Leadership is one of the most important aspects of running a business smoothly.  Employees and clientele alike need to see that the business is being run by a strong person with good ideas.  They also need to feel included and heard.  There are five aspects to being a good leader that will help in the growth and success of any business:
1)  Model the Way
The example that you set for your employees and colleagues will determine how your business is run.  If they see that you're dedicated to your craft and service, they'll follow in your footsteps.  Your own enthusiasm will be their inspiration.  Conversely, if you're constantly grumpy or not invested in your business, their takeaway will be that you don't care about the quality of your service.  Their own desire to do a good job will be impeded by a question of, "What's the point, exactly?"

2)  Inspire a Shared Vision
You need to know what you want for your company and business, and you need to know how to achieve it.  Even if you're having trouble formulating a step-by-step goal, you need to firmly believe in your own potential for success.  Being passionate about your company and your potential to help others will make your employees happy to be there.  It'll also shine through when your clients interact with you, and they'll know that you truly have them in mind.

3)  Challenge the Process
An innovative leader doesn't always need to stick to the status quo.  If employees come to you with troubles, hear what they have to say and take their concerns into consideration.  If you can change your business model to be more helpful to them, then they'll be happier working for you.

If customers come to you with thoughts about the way you're running your business, listen to them as well.  You know what they say about the customer always being right.  Don't get so stuck in your old ways of running a business that you're unwilling to change when new and fresh ideas come along.

4)  Enable Others to Act
When you're leading and running a business, you don't have to do so alone.  Though your business model and dream come chiefly from you, your employees and clients will allow you to get there.  Build teams of employees working toward a common goal, and allow them to share their ideas.  Also bring your customers together and listen to what they have to say.  Make sure they know that their voices are heard and that they're an important part of your business.

5)  Encourage the Heart
More than money, an excellent motivator is heart and the feeling that you're working to do good.  Take initiative and let people know that your business is changing the world for the better in some small way - whether it's by giving people access to better service or revolutionizing the face of different products.  Making your business more than a corporate machine will inspire customers to get more involved and to make repeat purchases.  It'll also make your employees happier to be there and offer their best work.

Contributed by Centel Media Management. Questions or comments? Email contact@centelmedia.com.

Running a small business can be a taxing job, especially by yourself.  Oftentimes it feels like there's not enough hours in the day to get everything done.  Between speaking to customers, marketing, managing a storefront or website, stocking products, and shipping products, life can be hectic and confusing.

This is why time management is so important for any small business owner.  These seven tips can help you to have a more successful business and lead a less stressful life.
1)  Prioritize
Creating a daily to-do list is important in making sure you get your tasks done, but take it one step further.  Know which tasks are the most important day-to-day.  Those orders you need to ship?  Get them packed up first.  Those products you need to stock?  Get them done straight afterward.  Those important emails you need to answer?  Don't wait until the end of the day.

Putting your priorities in order will allow you to get the most important aspects out of the way each day and keep you running a customer-friendly and satisfactory business.

2)  Plan According to Your Strengths
Everybody has a different work ethic and different motivations. Some people wake in the early morning and are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a cup of coffee.  If you're one of these, get the toughest work out of the way first and save the easy things for later.  If it takes a while for you to wake up, do the easiest aspects in the morning and the tougher ones after you're more motivated.

3)  Manage Interruptions
Interruptions are the worst part of a day.  They can take you completely out of a moment and keep you from progressing with the tasks you need to do.  If your phone rings while you're in the middle of something, let it go to voicemail unless it's an important call.  Try to finish one task before moving on to another.  Focus all of your energy into one aspect of your business without distractions, as this will help you to move forward faster than attempting to multitask.

4)  Know When It's Time to Work and Time to Play
Particularly if your business is run chiefly on the web, it can be easy to distract yourself.  Checking social networking sites while you're supposed to be working will waste time and keep you from moving forward with your day.  Close out of chats with friends, social networking sites, gaming sites... save those for a break.  Instead, do your best to focus on the tasks at hand.  You'll have time to relax later.

5)  Schedule Breaks
Your breaks are a great time to pull up the aforementioned distracting websites so that you can relax and wind down.  If you spend hours working, you'll stress yourself beyond the point of endurance.  Scheduling a morning and afternoon break will ensure you have time to eat and keep from becoming too overwhelmed.  And try getting up and stretching every half hour or so.  Make sure you're eating balanced meals with healthy snacks in between to keep your energy up.

6)  Consolidate Errands
Doing several errands at once will save gas money and time.  Your personal errands can be bundled in with your work errands.  If you need to go to the bank or the post office, consider stopping at the grocery store as well.  Get all of your needs out of the way in as few trips as possible so that you have more time and energy to focus on work at home.

7)  Allow for Down Time
You always need time to relax, no matter how busy you are.  Taking a half hour or so to listen to music or catch up on a TV show is an excellent way to wind down and get your mind off the business.  Constantly thinking about your tasks for the day will overwhelm you, so make sure you have time for yourself as well.

Contributed by Centel Media Management. Questions or comments? Email contact@centelmedia.com.

Good PR is one of the most important aspects of keeping a business afloat. Whether you've created an all-new company or are simply starting up a new line, the PR you receive will determine the amount of customers you attract. Because of this, it's important to find good PR - and at a cheap price!
Know Your Audience
Before you can get into PR, you have to know your desired clientele. What are these people looking for, and what will appeal to them? What are the things they want to hear about your business? What will ensure their customer loyalty?

Knowing this will give you an advantage, as it allows you to specifically target those who will buy your product or service. You can also find journalists and reporters who have done positive stories about similar businesses or circumstances.

Get in contact with these journalists and explain why they should pitch your story, keeping in mind the articles they've written in the past. Once they agree to write it, make sure that you keep in touch. Let them know if you have a unique point of view for the article, or additional information to give them.

Submit Your Idea to Websites
There are several websites that are designed to pick up interesting stories and ideas from different businesses.

1)   PSFK
PSFK is a website that publishes trend reports for various businesses and products. They have over a million readers per month and also run Purplelist, a supplemental site. Your press release can be emailed to submit@psfk.com.

2)  HARO
HARO is otherwise known as Help A Reporter Out, and allows you to pitch your press release or business to over twenty-five thousand reporters at the click of a button. If you list yourself as an expert source, your chances to find journalists are increased exponentially.

3) Muckrack.com
Muckrack is created to connect business owners and companies with relevant journalists or reporters.  This takes some of the hassle out of finding reporters to talk about your company.

4)  Techcrunch.com
Techcrunch is a website created to showcase upcoming technology companies. There are ten million monthly visitors, including investors and entrepreneurs. Getting picked for Techcrunch is as rare as winning the lottery - but you can't win if you can't play! 

5)  StartupTunes
StartupTunes focuses on new businesses that have innovative ideas and the potential to change the market. Your site can be submitted for startup through the "Submit Your Startup" button on the homepage.

6) Go2web20
This website is an index of services and applications, and is updated daily. You can suggest your business for inclusion by selecting "Suggest an App" in the top right corner of the website. The editors choose sites based on how relevant they are to the current website audience.

Word-of-Mouth
Even with all of the innovations of the web, word-of-mouth remains one of the most effective marketing tools to this day. Getting people to spread the news about your website will attract more clientele than you might imagine. Host contests for your customers to spread the word about your company. Offer coupons and rewards to customers who share your business with others.
 
Contributed by Centel Media Management. Questions or comments? Email contact@centelmedia.com.