Just being completely honest – the first year I started Abundance Bound was really tough. Like many small business owners, I was so passionate about the work I wanted to do. I was going to help entrepreneurs create success – teaching them to build their businesses on strong financial foundations.

So here’s the thing: I had the very best intentions and absolutely NO customers.

I spun my wheels for months. There’s no question I was working hard. The problem was that I didn’t really know what I was doing. You see – I was an expert at financial education – I wasn’t an expert at marketing and client attraction and all of the elements of building a business that ensure you have a steady stream of prospects who can benefit from your products and services. Read more »

I really didn’t like having a job.

In the years that I worked for other people, I was so frustrated by the complete lack of control that I had over my life. We all know the drill…showing up and leaving at the same time each day, being told when we can have lunch or take a vacation, trying to look busy even when we’ve finished our work because heaven forbid we should just be able to go home early…

It was a desire for independence that led me to start my first business. I certainly had good intentions and a strong work ethic but I also had absolutely no clue what I was doing. The truth was that I lacked the fundamental understanding of money that was required to keep a business afloat. Once I realized this, I focused on studying with the best financial experts I could find, gaining the financial tools, knowledge and understanding I needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Read more »

How do we define success for your small business? And, more importantly, what does it take to achieve it? It will differ from person to person, and from business to business, but I want to give you one key to what it takes that applies across the board:

“The secret to my success is determined by my daily agenda – by the daily decisions I make, and the daily disciplines I practice.”– Dr John C. Maxwell

I heard that statement a few years ago, and it is something that has always stuck with me, because I fundamentally believe that it is true. Another way of saying it is that, if what and where I am today is a direct result of my previous actions, what I am tomorrow depends on what I do today. The problem is, most people underestimate what they can do today, and over estimate what they can do tomorrow. Read more »

In our last blog post, Walk From Where You’re Standing, we talked about creating a strong financial foundation – doing the things necessary to know (and continue to be aware of) your current financial situation.

The next critical step to creating success as a small business owner, is figuring out exactly where you would like to end up.  Where you are going is almost as important as your starting point.  It gives you a destination, a target, a place on which to set your sights. Read more »