Akuba: Everything was perfect…guest were confirmed, cards and t-shirts printed, presentation was ready and here we were less than forty-eight hours from our Bizzyness launch party having a heated discussion…an argument if you will. Now arguments are a normal and necessary part of relationships, but there are boundaries and expectations that must be put into place to keep issues in perspective. The mistake I found myself making in this particular situation was not keeping this argument in perspective. About an hour or two into our discussion, frustrated and tired, I asked Justin if we should postpone the event because we couldn’t find a middle ground in our discussion. He answered my question with the same question in which my response was: “Business is Business.” Because that was my response, I believe it to be the right answer, but what made me attach my personal life to my business life? I took our personal relationship and merged it with our business relationship. After all they both go hand in hand because the same two people make up both relationships right? Wrong.

The truth is the way I went about things was the absolute wrong approach. As a result of this ‘pre-game’ situation, I learned that it is imperative to remember that I can not maintain the same expectations for Justin in two completely opposite environments. The key is maintaining a work-life balance. The other day, I read about one couple (lets call them Susie and Mike) whose reference of the other depends on their environment. For instance after a long day at work, Susie can come home and complain to ‘home Mike’ about how much a jerk ‘work Mike’ was to her that day. It does wonders for separating work from home and emphasizes how the same person can have an entirely different temperament depending on their environment. I will try this approach out and let you know how it goes.
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Tags: Bizzyness, Business, copreneurs, Couplepreneurs, Love, Relationships, Work Life Balance
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Hello to all my fellow copreneurs!  This week will be a really interesting week for the both of us.  Time was already scarce, and now I’m adding one more thing to the plate.  This Thursday I begin the first day of class at Brenau University.  A couple of months ago I was accepted into their MBA program for Project Management.  I searched high and low for the program that best suited my needs and limitations and I found the perfect match in Brenau.  I was already enrolled at Mercer University in their MBA program, but due to the nature of my job and the extremely high possibility for travel, I decided to look for a program which would allow me to set my own schedule and work towards my MBA no matter where on earth I was.  I have found that online programs tend to be more flexible, inexpensive, less rigid around GMAT scores, and require no driving.  And lets face it…a full tank of gas these days costs about as much as a one MBA class! (lol)  Below are some of the criteria I found absolutely necessary to consider before committing to a program.

1. Accreditation – Always, Always, Always look for accredited programs!  Attending an accredited school is imperative to ensuring that your diploma is recognized as legitimate once you graduate.  These are some of the sites that I found helpful as I researched accreditation: AACSB, SACS, DETC.  Education is extremely important to many, but we all don’t have the time or finances to earn an MBA.  Be careful to avoid diploma mills that award diplomas with little to no academic study and are not recognized by educational accrediting bodies. 

2. Program of study – Make sure that the program of study you choose fits your interests and is relevant to the career path you have chosen.  Also, choose a degree that gives you a foundation as close to your personal and professional values as possible.  This way should you decide to make a career change, your degree still maintains some relevancy.

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Tags: AACSB, Accreditation, Bizzyness, Brenau University, Copreneur, DETC, GMAT, MBA, Mercer Universtiy, Project Management, SACS
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One of the most difficult things for me, as an entrepreneur, is fulfilling all of the operational task required to maintain my businesses. Things like, finance, accounting, marketing, and client management are all jobs that have to get done but let’s face it, that’s not why I became an entrepreneur. That very reason may be why there aren’t more entrepreneurs in the market today. Most people just don’t want to have to wear all of the hats of a business, and really only want to focus on what their job description requires. Well I found a great piece of software that makes my life a little easier. That software is Freshbooks.

FreshBooks is an online invoicing and time tracking service that provides professional management of your accounting needs. Simply put, FreshBooks is an online tool that keeps; billing, time management, estimates, and so much more, easier.
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Tags: Accounting, Accounting Software, Bizzyness, Client Management, Copreneur, Freelance
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I found an interesting article written by Colleen DeBaise on smSmallBiz.com.  The article features two married couples who have both run their own businesses for a number of years.  DeBaise discusses the day-to-day issues each couple faces and the ways in which they overcome their differences.  The article suggests three different approaches to resolving disputes with your mate:  using a neutral third party such as an accountant, clear division of responsibilities, and open discussions about money.  To read the article in its entirety, visit:  http://www.smsmallbiz.com/profiles/Work_and_Life_Entrepreneurial_Mates.html

Tags: Business, Colleen DeBaise, Copreneur, Couplepreneur, Couples in business, Entrepreneurial Mates, Small Biz
Posted in News, Work Life Balance | Comments (0)

Akuba: Last week was a really big week for Justin and I in regards to marketing for Bizzyness and the concept of copreneurs. We took a cruise to the Bahamas and used that opportunity to spread the word about our site. We wore Bizzyness t-shirts and passed out business cards to people on board the ship and in the Bahamas. Our friends also supported us by wearing their Bizzyness shirts as well. It was an excellent blend of business and pleasure and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I’m really excited about what’s in store for our business endeavors and the site in general!

Justin: Akuba is right, this was a great opportunity to spread the word about our business. More importantly it was an opportunity to expose Bizzyness to people outside of our home state of Georgia.

Just in case you were wondering about the cost and results, I decided to break down our concept to give you a little bit of perspective.
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Tags: Bizzyness Launch, Concept, Copreneur, Marketing
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