When you think about owning your own business, what benefits do you think about that cause you to want to be a business owner? Starting and owning a business is hard work. However, there are also a number of benefits and rewards. What do you think about when you think about having your own business?

For me the greatest benefit and what continued to pull me in the direction of starting my own business was flexibility. I wanted to be able to determine when I would work so I could fit other things into my life. I wanted the freedom to work really hard Mon - Thursday and then leave early on Friday to head up to the cabin and beat the traffic heading to northern MN for the weekend.

What is the benefit or reward that is worth the most to you?

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.nurse-entreprneuer-network.com

I have been hearing more and more about social networking. I have been participating in LinkedIn and Just got started in Twitter. In the past, I tried Ryze and ecadamy.

Are you participating in social networks? If so, which social networks? Why did you decide to participate? What do you get out of participating?

I am really curious about this phenomena and how people are benefitting from it.

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com

I recently renewed my subscription for Norton 360, an antivirus software program. Although I don’t usually do so, I purchased the Norton PC power boost service. This service was an incredible value! Not only did a technician from Norton help me speed up my computer, but a number of other issues were resolved when the technician was tuning up my computer. I spoke with several Norton technicians throughout the day. They tuned up my computer remotely while I watched everything they did. I would have had to pay much much more to have my local computer technician do the work they were able to do. I was so pleased after these technicians worked on my computer that I upgraded to Norton 360 2.0 on the recommendation of one of the technicians. This company certainly gained my confidence with their service delivery.

What experiences have you had recently with computer technicians?

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com

I absolutely love having a home office. I enjoyed having a home office before the gas prices began going through the roof! However, I love it even more now that I do not have to spend the money on gas to get to work. I also enjoy my commute to work which is down the hall. In the past, I would struggle to keep myself calm in rush hour traffic which seemed like such a waste of time.

My home office is now my sanctuary. I enjoy being able to set the lighting just the way I want it. I don’t have to worry about a “No Fragrance” policy when I want to add essential oils to the air. Playing classical music in the background is so soothing for me. Most of all, I enjoy setting my own working hours. The flexibility to set and control my working hours was the driving force for me in staring my own business over 10 years ago.

What would you most like to change about your current working situation? Could you change this is you had your own business and a home office?

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com

I recently had a metabolic test and have begun working with a personal trainer at the local YMCA. I have been surprised by what I have learned. At first it seemed so contrary to what I would have thought.

I learned that to burn fat I needed to exercise at a level when my body had more oxygen available. Then I was put on a program to gradually increase my exercise and increase my metabolism. Who would have thought?

Life and business aren’t always so easy to figure out. I am finding it helpful to have a guide (trainer) to work with me as I venture into territory outside my area of expertise. 

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com 

There is really nothing or at least very little new under the sun. Even with the development of technology, things aren’t all that different then they were in the past. Keying in data into a computer is basically the same as typing on a typewriter.

What makes you stand out is how you put the information together that you know and learn. How do you apply it to solve problems for your customers? How do you apply your knowledge and expertise to add value for your customer? This is how you differentiate yourself in the market. In most situations you don’t have to create anything new. You just need to apply what is already known in a different way.

When I first started in sales I didn’t know much about the sales process. What I did know was the nursing process! I applied the nursing process to sales and it worked for me. So don’t worry about creating anything new. Think about what you know and how you can use that knowledge to solve problems for your potential customers.

In a recent Consumer Reports magazine there appeared an article on the challenge of obtaining health insurance if you are self employed. Self employed professions found it difficult to find insurance companies willing to write insurance for them. If they were able to obtain insurance the coverage was less than they would have been able to get if they were employed by a large company or hospital.

There are significant difference from one state to another. Someone who could get insurance in one state may not be able to get it in a different state due to differences in state regulations. Those who were able to get insurance may not be able to afford the premiums.

Pre-existing conditions can prevent you from being able to obtain insurance at all or this condition, any medications, treatments or complications related to it may be excluded from coverage. Pre-existing conditions can range from diabetes to high blood pressure.

Catastrophic insurance plans may actually have a limit on the number of hospital days covered and total cost of hospitalization per day that is covered. they may not cover at all such expenses as diagnostic tests, medications, biopsies, and other necessary expensive treatment. These limits could make these types of plans worthless.

Carefully examine this issue for yourself before you make the decision to leave your employer.

What challenges have you faced in obtaining insurance?

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com 

Often the difference between being successful or not is in doing one more thing. There is very little difference between those who succeed in business and those that do not. It is that little difference that can make a break a business. Watch this video to better understand the difference. http://www.just212.com/video/.

What is the one thing more that you can do to make your business successful? Please share your thoughts and comments.

LeaRae Keyes, RN
www.Nurse-Entrepreneur-Network.com

As a nurse entrepreneur, one of your biggest expenses may be gasoline. If you travel to make sales calls or to see your customers, you are probably shocked by the rising cost of gasoline and its impact on your profits.

You can save money on gasoline by looking for the cheapest gas in your area. Go to www.gaspricewatch.com or www.gasbuddy.com to find information on the least expensive gasoline in your area. Prices on these sites are regularly updated by volunteers.
 
Another way to save on gasoline is to watch for the day of the week when gasoline is the cheapest. Traditionally this has been on Tuesdays.
 

There is a high failure rate for new businesses during the first year in business. Why is this? One reason is because the owners expect instant success. Starting a new business is more like a marathon than a sprint. You have to hang in there for the long haul. You can not do this by focusing on your failures. You have to look at your successes, the things that went right, your strengths. Besides, it is a lot more fun to look at your successes rather than your failures. Have fun while you build your business. For more ideas on looking at your strengths read Marcus Buckinghams book, “Now Discover Your Strengths.”