All in all, I'm pretty happy with how 2005 turned out. My business is taking off. I've built a solid foundation to support even more growth (which I forecast for 2006) and I've even managed to take some time off. I'd like other entrepreneurs and business owners to feel as good about their business as I do about mine, so I thought I'd take a moment to share 5 things I attribute to my successful 2005. 1. Attended seminars. This one is HUGE. Nothing beats getting out of your office and away from your computer and actually meeting people face to face. I've come away from these events with clients, joint venture partners, and more. (And that doesn't even include the great information I absorbed and was able to put to use in both my business and my clients' businesses.) If [+]

Business growth is something we all want. During startup, however, you have to balance your business growth rate with your ability to keep on top of the business launch. You don't want to get overextended because that will cause you to cut corners and your future success may suffer. Controlling the rate of business growth is difficult to do especially if you are moonlighting. In this situation you have so many more balls to juggle because you have work issues to deal with as well as business issues. The key to effective business growth control is excellent organization and planning. Micro manage for Business Growth Control During your startup it is more important than ever that you micro plan your major projects. If you sell a 10 node network you will probably quote it by the number of hours for [+]

Your company is having a meeting with potential clients and you want to make sure everything is all set for their office visit. You've brought in donuts and coffee, and the conference room is looking good. However, you still think something may be missing to ensure the sale goes through the way you want it. Enter the essence of aromatherapy. Essential oils have been used since ancient Egyptian times to enhance their surroundings and promote healing. The use of essential oils to set the mood has long been used by individuals to wind down in the evening or to create a relaxing atmosphere. Now more companies are turning to aromatherapy to increase worker productivity and the general feeling of well-being in the office. The process is fairly simple: choose an essential oil such as "Lemon Grass" that has specific benefits [+]