If you’re an entrepreneur, it’s important that you love your business; after all you have the freedom and opportunity to make it what you want! This spring we challenged ourselves to focus on the small steps that we can all take to improve our overall satisfaction with our businesses.

The challenge is to focus on one new idea each day to help move you closer to your ideal. Join us by following me on @Twitter and also you can Tweet by using hashtag #OnlineLivingBlog or #OLB for any interest or question.

100 Ways to Be a Better Entrepreneur

TIP 1: Before you commit ask yourself, “Is this the business that we are in?”

TIP 2: Get clarity on how you spend your time. Write a job description.

TIP 3: Bartering is a very tricky business practice. If you MUST do it, create terms that are reciprocal and fair!

TIP 4: Remember why you started your business – Does your current business achieve this goal.

TIP 5: Being the boss isn’t worth it if you don’t exploit the freedom it affords you.

TIP 6: Stick a post it on your computer with your business goals and look at it daily.

TIP 7: Be more than a widget. Show your clients why your work matters to you.

TIP 8: Create accountability by finding a business buddy. Meet weekly.

TIP 9: Feedback is easiest to receive when you’re committed to the goal, not the details.

TIP 10: Celebrate your success. Even the small ones count.

TIP 11: Build iteration into the process so you won’t be surprised when your first attempt isn’t perfect.

TIP 12: Expand your network. Connect with one new contact a month.

TIP 13: Business IS business, but etiquette still matters. Make sure your actions demonstrate your values.

TIP 14: Leverage your expertise. Do people know how much you know? If not, start telling them.

TIP 15: Turn down or give away work you don’t love. Focus on what you want to be known for.

TIP 16: Give yourself the credit you deserve.  Business ownership is amazing & challenging.

TIP 17: Don’t let old patterns dictate how things are done. Decisions allow for a fresh start.

TIP 18: Evaluate your daily routine. Are you happy with the work you have created? If not, take action.

TIP 19: Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. How are you building your stamina?

TIP 20: Remember businesses and business owners come in all shapes and sizes. Find businesses you want to model.

TIP 21: Entrepreneurship is opportunity for you to have your life and your work on YOUR terms.

TIP 22: Help others. Business karma exists. Play by the rule of what goes around comes around.

TIP 23: Find relatable gurus who can help you strengthen your areas of weakness and make learning fun.

TIP 24: Be grateful. Thank colleagues and advisors that help and support you along the way.

TIP 25: Flexibility shouldn’t mean you’re “always available.” Do personal favors outside of work hours!

You Are Reading 100 Successful Entrepreneurs Tips

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TIP 26: Ask for help. Find a group of advisers to turn to when you need help.Tweet
TIP 27: Give credit where credit is due. Get good ideas from others & don’t be ashamed to admit it!

TIP 28: Read one business article a week. It will expand your thinking as an entrepreneur.

TIP 29: Help others work with you by creating an instruction manual for yourself on how you work best.

TIP 30: Befriend a competitor. Explore collaborations and refer unwanted business.

TIP 31: Give your own business the same intention and attention that you do your clients.

TIP 32: Create your own definition of success. Ignore others definition and stick to your guns.

TIP 33: Give yourself credit for what you invest, risk, and sacrifice by calling yourself an entrepreneur.

TIP 34: Surround yourself with entrepreneurs that have you and your business’s best interest in mind.

TIP 35: I believe in the power of supplies! Get what you need to keep yourself productive, organized & energized.

TIP 36: When a flat out NO won’t work, try the “no, but” alternative.

TIP 37: If you allow yourself to be completely open to change, what alternatives would you consider?

TIP 38: Use technology to improve time-consuming tasks. There is often an easier way to do it

TIP 39: If you had no deadlines what would you choose to work on today? Make room for the work you love.

TIP 40: Minimize the time you spend on email. It is the easiest distraction.

TIP 41: It’s all about give and get. Think of 3 thank yous and help yous that you can give this week.

TIP 42: Break up with bad clients. No amount of money is worth a client that does not respect you or your work.

TIP 43: Keep 3 ‘re-centering’ tasks on hand for when you catch yourself procrastinating or being distracted.

TIP 44: Appreciate your customers. Let customers know they are valued.

TIP 45: Keep one unscheduled day a month as an open work day. Play, be creative, or go on a field trip.

TIP 46: Productivity vs. staying busy. Make sure you use your time wisely. It is your most valuable resource.

TIP 47: Knowing that others would grow your business differently frees you to focus on how YOU want to grow.

TIP 48: Identify several businesses you admire and investigate how you can model their success.

TIP 49: Make sure you have 3 go-to colleagues who aren’t afraid to give you honest, unvarnished feedback.

TIP 50: Learn to trust. If you find good support, they may do a better job in your areas of weakness.

100 Rules for being an entrepreneur

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TIP 51: Look for inspiration outside your industry. How can you translate others’ good ideas to your work.

TIP 52: Acknowledge fear and move on. It’s okay to be scared but it should not prevent you from growing.

TIP 53: Knowing what you do best is as important as knowing what you do poorly.

TIP 54: Travel! It’s a wonderful way to gain perspective and re-energize your creative thinking.

TIP 55: Making an occasional to-don’t list can help you stay on track as much as a to-do list.

TIP 56: If your biz isn’t meeting your needs, spend time and energy to make it work.

TIP 57: Most entrepreneurs’ secret weapon? Their network. You can’t have too many friends.

TIP 58: Involve your customers. Ask for feedback when you have a new product or service offering.

TIP 59: Networking is not just about sales – it’s about support, knowledge, and resources.

TIP 60: Look before you leap. Do research when you have a new idea or product offering.

TIP 61: Practice what you preach! Don’t deprive your business of the skills you give others.

TIP 62: Listen to your gut. YOU are your business’s most valuable asset.

TIP 63: Prevent business burnout by setting and honoring work/life boundaries. Off means off. On means on.

TIP 64: YOU run your business. Don’t let your business run you.

TIP 65: Protect your creative thinking time by building it into your schedule.

TIP 66: Listen to feedback – both good and bad. Take what is valuable and grow.

TIP 67: Saying no to one thing allows you to say yes to something else.

TIP 68: Learn to delegate. Focus your time on what you do best and enjoy the most.

TIP 69: Set up experiments to help answer your business questions. Nothing drives direction like real data.

TIP 70: Create a business mission. Evaluate business opportunities to see if they support this mission.

TIP 71: Success isn’t about size; it’s about satisfaction.

TIP 72: Say NO to opportunities that compromises your business needs and goal.

TIP 73: Your time is your greatest asset. Protect it and use it wisely.

TIP 74: Hang on to pieces of the business you enjoy. Make sure to delegate areas of weakness.

TIP 75: Three Things you *DON’T NEED* to start a business: an MBA, Formal Business Plan, or Partner.

TIP 76: Have interests outside of your biz. That will make you a more creative entrepreneur.

TIP 77: Turning down a halfway good opportunity makes room for an all good opportunity.

TIP 78: Join a community. Find your people and you will be able to learn, share and grow.

TIP 79: What business do you want yours to be like when it grows up?

TIP 80: Reward yourself and your staff. Make time to demonstrate your appreciation.

TIP 81: What entrepreneurs do you want to be more like? What can you learn from them?

TIP 82: Examine if you smile during the day. This is a good indication that your business is making you happy.

TIP 83: What job do you want in 5 years from now? Build your business accordingly.

TIP 84: Expand your impact. Find a cause to affiliate with that is in sync with your business.

TIP 85: When all is said and done how do you define success for your business? For yourself?

TIP 86: Lose your goal of perfection. Always work towards improving and remember the process is the most fun.

TIP 87: Whenever you can, think about how you can leverage work you’ve ALREADY done.

TIP 88: Get connected. Find partners that strengthen your offering.

TIP 89: You alienate most of your network if your business description is full of jargon. Make it easy to pass on.

TIP 90: Make a statement. Be clear about what you want your business to be known for.

10 Tips on How to Be a Better Entrepreneur in 2016

TIP 91: Don’t say yes or no on the spot. It is always OK to say you need more time to consider.

TIP 92: Take baby steps. Remember that small steps lead to big outcomes.

TIP 93: Your business has at least 20 possible futures. Which provides you with what YOU want?

TIP 94: Keep an idea journal. Don’t let those great ideas escape. Review them annually and look for patterns.

TIP 95: Your business is what you make of it. Entrepreneurship is an opportunity for satisfaction, not a guarantee.

TIP 96: Say YES. Embrace experimentation and try new ideas.

TIP 97: Your business will never be perfect and it will never be done – but that’s the fun of it!

TIP 98: Examine areas of the business you avoid. Find a solution (person/application) to address those areas.

TIP 99: There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Learn from the history of your business heroes.

TIP 100: Pay it forward. Help the next generation of entrepreneurs.