Becoming a wedding planner involves more than just planning a wedding. You must understand the business aspect of your service and learn to manage your time to earn the most profits. You will be the face of your business and your own public relations representative. Every day you will have the opportunity to build -- or damage -- your reputation as a businessperson.

As your business and your expertise grow, you will probably begin planning multiple weddings at once. It is essential that you strive to provide the best, personalized attention to each couple when planning their big day, without losing your sanity.

The 7 Key Skills

No one said that becoming a wedding planner was a job for the faint of heart. Not everyone can succeed as a wedding consultant. A good wedding planner [+]

Understanding What a Virtual Assistant Can Do

I hear the term "Virtual Assistant" more and more in business. Did you know that you could possibly hire someone from another continent that works while you sleep and maybe for $8 - $12 Dollars. Mos t of the VA’s I work with have degrees and one an MBA in Business Admin. I pay her a pautry $15.00 per hour and what a bargain that is.

With the growth of virtual assistants has also been a change in what it means to be a virtual assistant. The leaders and founders of this particular entrepreneurial job have made distinctions between what it means to be a virtual assistant, and what it doesn’t mean. When you are explaining your business to others, you want to make sure to keep [+]

Have you ever had someone get right up in your face when they are talking to you? So close in fact that a letter "S' results in an unwanted shower? Often when we are out networking, we find ourselves in a loud environment as people try to talk louder to be heard over people trying to talk louder to be heard. This results in a roar that makes regular conversation difficult. The temptation in this atmosphere is to get very close to another person so they can hear you and you them. This can result in being too close to another person sometimes making them very uncomfortable. This discomfort is heightened when we have been consuming alcohol and the person we are talking to have not. Each of us has our own comfort zone boundary. This is a space around [+]

Have you ever been at a networking function talking to someone when during the conversation you felt very self-conscious trying to say the right thing? Were you afraid that maybe if you said the wrong thing the person might not find you likeable, and therefore not want to do business with you? If you have, I am about to tell you why you should not worry about it. Like the obnoxious song "Don't Worry - Be Happy" from years ago, I want to share with you the reason why being careful about what we say works against us in the networking environment. Our goal in business networking should be to establish new relationships and through the process of follow-up develop them over time. As with any relationship, being honest plays a very important role in that development. When we meet [+]

You’ve landed what you thought was the job of your dreams. Each stage of the interview went smoothly - you sold them on your skills and expertise, and your prospective boss sold you on the position and benefits of joining the company. He/she seemed excited about extending an offer. And then, with offer in hand, it was thrilling to give your notice (or tell your friends you’re finally employed after a long stint of unemployment!). All seemed right with the world. You’ve now been on board a few days…  a week… perhaps even a month. Suddenly you’re not so sure you’ve made the right decision. The job that seemed like a dream is starting to feel like a nightmare. Perhaps the position isn’t what you thought it would be; it’s either too narrow, too broad, not challenging enough, or [+]

Do you take your laptop on vacation?  Do you sometimes “hate� your cell phone or your Blackberry?  Harris Interactive recently reported that one-third of vacationers take their laptops on vacation.  During a Sunday meal at a restaurant recently, I observed a man sitting with his family talking on his cell phone -- obviously about business. He was not happy – neither was his family! To paraphrase Charles Dickens, “It is the best of times.  It is the worst of times.�  Certainly that applies when it comes to “connectivity.� Stories of 9-11 victims being able to communicate with family members in the last minutes of their lives warmed my heart, while the story my friend told of her mother answering her cell phone in the delivery room during the birth of her grandchild chilled my soul. How grateful I was for [+]

Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, feel like you have the gift of gab or just don’t know how to make small talk, networking know-how is very important for your business success. There is a notion in business that I believe most of us subscribe to that says “all things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those they know, like and trust.� And the key to this is obviously being able to develop relationships. Think of networking as the cultivation of mutually beneficial, win-win relationships. In order to be win-win, there must be GIVE and take (notice the emphasis on give). Networking shouldn’t be viewed as “events� where you go to sell your business. When effective networking is taking place, the parties involved actively share ideas, information, resources, etc. Ok, so you know that you should [+]