I’ve been searching for some new tools to help me save time and money this year. (Who isn’t?)

And a new site has caught my eye. It’s called FastDue and I think it may help a lot of people keep their business running in tough economic times.

As Barak Obama begins his new career, all eyes are watching to see how well he does in his first 100 days in office.

And already there are questions and concerns on what he can really accomplish in a little more than 3 months.

It got me wondering, can anyone accomplish a lot in their first 100 days?

As an entrepreneur who’s starting a business, it can seem like a daunting task at first. But if you follow some of the same steps President Obama has, you will surely make an impact!

• Set objectives and goals. It’s very clear what’s on Obama’s agenda and what he hopes to deal with first.
• Gather a team that will help you. No one can do it alone. Find the help you need, whether they are advisers, staff, or volunteers and interns to get the jobs done.
• Be realistic. You’re not going to get everything done that you want in 100 days. Setting priorities is just as important as the goals you want to achieve.
• Communicate. Share as much information as you can and keep the dialogue open with your team.
• Celebrate. When you achieve a goal, celebrate a little. At least a high-five is in order.

Can you make it work? Yes, you can.

image credit: Haneybabe, on Flickr

It’s hard to be livin’ the life of a startup. Take pity on your entrepreneurial friend or loved one and give them a holiday gift this year that really makes him or her remember there’s more to life than a new business.

Here are some of my suggestions:

• Coffee. The price of coffee, especially when you drink tons because you’re up all the time working,  is a lot. And going to grab a latte in these economic times is not one of the best ideas.  (Except for me… I drink tea, ok?)
• ITunes gift cards. Many entrepreneurs I know listen to music on their mp3 players or computers while working. (I know I do.) Others, may use the music as a chance to unwind. Either way, this is a sure bet.
• A wireless printer. This is one of the things on my list this year. To paraphrase a famous movie, “No more wired printers! No more wired printers!” Once you have one, it doesn’t matter where you work in your space!
• Memberships. It can be costly to join a lot of groups, like chambers and trade associations. It can make a huge impact if he or she makes even just one connection!
• Bluetooth laser keyboard. (I really want this!)If your entrepreneur is using a smartphone, this laser keyboard will help them not only be more productive, but look very cool doing so.

I know there are many more gift ideas out there. Got one to share? Put it in the comments section!

Image credit: DanielleT, on Flickr

Shark Tank, a new reality show from Mark Burnett - executive producer of  Survivor and The Apprentice,  is looking for entrepreneurs and startups!

According to Burnett, Shark Tank is a show that rewards entrepreneurship, ingenuity and guts, and has generated real-life success stories around the world.

The show is specifically looking for entrepreneurs who have an amazing idea or product but need the money to back it. If you think you can make the cut, the deadline is October 24.

You must be 18 or older to participate.

E-mail a brief paragraph containing only nonconfidential and nonproprietary information about yourself and your idea, along with contact info and a recent photo to:
Charisse Simonian
Casting Director
Mark Burnett Productions
csimonian@markburnettprod.com

With the financial crisis surrounding us, it’s a bit hard to imagine what it will all mean for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners in the US.

But there are a few things that will definitely be in the future:

1) It’s going to be harder than ever to raise capital for businesses. Loans will be few and far between. Most VCs are losing money too, so they will be conservative in their giving. Plus, I am quite sure the terms of loans and VC agreements will be tougher.

2) Potential customers will take longer to pull the trigger. People are going to be careful in their spending, since every penny is going ot count.

3) Customers are going to expect more… more services, more payment options, more bonuses to keep them happy.

What do you think? How is the financial market upheavals going to effect you?

Let’s face it. No one wants to fail. But statistics show that most businesses close their doors within 5 years.

And now with a weakened economy and high gas & food prices, it’s getting hard to keep any new business afloat.

Are you losing belief in yourself and in your startup? It just might be time to quit. But before you do, you need to take a step back and really think things through to make sure that you have done everything that you can.

But sometimes, it has to happen - even when you’ve tried your best.

And when you do, don’t just put up a closed sign. Think of developing an exit strategy.

This can include notifying your customers prior to closure and checking what financial obligations you have.

And realize here, you are not alone! If you have come to the decision that quitting is the only reasonable option, know that most successful entrepreneurs failed at something in their past.

With all the broo-ha-ha going on right now with McCain’s VP pick and her ‘family’ situation, you may think this has nothing to do with small business.

But it does.

This ‘leaked” due to social media. Bloggers were speculating that Bristol Palin, the17-year old daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, with the real mother of Sarah’s infant son. But in order to quell the rumors, the Plain camp issued a statement denying the rumor, and announcing that Bristol was 5 months pregnant.

(I’m discussing what a PR fiasco this is over at The Be Heard Blog.)

But there’s more. The media used social media (MySpace, in  particular) to find pictures and derogatory statements from father of Bristol’s child.

So what does this mean to you, the entrepreneur?

1) The social media is becoming a powerful news source on it’s own. And you need to be more than aware of it. You need to monitor it and what it means to you and your brand. I use Google News Alerts to get information about me and topics related to me, as well as for all my clients. That way I know pretty quickly what’s being said.

2) Be careful on what you put on your own site as you never know who’s looking. Better left things unsaid rather than let the world know you are a ” f - - -in’ redneck” and you “don’t want kids.”

When Barack Obama announced Joe Biden as his VP candidate, CNN showed a very interesting waging system, where users could invest in which person was going to get the nod - all with fake dollars. (Biden wasn’t the first pick by those investing, BTW).

But I just found out that there’s something similar online for startups called Startup Exchange.

The premise is simple: you get 100,000 virtual dollars, buy and sell startup stocks, and try to earn money. It’s created by TradeVibes.

If you are tired of losing real money on the real stock market, and care to see what the next big startup might be, check out Startup Exchange.

As part of Success Secrets, this and every Friday, we talk with entrepreneurs and other professionals about building a business.

This week, I’m talking with Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers, named a great franchise pick by Entrepreneur.

(Image courtesy of Shannon Cherry of BeHeardSolutions.com)

I don’t know about you, but I’m VERY busy. Besides regular PR work for clients, I am in finishing up the final details on two revamped programs I will be launching in the fall.

Add to that preparing for a move - and having my 2-year old twins diagnosed with Autism (and all that goes with that), you could say there are a LOT of plates spinning.

And I’m not alone. A survey of more than 1,000 female business owners who are part of the Make Mine a Million $ Business program found that 27 percent of moms have “a high level of stress related to balancing work and family demands, compared to just 18 percent of non-mothers.”

And not surprisingly, nearly 40% of moms with preschoolers (me!) said they had high levels of work-family anxiety.

So here’s what I’ve been doing to keep myself grounded.

1. Time out! I take at least 4 breaks during work time (about 15 -20 minutes) to just chill. Sometimes I pick up the phone and call a friend; other times I take a walk or play with the girls.
2. Eat! Although this seems obvious, many of us get caught up in what we’re doing that we eat on the go - or worse, skip a meal when we’re hungry. I find when I eat healthy meals and a couple of healthy snacks, my energy stays constant and I don’t stress about the little things.
3. Speaking of little things: don’t worry about them. There are always issues that pop up. Find out what’s really important and what’s not, then focus on the important issues.
4. Stop feeling guilty. There really is no such thing as balance, so why feel guilty that you don’t have your act together. No one really does!