Small business, home based business, micro-biz....  call it what you will entrepreneurship is one of the most rewarding, freeing experiences one can ask for. 

The rewards stretch far beyond dollars to line our pockets.  Those with an entrepreneurial spirit find great satisfaction in creating a business, inventing a product, being in charge, meeting the challenges and winning.  It’s a high. 

The opportunities are diverse - you can build a business around your special interests. 

. Imagine a couple who love auto racing - so they set up a shop to customize cars and travel to races and car shows all over North America

. Imagine someone who loves to cook opening a business selling her specialty meat pies.

. Imagine a dog lover setting up a doggy day care and walking service. 

. Imagine a nurse who gets tired of the politics at the hospital where she works, so leaves and sets up her own business in health care.

. Imagine a secretary with high school education leaving her job at a publishing company to make it as a successful Canadian writer and author, who now gives workshops telling others how to follow in her footsteps.  I know that can be done because this last one is me. I succeeded because I ran my writing career like a business.  The others are also real people who have taken the plunge and dared to do it! 

These are the kind of stories I tell in my book How Women Make Money.  I am amazed at the scope of businesses, the ideas and creative thinking that people have.  I always profile people in my business books because meeting and interviewing these individuals is so inspiring and enjoyable for me and so inspiring for us all. 

The success of that book led to another, Great Tips for Your Small Business which offers up more than 200 tips for saving money, increasing profit and getting joy from your business. It will be released in the fall of 2006. 

I’m often asked if I have advice for small business operators/owners.  I do.  It is to never forget the importance of planning. No matter whether you are beginning a new business, revamping an existing one, or are successful and happy with what your are doing but want to keep on the right track for the future, there are a few steps that can help keep things progressing in your chosen direction.

.  The first is to define your goals - both for your business aspirations and your personal life for the two cannot be separated.

. The second is to create a plan - on paper.

. The third is to break your plan into doable steps - and do it. 

Through my books, and a soon to be launched business tips blog, I hope to help generate enthusiasm and pass along some time gained through more years experience than I like to admit to.  I wish you good luck in your endeavours and much job.  If you want to learn more about Julie’s business blog either revisit this site or email me at biz@seacroftpei.com 

Julie Watson