The past few weeks have been very exciting times for Justin and I!  Traffic to the site is picking up, we are working on the next version of our site, and discussing what will be our first business endeavor (bizzyness.com excluded). Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bizzyness, Business, Copreneur, decisions
Posted in Business, General | Comments (0)

We’ve heard the mantra a million times by now, but what does it REALLY mean? It’s a term real estate agents use which means that real estate value can increase or decrease depending on its location.  Location is as important in business as it is in your personal home buying choice. For those of you seeking to open retail or consumer service businesses, where you choose open your business greatly affects your earning potential.  In your choice of home, location affects the current and future value of your home as well as your lifestyle. When choosing the location of your business, you should consider the surrounding traffic generators (retail stores, schools, etc), cost, and foot and highway traffic. CNN.com published an excellent article with their 100 list of favorite places to ‘live and launch.’ This list provides the pros and cons of living and starting businesses in certain cities.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Best cities to live in, Bizzyness, Business, Copreneur, Entrepreneurs, Location
Posted in Business | Comments (1)

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.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bizzyness, Business, copreneurs, Couplepreneurs, Love, Relationships, Work Life Balance
Posted in Relationships | Comments (0)

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)