Keep all of your bills in one place, along with the supplies you will need to pay them. It’s hard enough to make yourself pay your bills, you don’t want to have to run around the office looking for all of your supplies just to get the job done. You also don’t want to lose a bill and incur a late payment fee simply due to disorganization. << MORE >>

There are some very easy steps you can follow to help you get your bills paid on time, every time. First of course, is to spend within your means whenever possible. You don’t have to pay cash at the point of purchase, but try to pay off your credit card balance every month. Doing so will prevent you from wasting money on interest charges and late fees that could be better used to grow your business.<< MORE >>

The biggest reason to pay your bills on time is because it builds your credibility with your suppliers. You may need to draw on that credibility when you go through a cash flow shortage in the future. If you've always paid on time, your suppliers are more likely to be willing to set terms for a purchase you have to make when you can't cover the whole bill right away. << MORE >>

Your formal proposal will have seven elements, regardless of to whom it is being sent. The first document is an Executive Summary, which is typically 1 - 2 pages in document format. << MORE >>

For corporate targets, you would do best to make your initial contact by e-mail to the Vice President of Marketing. Advertising, or Corporate Sponsorships. After you have sent the e-mail, wait about a week, then follow up with a phone call. << MORE >>

IEG, a leader in consulting, valuation, research, and training in the global sponsorship industry has a blog on their website,where a recent post by senior analyst Carrie Urban Kapraun points out that one of the key reasons business-to-business marketers should use sponsorships is that the sponsee can borrow the credibility of the sponsor. << MORE >>

Most companies realize that they can often do well by doing good. Being socially responsible is big business, and if you can provide a way for your sponsor to be socially responsible while making money, you will be their golden child. << MORE >>

One of the key challenges faced by nearly all small-business owners is financing. Libraries are full of books telling you how to borrow money and attract investors, but no one tells you one simple truth: you have to pay most of that money back eventually. What if you could get people to simply give you the money, no strings attached?<< MORE >>

Continuing our discussion of the authoritative management style with the fourth element:  commitment to vision.

Commitment to vision means that you never let your mind stray from the vision and mission of the company. When you're running on fumes, trying to get enough work done to make payroll at the end of the week, it can be easy to cut corners or to make snap decisions that serve well in the short-run but don't stand the test of time. A leader of leaders must have an unwavering eye on ...

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Earlier this week, we talked about several different management styles, and decided the authoritative style was the best. We also talked about the first two steps to developing an authoritative style:  competence and collaboration. Today we'll pick up where we left off, considering the third element:  compassion.

Compassion means recognizing that your employees are human beings with lives outside of your company. Although you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into the company, your employees probably don't have that level of commitment because it is not their "baby". To ...

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