This is a great time to be an entrepreneur with all of the incredible tools available through social media and the Internet. Tools like LinkedIn.com provide excellent networking opportunities, while websites, online stores, email lists, job boards and more can help a single entrepreneur handle all sorts of tasks that require much more time and effort in the past, not to mention additional employees.
The lines are blurring between work days and off days, along with workplace and home environments, as technology makes us more accessible. One trend emerging has to do with open-ended vacation policies.
Unlimited paid vacation is the new trend, as you encourage workers to be responsible and take the time off they need. This makes workers more productive. The idea is a Results-Only Work Environment. Not many companies are doing it, but it’s becoming popular in the tech field.
Many of us are guilty of this. Instead of focusing on the execution of our most important initiatives, we keep coming up with new ideas. In some ways this is critical in the new economy, where everything moves very quickly. You have to be alert and opportunistic.
That said, there’s a real danger in spreading yourself too thin. You have to learn to focus on what’s important. This article explains the concept in the terms of domain names for Internet entrepreneurs. If you have over 300 domain names, maybe you’re brainstorming too much and not executing enough?
It would seem some well established businesses may be getting left behind simply because of the type of phone number they use. This may be a forgivable fault for a start-up or business in its nascence as they have not yet learned everything they need to know about how to build up a customer base, but the larger, international firms should never be making these mistakes.
It is bad enough these companies choose to use premium numbers for their customers to pay their bills but for a customer service line or even to join up with a brand, big companies cannot be forgiven for making these lines premium rate.
Free phone numbers bring extra custom; build an effective customer base, build up company consumer trust and increases brand awareness. It seems beyond the case of foolishness for big companies not to be embracing free telephone numbers.
In the UK for example, 0844 numbers are just as easy to install and run as the premium numbers and are readily available from resellers. So why do big companies still cling to their old ways? They must assess the pros and cons of the situation form a very warped view point. Those in charge of public relations at big corporations must not be able to see past the initial revenue gained through the phone callers who pay premium rates. This is a classic case of not being able to see the wood for the trees.
In actual fact, these companies will lose customers in the long run and ultimately the revenue they are attempting to so firmly grasp. The loss of custom though, will not only stem from the substandard customer service they are offering from premium rate phone numbers. What these people are failing to understand, is that if there is a free way to get in touch with a company, the customer will find it. Modern technology and the rise of social media have removed the wall between companies and consumers. There are now many free platforms for your (unhappy) customers to voice their opinions about your company and the reputation of a brand can be tarnished very easily. It would be a much better idea for the big companies to have a quiet, free phone call with their customers and deal with an issue before it goes viral and is splashed over social media.
When you watch this interview with Kathy Ireland, you get a real sense of the determination and persistence that’s required for someone to be a successful entrepreneur. You have to expect failures but then be prepared to learn from them. It’s easier said than done of course, but you have to be prepared for this.
Watch the video, and you can see the character traits that make a successful entrepreneur.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
© 2026 Professional Journey
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑