Top 6 Things I Have Learned in the Last 6 Months

1. Carefully and thoughtfully manage your schedule. You cannot pack a schedule full of appointments and then still get your work done. On the flip side, you cannot pack your schedule to only get work done, you must keep the momentum going and take new client, follow up and networking appointments. Balance Grasshopper. I now only schedule a couple of days with appointments, the rest is for "work".
2. Never count on a sure thing. Until you have the check in hand, its not something you can count on. But don't be afraid to ask for it!
   
3. Your customer will always have a different opinion or perception than you. Right or wrong, sometimes you will not agree with the choices your client makes.
   
4. Park the pride (see #3). You will need to do this in order to save your sanity and sometimes save the client. Remember, in the grand scheme of things - is this really that big of a deal? It does typically matter but really think about how it matters? By putting it into perspective, can you save or enhance a client relationship by just doing this one thing?
   
5. Social media and on-line marketing is here, get on the band wagon because traditional marketing is just not enough.
6. People like to help you. Your friends, family and people you don't even know want to help and spread the word about you. Take advantage of that (without abusing it).
   

If you would like more detail on how I dealt with these hurdles, let me know.