By Claire Sakaoka

As freelancers and solopreneurs, we are always looking for ways to either cut overhead or create more time in the day. Or very often – BOTH. And when you are busy, creating and managing social media accounts fall to the bottom of your list. Admit it, at least one day a week, the thought crosses your mind, “I should be posting to __________.”

By Jim Wiederhold

Career transition—whether anticipated or unexpected—can be a trying time in a person’s life. But in the transition process, there are lessons you can learn, skills you can develop, and habits you can form that will make you a better person, a stronger leader, and will serve you well as you continue to progress in your career.

By Claire Sakaoka

With a background in public relations, I’m trained in not only how to communicate during a crisis, but also how to make lemonade out lemons. I was taught to look for the most consumable angle when delivering news. A way to subtly communicate our company’s positive attributes and/or mitigate potentially damaging messages. This is the lens in which I view the media.

Why is it that some people thrive and others survive in business? Much of it comes back to their network. A network is like a garden. You have to water it on a consistent basis for it to grow. However, most of us put our heads down and focus on daily tasks. We say that we are too busy to network. We end up neglecting our networking garden and focus mainly on what others can do for us. Unfortunately, this self-referenced behavior is the equivalent of spraying Roundup® on your lush networking garden that you worked so hard to create. So what’s the cure?

Three tips to rule.

When it comes to successful branding and marketing, content is king. Content can come in many forms— posts on social media sites, blogs, email newsletters, YouTube videos, etc. Quality content keeps your audience engaged, interested, and informed.

The problem: Many people have trouble producing high quality, relevant content on a consistent basis. It can feel time-consuming, laborious, and overwhelming when so many other priorities demand your attention, but if you want your branding efforts to be successful, you must commit to creating content.