How Small Business Owners Can Prepare for Retirement

This is a contributed post to JMLalonde.com. For more information on contributing a post, please see our contributing policies.

The average retirement age in the United States is 61 years old for men and 62 years old for women. For many people, these are the golden years of life, where they can enjoy their time with family, hobbies, and vacations. But not everyone has saved enough to retire comfortably. 

Person on a laptop

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The good news is that you’re not too late to save for your future retirement. This is especially important as small business owners generally work at least another year past the average retirement age of their employed counterparts.

Whether or not retirement is a long way off for you or you are close to retirement age, there are ways to prepare yourself and your business before the time comes. The following methods will help you do just that.

Overcoming Fear

The fear that holds us back is often unfounded fear. It is not the good fear that keeps us safe.

We become fearful over the state of the economy, the weather conditions, even our ability to perform well.

Fear holds us back.

Man exciting a fearful looking cave while overcoming fear

Photo by Joe Pearson on Unsplash

I think back to when I started to write Reel LeadershipReel Leadership is the book I wrote last year. In it, I share how to use movies to become a better leader.

But Reel Leadership almost didn’t happen. I had let my fear keep me from writing it.

Many parents know the fear of someone thinking their baby is ugly. Whenever we create, we have that paternal fear. We fear people won’t like what we create.

That was me. Until it wasn’t.

What did it take for me to overcome fear?

Overcoming Fear

Don’t Let Your Ambition Make You Forget These Business Basics

This is a contributed post to JMLalonde.com. For more information on contributing a post, please see our contributing policies.

When you launch your own business, it’s easy for your mind to focus on the bigger picture. With your plans for world domination in place, it’s that ambition and focus that will help motivate you to succeed.

But before you get too carried away with developing the next big thing in your industry, you need to remember the basics. There are a lot of day-to-day things that need to happen for you to make your business a success, and shouldn’t be neglected in favor of your more exciting plans.

Don’t let your ambition make you forget the basics, make sure you pay attention to the following to help build a strong and successful business. 

4 Ways To Attract Investors To Your Company

This is a contributed post to JMLalonde.com. For more information on contributing a post, please see our contributing policies.

If you’re looking for investors to help your business grow, you need to put your best foot forward. Investors are looking for companies that have a high potential for return on their investment, and they’re not just going to hand over their money without seeing some evidence that you’re worth it. So here are four ways to attract investors to your company and show them that you’re worth investing in!

Two people looking at a piece of paper

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Have A Great Business Plan

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s essential! Investors want to see that you have a solid business plan in place and that you know what you’re doing. Therefore, your business plan should be well-thought-out and include information on your target market, your marketing strategy, your financial projections, and more.

Break Out Of YOUR Rut

I recently changed my login password for my computer. The password had become compromised. I knew I could no longer keep the password.

I logged into the computer. Changed the password. Went on about my day.

Until…

I locked my computer. When I returned, I typed the old password. The computer didn’t like that. It told me I had an incorrect password.

BZZZZ!

Weeks later, I am still stuck in the rut of typing the wrong password. I’ll return to the office, sit down, and type the password. Whoops, it’s the wrong password. Or I’ll return from the vending machine and type the password. Wrong password again.

Thankfully, the longer the password has been changed, the more I’m catching it.

Break Out Of YOUR Rut

My password change alerted me to the rut I was stuck in. I had a regular routine. The routine had me doing the same thing again and again.