Declare Your Independence and Start a Business
One of the best decisions I ever made was to declare my freedom from my full-time job as a columnist for a national newspaper and start my own business as a freelancer. That was my personal independence day, and I’ve never looked back. Since then, I’ve also become an author of numerous books, a frequent […]
How to Prepare to Sell Your Business
A friend of mine, Wendy Volhard, recently sold her pet food business, Volhard Dog Nutrition. Since I’ve been writing about entrepreneurship for women over 50 lately, the passing of Volhard’s baton got me thinking about the question of how women should prepare to sell a business. And that led me to speak with Matt Hansen, a Certified […]
The Launch Book’ Author’s Tips for Women Entrepreneurs
Sanyin Siang, author of the excellent new book, The Launch Book: Motivational Stories to Launch Your Idea, Business or Next Career, radiates a sense of possibility for women entrepreneurs. After reading her book, I Interviewed Siang, 43 (who’s executive director of the Fuqua/Coach K. Center on Leadership & Ethics at Duke University and has served on […]
How Freelancers Benefit From The New Tax Law
En español | Last year’s major tax overhaul shook things up for freelancers, gig workers and sole proprietors, who now are starting to wonder about how the new law will affect their taxable income for 2018. For the most part, the tax law will help many freelancers — from bloggers to caterers to tutors. While deductions for real estate taxes […]
How to Hire Wisely
One of the toughest things for a small business owner to do is to hire employees. This is true for male and female entrepreneurs, but since I’m writing about the women owners over 50 for Next Avenue these days, I’ll focus on them. I have a strong personal connection to the topic. Even with my […]
Female Entrepreneurs: How to Get Certified as a Woman-Owned Business
Getting certified as a woman-owned business takes grit and tenacity. But it can potentially help land women entrepreneurs more business opportunities and government contracts. “It’s a grueling process,” said Michele Burchfield, co-founder of Blume Honey Water, a Pittsburgh-based company, when describing getting her business certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the largest certifier […]
Exclusive: SBA Chief Linda McMahon on Small Business
On the shelf outside U.S. Small Business Administrator (SBA) Linda McMahon’s Washington, D.C. office, there’s a book prominently on display: People Before Profit: The Inspiring Story of the Founder of Bob’s Red Mill. It caught my eye when I just interviewed McMahon. And it made me smile. Bob is Bob Moore, 87, who started Bob’s Red […]
Tips for Women 50+ Eager to Start a Business
Nearly every week, I get an email or a call from a woman interested in starting a business and looking for advice. Generally, she’s over 50. Often, I suspect, she’s frustrated by a job hunt and has decided “what the heck, I have something I’ve always wanted to do and maybe the universe is trying […]
Smart Ways Entrepreneurs Can Save for Retirement
One of the toughest things to do when you’re a woman running your own business is to save for retirement. Even 15+ years in as a solo entrepreneur, I wrestle each year at tax time to let go of the maximum amount my accountant determines I can sock away for what could be 20 or […]
Simple Steps to Starting a Home Business
Running your own business from home has a real charm to it. You’re your own boss. Your working hours are flexible. Costs are low since you don’t have to pay rent on a brick-and-mortar office. And there’s no need to ask permission from anyone to, say, walk your dog when the spirit moves you. That […]
