 | Gregory P. Smith
Lead Navigator
President
|
|
| Build Your Business Boot Camp
|
Ready to Build Your Business?
Sign up today for CYCs Build Your Business Boot Camp! Our first session starts Sept. 12, and seats are limited to just ten people. Visit our website for dates, details and pricing. Also, we are pleased to provide discounts for early registrants, military veterans and graduates of my DISC Certification Training classes. PLUS, we are gifting one scholarship to a deserving individual. To be considered, please tell us about yourself and your business goals. For more information and to register, click here. |
Icebreakers and Team Building Exercises E-Book plus Free Bonuses (Instant Download-Pdf) Download our best-selling training book Icebreakers. Energize your next meeting or team activity with our incredible collection of over 65 teambuilding exercises and icebreakers. Purchase here! Starting at : $29.95 |
(Live Webseminar) Our DISC training programs and assessments help you identify individual personality styles so you can hire the right people, reduce conflict, improve communication and unleash team performance. (Classes are conducted in four, 90-minute sessions) Dates: Aug. 5, 7, 12, 14 Sept. 9, 11, 16, 18 Oct. 21, 22, 28, 29 Time: 3:00-4:30 E.T. Cost: $1295 per person Register now! Your registration includes over $900 in DISC training materials! Call or email us for more information. 800-821-2487 or 770-860-9464 |
|  | | | Letter from the Lead Navigator:
Chart Your Course will soon be moving its home base! After 20 years in Conyers, Ga., we are packing up and moving to Raleigh-Durham, N.C. We are moving to be closer to some of our clients, our children and our two grandchildren. We have made so many friends and enjoyed being part of the incredible community in Rockdale County. With our house on the market, we don't know the exact date of our move, but expect it will be sooner than later. We'll keep you updated! Also we have continued to experience an incredible response to our Build Your Business Boot Camp! If you've ever thought about starting a business or becoming a consultant, sign up today! Helping you Chart Your Course!  Gregory P. Smith President and Lead Navigator     
|
| Seven Steps to Start a Consulting Business |
| The baby boomer generation has been discussed, dissected and debated since its emergence in the mid-1940s. Seventy-six million strong, the group was the center of a new youth-oriented America with changing social norms, new suburbs, and growing modernizations and opportunities. Boomers have also dominated the American workforce. As they reach the winter of their careers, their choices are certain to impact the economy. Will they retire, work part-time or start new endeavors? According to MBO Partners, a support service for independent consultants, boomers are a fast growing sector of the independent workforce. Armed with decades of experience and connections, the group is leveraging social media and cloud and mobile computing to build their businesses. In its 2012 Independent Workforce Index, MBO Partners estimates that boomers account for around a third of all independent consultants. A small portion of those workers (around 20 percent) were consulting after retiring or unemployment, but the majority were seeking new challenges and more flexibility, even if it meant a smaller paycheck. Boomers also indicated a desire to make a difference in their industry and do something they enjoy. While the thought of becoming a consultant may be alluring, it also can be a daunting task. Here are six steps to start the process. 1. Own Your New Identity. Whether you are still working part-time or putting all your time into your new business, own your identity. Don't introduce yourself to potential clients with, "I'm starting to consult," or "I work part-time here, but I want to be a consultant." Claim your title proudly, "I am a consultant for performing arts organizations, or I am technology consultant." 2. Specialize. While it might be tempting to generalize your services so you can reach more customers, specializing is smarter. Generalizing your skills means you'll blend into the crowd and face more competition for new clients. Specializing helps you stand out and connect with the right clients. 3. Set Your Price. A common question I hear from new consultants is, "How much do I charge?" Avoid charging too little, or you might end up feeling resentful. Don't charge too much or you won't be competitive for attracting clients. Research what other people are charging, while factoring in your unique expertise. Also consider the size or resources of each client when negotiating. Plus, be sure to research any taxes you need to plan for so you're not hit with a large bill come tax time.
To finish reading this article click here! |
| Industry Facts and Figures |
Want happy employees? Don't we all! Consider these results from a recent survey from Yast, an international software company located in Norway. Workers cited reasons they would not leave their current employers. In this order here are the top six: enjoyed their work, great work/life balance, felt connected to the organization, believed they were making a difference, received praise and recognition, and were rewarded financially for their work. For more on improving employee engagement, visit our blog. |
| |  Like the Navigator? Pass it on to your friends! The Navigator Newsletter is received by over 35,000 subscribers in 49 countries, in addition to other websites and magazines. Reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: "Chart Your Course International, by Gregory P. Smith, Copyright 2013." Sign up and receive free articles, tips and newsletters at our website or call us at (770) 860-9464 or (800) 821-2487. |
| | | |
Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.
|
| | |
