops and training programs.  If you can, sit down with a product development expert and let them help you refine your creation process.  Great resources that you can tap right now:  Fashion Designers Survival Guide, DC Fashion Foundation’s- Fashionably Business Program – Production & Manufacturing 101 ,  Product Development 101 and Fashion Business Office Hours

(13) Read: Its fundamental. You learn and you find out stuff that will help your business if you let it?  In addition to industry trade mags (like WWD), read mags Entrepreneur, Inc and Fast Company.

(14) Have Faith: In you, in what you are doing and that what you are doing will work.  If you don’t have faith, take a seat until you do.

Are there any other tips that you would add?

We all have been in situations where we are someplace that we truly don’t want to be.  Maybe its because we don’t have time or the desire, we don’t like the people or the work, or we truly just have better stuff to do. As Creatives and entrepreneurs, there are always 10 other places that “we could be”.  The mind funk that ensues helps to create the crappy mood of not “wanting to be here” and round the cycle goes.’’  The same holds true for our mental mind spaces….

Here’s the epiphany- you are there for a reason and if you are open to it, you will discover why.  The realization or experience may be explosive or it may be subtle- either way it may change the course of your life.

One thing that I am now doing when I am in a place where I don’t want to be is to ask how can I inspire others or how can I be inspired.  By shifting your mental to what you don’t want to what you do want, you will change your entire experience and perception.

So, the next time you are someplace where you don’t want to be, ask yourself how can I make this better?  How can I inspire others or how can I be inspired.

Please post a comment and let me know how it works out!

Take a look at the slides below & don’t mind my 2 y.o mean mug. This was after some meal that I did not want to be bothered with….

Donations of $5-19: Handwritten, personalized Thank You note with a word of inspiration, sent to your address of choice. I will also give you a mention on the blog, my facebook and twitter accounts with a link to your project/business if you so choose.

$20 +: in addition to a handwritten thank you note and digital “shout-out”  you can schedule a 30 minute Creative PowerSession  if you so choose.

$50+:  in addition to a handwritten thank you note & digital “shout-out”, you will receive a pair of customized, hand-crafted pair of semi-precious stone earrings or a semi-precious stretch stone bracelet from my Jewelry Line Koi Creative Jewelry. You will have the choice of a few stone types.

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So- this is my first ever public acknowledgement of the fact that I need help and right now, I am somewhat uncomfortable (actually I am VERY uncomfortable for a myriad of reasons…more on that later) but I am going to move forward with my request anyway…because well…I need help.

A few months ago, I submitted a paper to an international incubator conference taking place in Perth, Australia in September 2011. The conference is about fashion incubators and those of you who know me know that I have been involved with the GWFCC/DCFF initiative to create DC’s first fashion incubator.

The Good News? My paper was selected to be presented at the conference!! Go Me! I am already listed on the conference page! See? http://www.fashionincubators.com/EBandoh

(A copy of my paper is available for your pleasure. Shot me an email info AT eabplanning.com and I will send it to you.)

At some point I thought I would be able to cover the expenses. It would be a stretch, but I was determined to make it happen. Then life happened and it looks as if my best laid plans are just not going to work financially. At first I was just disappointed, but then at the encouragement of friends, I decided to open my mouth to ask for help.

So this is me asking for help in the form of a donations page. The trip in total will cost around $4,100 including plane fare, ($2,300) accommodations ($1, 200) and conference registration fees ($600). Let me tell you—Australia is expensive and this pesky exchange rate really does not help! Every dollar donated will go towards offsetting the cost of this amazing conference trip. To be clear, I have set aside some funds and continue to add to the kitty, but as time is winding down, I could use all the help that I could get.

I am open to all suggestions on how to get to Australia cheaply and suggestions, recommendations and connections on places to stay in Perth that are CHEAP and close to the Perth Hilton (the conference center). I am not tied to anything- just as long as I get there and have a clean place to lay my head.  If anyone would like to donate any airline miles from Quantas, Cathay Pacific or ANY airline that flies to Australia, that would be AWESOME as well. I’ll also take any words of encouragement that you may have. Please feel free to leave a comment in the comments section of this post.

Attending and presenting at this conference is important to me for several reasons, both personal and professional. I believe it will be a tipping point for my business and is testament to the four years of hard work that I have engaged in to brand myself as a creative business expert. This conference ties into my larger vision of the project that I’m looking to implement on a global level in 2012. My presentation will also help put DC on the map in terms of the emerging fashion industry that is growing in Washington, DC. International credibility will go a long way to help us all out in terms of creating networks in emerging markets like Africa and South East Asia.

Lastly, I will get to see one of my oldest friends from 5^th grade. She currently lives in Australia and I have not seen her since 1999.

I appreciate any help that anyone reading this page is willing to give.  Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about my work and passionate about motivating and empowering other creative entrepreneurs and business owners to actively reach their highest good. Thank you so much for reading and considering my request!!

Please feel free to forward and share with your friends.

As of late, several students and (and other random folk) asked me about how to start a business on a shoe string budget. Below, find some tips on how to do this. Caveat- shoe-string startups work best for service based businesses.  If you are starting a business that has a product or a brick and mortar location, you will need to think about how you will be able to fund your initial vision.

Starting a business does not have to be an entirely costly pursuit, particularly if the business is service based and dependent on YOU (the founder) providing personal services to clients. Welcome to the lean-mean startup. If you have the entrepreneurial itch, you are ready to WORK, and have $2,000 (most-likely less) in the bank, here is how you can use your money to launch your dreams.

• Make use of free business counseling, workshops, 1-on-1 technical assistance. Entrepreneurship is all the rage and there are numerous nonprofits, foundations, government agencies, trade associations and chambers of commerce that are providing free and low cost services to entrepreneurs. You can get help in area of your business (business plan writing, entity formation, filling out financing applications, HR advising, marketing, etc) for free if not close to it. In addition, SCORE.org provides free one on one business counseling with expert entrepreneurs and state bar associations often run Pro-Bono legal programs for small businesses.  Cost: $0
• Make use of your local college/university: Most colleges and universities have business schools and affiliated centers for business learning. Some professors may be open to using your business as a case study for their class.   College and graduate students are great sources of help. You provide intern credit, they provide helpful support and supplement their learning in the process.  Be mindful about the work you have the students doing and make sure you don’t run afoul of the labor-work laws in your jurisdiction.  Cost: $0
• Create a simple website: Web presence is important. The fancy website can come later. Use http://wordpress.com, start a blog and turn it into your website.  For $15.00, you can purchase your URL and redirect it to your wordpress.com site. WordPress is very user friendly and using the templates, you can build something easy yet effective on your own.  Cost $15
• Make use of low-cost business tools: Tools such as http://freshbooks.com (invoicing – $19.95/mo), http://constantcontact.com (email marketing $15.00),  http://outright.com (financial software $19.95/mo), http://genbook.com (online scheduling $19.95/mo), http://myfax.com (virtual fax $10.00/mo), http://freeconferencecall.com (telecommunications most plans are free $0), Skype (video conference and low cost long distance calling), and  http://googlevoice.com (business phone line $0- but you can buy calling credits). Cost in month 1: about $70-$100 depending on the plans you choose.
• Speaking of Google: Make use of the host of tools available for business.  Google docs, Google voice, Google calendar, etc allow you to automate and sync much of your small business for free (at least in the beginning) Cost: $0
• Business Cards: For starting up purposes, go to you local office supply store, purchase the Avery Two-Side printable Clean Edge Business Cards.  Log onto avery.com/templates, design your cards and print them out yourself.  Do this until you have the resources to create your complete branding package.  Cost: $15.00 for the paper, $0-$20 depending on where you print. Do this until you have the resources to create your complete branding package. Or you can crowd source your logo with websites like http://99designs.com which lets graphic designers bid on your project and create logos/brand identity according to your budget.
• Pay for small business legal advice if you cannot get pro-bono legal services: http://legalzoom.com is great but if you can swing it- paying for an hour or so of a lawyer’s time may prove to be one of the best thing you do for your new business. Not only will you get advice about the best entity to form, a lawyer who has a financial background may be able to give you advice on how to set up your financials.  Cost: $150-$400 for the initial consultation only.
  
• Form, Register and License Your Business: If you are serious about launching, make sure your business entity is registered and licensed with the State (and sometimes the local government as well). Cost: $150-$550+ depending on where you are and what you are doing). Make sure you also register for your tax certificates Cost: free. Get a separate EIN number (Form SS-4) from http://irs.gov -Free.
• Open a Business Bank Account: Only use the bank that will give you a free business checking account and requires no minimum deposit and balance amounts. Consider that this bank will be your partner in business and make sure you can work with them.   Also work with the bank that clears your deposits in 1-3 business days instead of 5-7 business days (cashflow management is critical to your business).
• Open a Business savings account: and link it to your business checking account.  Deposit at least $100 and use this as your overdraft. The $34+ you save in NSF fees will be worth having this small chunk of change tucked away.

Keep in mind that these are just some of the basics, and with such a low start-up budget you will have to start generating revenue quickly (especially if this is sole source of income) and other expenses will arise (like the need for business insurance). With the right amount of energy, gumption and support- you are only a few zeros from creating the business of your dreams.

Anyone out there started a business on a shoe-string budget?  Please share!

We hear about “girls behaving badly” or even “dogs behaving badly”, but what about some of the wannabe entrepreneurs (W/E) out here who do the same?  Yes, I call them wannabes because no one who is truly serious about their business would be reckless enough to ruin the relationships that help to make their business great.

Strong statement but I stand by it 100 (plus another 50%).

I have so many stories and examples of W/E behaving badly that I could write 4 books plus some crib notes. I am not going to provide specific examples, but I am going to provide insight that you can walk away with.

I don’t know if I can even fully cover the breadth of this topic in one post but for the sake of not dragging things out, let me make an attempt at explaining at least one instance where folks ruin their chances.  Besides getting into a belligerent argument with your client or customer because you are at fault for something, the second cause where people ruin their chances is when it comes to…you guessed it….money. But the bigger picture is that it boils down to a lack of  understanding about the importance of relationships and a healthy lack of emotional intelligence.

Walk with me here…

Let’s talk about our need as small businesses to get paid in a timely fashion. Let’s talk about how we can ruin a relationship based on that need.  It is never wise (at all) to yell or piss off the person who is responsible for cutting your check.  Even if a delay is the company’s fault. Don’t do it.  There are better ways to handle the situation, such as calmly speaking to the accounting person and letting them know you appreciate the invoicing process, that you appreciate them and that it’s important for you to receive payment as soon as possible. It is perfectly acceptable to place some urgency in your voice…but don’t yell and scream like a loon.

You can also reach out to the person who retained your services to ask for their help in solving the money issue.  But never, under any circumstances, carry on and “act a fool” if the accounting department is requesting information to process your check….even if this is the 5^th time that they have asked for this information (true story and happens all of the time). If it is indeed the umpteenth time you have sent the information its OK to put your foot down. Firmly let them know that this is the umpteenth time that you have sent the information and you would appreciate a speedy handling of your invoice. You can also threaten to elevate the nature of your complaint (more on that later).  (For the record, most organizations and companies are on a Net-30 day cycle…even then you may be looking at a 45 to 60 day payment window. Getting your check sooner than that is a blessing.  If you take the time to nurture a relationship with the accounting department- payment miracles do happen, It works for me almost every time.)

By pissing off the people that pay you, not only are you ruining your chances of getting repeat business (in the event that you even wanted it), but you have probably ruined some of your chances for getting any related new business.

Ask yourself these questions:  are you putting your most emotionally intelligent forward in each business situation?  Are you listening to what your customers and clients want? What they need?  Can you tell when someone is uncomfortable or doing their best they can to solve your issue?  Do you understand the nuances of business-to-business communication? Do you understand how to deal with and resolve conflict?  If not, make it a point to learn how to do so.

It does not matter how dope your business or business idea is.  If you are an asshole, no one is going to want to work with you and very few people will want to buy anything from you and your business).  This is particularly important if you are your brand.

Relationships are the cornerstone for any successful business. If, because you lack emotional intelligence and depth, consistently ruin these relationships because of your mouth and lack of social grace and etiquette you are not [yet] serious about being in business.  Point Blank.

If you are just starting out or If you don’t understand how something works your best bet is to seek advice from pros who have been in the game for a while and ask questions. Be curious.  The more information you get up front, the better your decision-making will be and the better your cash flow will be.

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This post is an excerpt from the upcoming book: Stop that Bullsh!t: The Creative Entrepreneurs’ Survival Guide.  Stay tuned for more sneak peaks and updates about the release of the short, yet witty, humorous, inspirational and informative book