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Thinking About Being a Virtual Assistant?
Have you ever considered offering your services or skills as a virtual assistant? I can’t think of a better time than during a downturn in the economy. Lots of companies have trimmed their staff but during busy times, (and yes, they get those even during recessions), they need to outsource work. Be it data entry, writing, uploading content, managing their social media platforms, or even just handling customer service. That’s where you enter the picture, budding entrepreneur with so much to offer them in their hour of need. Need some advice from someone who’s been there and knows what works and what doesn’t? Angela Willis and her Overnight VA Success…
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Writing a Non-Fiction Book To Gain Authority, Grow Your E-Mail List…
I should add to the title of this post and earn passive income. I’ve lost count how many I’ve written and self published but it’s one of my streams of income. Even if passive income isn’t your top priority there are lots of other reasons why you might want to pen a non-fiction title. Some entrepreneurs like to give them away to clients or as part of a coaching program. Others use them to give away to potential e-mail list subscribers. Some want to gain authority in their given niche, maybe pick up a speaking gig or two, or even build a author platform before they pitch to an agent…
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Where to Stash Your Rainy Day Fund
You’ve heard me mention my maternal grandmother many times here at BSG. She’s one of my money mentors. She was widowed at 50 and was an independent woman who believed in taking care of everything (including all things financial), her way. (Stubborn is often what my mom called her). One of the many things she taught me was to have money to fall back on, the rainy day fund, that emergency fund I talked about last week. She was the one who took me to open my very first savings account at the ripe old age of eight. She deposited money to open the account and then told me when…
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Meet Maria Silvo Founder of Artsy Challenge
I’d like to introduce you to a fellow entrepreneur who just launched a new business. Please say hello to Maria Silvo. She kindly agreed to an interview and has shared so many wonderful tips for running a business that I know you’re going to learn a lot from her. Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Tell us about yourself and what prompted you to work from home. Maria Silvo (MS)-I am a creative entrepreneur who stayed home since 2007 when my three kids then aged 2, 5, and 7 were better off with me taking care of them. In Canada, day care services is expensive, and so is hiring a nanny. Working to…
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Monday Motivation-Stay Focused
This week figure out what distracts you from staying focused on gaining financial independence and living your dream life. Is it something external like spending too much time on social media rather than focusing on getting a business started? Or does it come from within, that little voice that tells you, you’re can’t do this. Tell all these distractions to be on their way.
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Emergency Funds-Do You Have One?
Do you have enough money set aside should some major happen like losing your job, or even a everyday thing like needing a new set of tires for your car? My maternal grandmother (one of my money mentors), always had a rainy day fund and she taught me the importance of having one too. I’ve always set money aside for the just in case scenarios that always seem to happen when you least expect it. Take for example something that happened this week. Sunday lunch time I was eating leftover pizza and bit down and knew something wasn’t quite right. I realized I’d lost part of the filling in one…
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Should Your Business Come Before Your Life?
I have a friend, Angela Wills, who started a services-based business and quit her job to pursue it. Within a few months she was overwhelmed, overworked and just plain burnt out. Angela told me she had actually been sitting at her computer for so many hours per day that her muscles had started to atrophy. It was embarrassing and she knew she needed to change. That was in 2007. Angela stopped working for clients in 2012. She declared total lifestyle freedom at that time! She has spent the last 8 years working entirely on what she wants, for who she wants, where she wants and when she wants. Her whims…
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Deciding Why You Want to Gain Financial Freedom
Financial freedom is the end goal but why do you want it? Last week we talked about FIRE. I know many of you read and follow these posts because financial freedom is your end goal. Let’s talk about the many ways you can get there. And yes, sorry financial freedom seekers, there’s some sacrifice and hardship along the way. When I coach writing students I always begin with this question… Why do you want to write a book? Each person’s answer is unique to them. We all have different reasons and motives for wanting to do something. So, take a few minutes and think about why you want to achieve…
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Monday Motivation-Make Someone’s Day
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What’s Your Relationship With Money?
This week we’ve been talking about FIRE. Sometimes achieving financial independence involves changing the way you think about money. Sometimes we don’t know about the bad relationship we have with our money until some major setback happens and we realize we’ve been spending more than we earn or the savings account has just a few pennies in it. What better time to look at your how you view money than to take part in Angela of Laptop YOUniversity’s upcoming Money Master Challenge. Recently I asked her some questions about it and here’s what she had to say- BSG-How did you come up with the idea of the Money Master Challenge?…