It seems the virtual assistant industry is a hot commodity these days!

We've had several clients lately ask whether we can recommend a good virtual assistant...and how to know if hiring a VA is the most cost effective way to find help.

So we went to our good friend Jessica Maes to shed some light on this popular topic. Having been a VA herself before starting her own consulting business, she's an authority on the topic and cuts right to the chase.

As a small business owner for nearly a decade and a Virtual Assistant (VA) for over half of [...]

A few weeks ago, I woke up and my right arm was throbbing. My right hand was completely numb. And after checking, it didn't appear that I'd slept on my hand.

So like 90% of the human race I Googled "my hand is numb."

Apparently, I could have a spinal cord injury, Lyme disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cervical spondylosis and syphilis. Great!

So maybe I should have gone to the doctor after attempting to pull out a deer tick from my stomach and leaving half of it there.

Seeing as I haven't had a regular checkup in 10 years, I call [...]

When I found out that Quibb was getting a 50%-70% open rate on their daily email...

I had to find out what they were doing to get those kinds of results.

I mean that's unheard of.

If you've never heard of Quibb, it's a exclusive online community where professionals from the tech and start-up industries are invited...and their acceptance rate for new members is currently 36%.

OK - I'm intrigued.

Then I read that their goal is to revolutionize the business news industry and create a modern version of The Wall Street Journal.

Now I'm borderline obsessed with what they're up to.

So here's how their membership [...]

"I want my new website to look exactly like Brendon Burchard's."

There was a time where in the course of a year -- I'll bet a round of golf -- we heard that request at least a dozen times when starting a new web design project for a client.

They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery - and I'm sure Burchard was sincerely flattered.

At the same time, most likely he politely (because he's a genuinely nice guy) shook his head and thought "They just don't get it."

Now on the other hand...if I heard this I'd literally drop to the ground [...]

The #1 success robber is boredom.

As entrepreneurs, we make up 10% of the world who lead rather than follow. We are the sole providers for ourselves, our families, and our staff. That’s a lot of responsibility on our shoulders.

We all chose the life of a business owner because of the high we get from being completely independent. No boss telling us what we can and cannot do. The fruits of our labor go to us alone...because we earned it.

It’s easy to get amnesia and forget why we got into business – and boredom is the trigger.

When you’re bored, all your [...]

Oprah has it. Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Tony Robbins, and George Clooney have it.

Adolf Hitler had it.

"It" is that elusive charm that engages, captivates and influences.

And when used for good has the power to make people's lives exponentially better.

Most would call "it" charisma.

The best salespeople are charismatic. You meet them. You like them. You buy from them.

Even when they don't have the best product or offer the best prices.

And the salesmen who don't have "it" grudgingly say of those who do, "Pffh...well, they were born with it." In other words, they must have the sales gene - lucky bums.

Sounds like [...]

Bobby Wilder, the head football coach at Old Dominion University tells his recruits: "If you're in love with Twitter, go someplace else."

He has a strict ban; if you are on the team, you are off social media - period - for the years you attend the school.

The story goes that as he began his freshman classes, one lineman tweeted: "Signing off. See you in about 5 years."

If you’ve read my blog posts for any length of time, you know that I am not a raving fan of social media.

And if every business owner spent as much time working on their [...]

I recently came across a YouTube video that absolutely nailed several foundational concepts of marketing.

If this were shown in every Marketing 101 class, there wouldn't be a snoozing student in the house.

Not only did did this "Marketing-Concepts-by-Borat" inspired video effectively summarize marketing in two minutes, it highlights perfectly why we all need to nail our own sales and marketing systems.

I can't resist adding one more concept:

You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: I am very rich. Marry me! She says, "Hmmm...let me think about it a day or so." Two [...]

If you've ever been to Disney's Hollywood Studios, you've probably experienced The Tower of Terror.

As soon as you enter the ruins of what appears to have once been a magnificent and glamorous hotel, you are immersed in a story.

It's a stormy night in 1939. A group of people are in the hotel elevator when lightning strikes the Hollywood Tower Hotel - and they vanish into thin air.

You experience that fateful elevator ride and feel the terror. And then the ride is over, and you're quickly led out a door into the bright sunshine of the park, right?

What’s the number #1 thing that creates loyal customers?

Giving over and beyond what they expect. Surprising them with something, anything that lets them know you value their business and you want them to succeed. In Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini (by the way, every marketer should read this book once a year) Dr. Cialdini notes that subjects in a study rated other people more likable just from the simple act of buying them a can of soda.

A simple can of soda! As Cheryl and I thought about our goals for the New Year, we had to admit [...]