Professional Development

12 Must Have Productivity Apps for Self Employed

By MBO Partners

While your favorite apps might involve watching viral videos, scrolling through beautiful pictures, or zoning out while playing a game, you don’t always have the luxury of getting sucked into the vortex of your phone when you run your own business. Luckily, there’s another category of apps that are equally engaging—and can help you maximize…

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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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Soft Skills in the Workplace: Top Skills and How to Improve Them

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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Setting SMART Business Goals for the Upcoming Year

By MBO Partners

Conducting a year-end business review is a valuable practice as an independent contractor. Taking stock of your accomplishments over the past months, reviewing your network contacts, and setting goals for the upcoming year can help you identify gaps in your business offerings, keep your back office organized, and uncover new ways to grow and evolve….

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6 Ways to Find Work When Business is Slow

By MBO Partners

As the holiday season approaches, it’s common to find business slowing down. Many clients will take time off for the holidays and prospective clients may not want to start a project until the new year. But it’s important to keep in mind that other businesses may have budgets that need to be spent by the…

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10 Things to do When Business is Slow

By MBO Partners

When business is slow, there can be many factors at play. It might be the time of year for your industry, the holiday season, changing consumer trends, or a sign your pipeline needs a boost. As an independent professional, work can ebb and flow from month to month. One day you may be swamped with…

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Online Learning

Education Options to Grow Your Skills and Your Business

By MBO Partners

Continuous learning is important for any professional. For an independent professional operating a solo business, it’s a must. In addition to continuing to hone skills in your area of expertise, and even expand that area, you must understand how to operate a company, including how to market, how to budget, and how to manage finances….

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At a Career Crossroad? Be a Solution Solver 

By MBO Partners

Volatility has become the norm in global markets and economies. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve is addressing inflation for the first time in over 20 years. The pandemic, war, and supply chain issues are some of the other factors keeping things in flux. In the workplace, companies and workers are responding in their own…

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11 Business Books to Read in 2023

By MBO Partners

Business books can be a great source of inspiration or much-needed guidance. Whether you’re just starting your independent career or you’re an experienced consultant, there is always something to learn. As you progress through this year, keep a book on hand for when you need to take a break, or tune into a podcast on…

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10 Professional Development Tips to Grow Your Business

By MBO Partners

One of the biggest perks of running your own business is that you have full control—the clients you work with, the projects you take on, and how you structure your day is all up to you. By positioning your business around your strengths and skills, you can provide clients with reliable, trusted expertise. But that…

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