Manage a Small Business

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Financial Management Tips for Small Businesses

By MBO Partners

Financial management is an important part of starting your own business. As an independent contractor your job isn’t just about keeping your clients happy and moving from project to project. It will also involve taking on an administrative role to help make sure your business runs smoothly and compliantly. Here are eight financial management tips…

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How to Become a Freelancer for Big Companies: 12 Tips

By MBO Partners

Becoming a freelancer for big companies comes with many benefits. Higher-value contracts, bigger budgets, and the opportunity to gain credibility with a recognizable name—just to name a few. However, to be attractive to larger organizations, freelancers and independent professionals must first ensure they have a reliable, trustworthy business in place. Follow these 12 tips to…

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How to Stay Organized as a Consultant

By MBO Partners

Boosting your productivity as a small business owner is never a bad thing. Two of the most valued benefits to being an independent contractor are the flexibility to work where want and the ability to work how you want. Whether you work out of a home office, leased space, or coworking facility, you’ve likely spent…

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What are Soft Skills and Why are they Important in the Workplace?

By MBO Partners

What are soft skills? Soft skills, often called people skills or emotional intelligence, are defined as the ability to interact amicably with others. They are personal attributes that can affect relationships, communication, and interaction with others. Soft skills can be invaluable to business success, but why are they so important? While soft skills can at…

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Are you an Open Innovation Novice? Here Are Some Tips for Beginners

By Keaton Swett

Adding open innovation to your independent business might seem daunting if you are just starting down that path. It can even be scary. While you may be an expert in your field, brilliant at writing winning proposals, and have mad marketing skills, open innovation solving requires that and more. With all your professional accomplishments, stepping…

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Tax Planning Tips for Independent Contractors

By MBO Partners

Tax planning and prep is an important part of your job as an independent contractor. Paying quarterly estimate taxes throughout the year is a good practice that helps eliminate a big tax burden and possible fine at the end of the year. Quarterly payments are due on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January…

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8 Ways to Get Client Referrals

By MBO Partners

Word-of-mouth can be a powerful marketing tool for independent contractors. When potential clients hear about your qualifications directly from people they know and trust, it lends credibility to your reputation. However, there’s an art to asking for and receiving referrals. Follow these eight tips to get client referrals and recommendations in the right way. 1….

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How to Plan a Successful Client Meeting: 5 Pro Tips

By MBO Partners

Client meetings can be stressful, uncomfortable, or intimidating. But leading a successful client meeting can help you build credibility and trust while landing a new project. Rather than approaching meetings with a sense of dread, think of them as an opportunity to brainstorm, collaborate, and progress your business. Find your motivation with these five tips…

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Client Loyalty vs Client Retention: Tips to Improve Both

By MBO Partners

Client retention and client loyalty are an important part of running a small business. As an independent professional, you’ll quickly learn that a key to sustained business growth is retaining a pool of reliable, loyal clients. But finding and acquiring new clients is often a big investment of time and energy. Instead, if you can…

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7 Best Practices for Becoming a Successful Consultant

By MBO Partners

Whether you’re a new member of the independent professional workforce or a seasoned veteran, operating a successful solo business can be an ongoing challenge. In the beginning the challenge might be securing clients and generating revenues, while later down the line it might be adjusting your services to meet market changes, and, of course, securing…

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