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5 Toll-Free FlexDial Use Cases

Toll-Free FlexDial Use Cases

Well-run businesses understand the importance of communication and accessibility. Whether communicating with customers, leads, or internally with employees, phone calls remain among the most effective ways to exchange information. While …Read More »

The Pros and Cons of Toll-Free FlexDial

The Pros and Cons of Toll-Free FlexDial

A quick overview of the pros and cons of Toll-Free FlexDial, a global cloud communications solution. Understanding The Advantages And Disadvantages of FlexDial Toll-Free FlexDial has emerged as a pioneering …Read More »

Mexico Phone Number Guide: An Explainer

An image of Mexico's phone numbers format with an example.

A Mexico phone number serves as a strategic tool for businesses looking to expand into this vibrant market. Thanks to its strategic geographical location, Mexico has the second-largest economy in …Read More »

UK Phone Number Guide: An Explainer

The ultimate guide to UK phone numbers.

The United Kingdom, as the third-largest economy in Europe, boasts a flexible and transparent business market that encourages entrepreneurial growth. It stands as one of the global financial hubs, with …Read More »

Germany Phone Number Guide: An Explainer

Guide to Germany phone numbers.

A Germany phone number is a crucial asset for businesses aiming to establish a presence in one of Europe’s economic powerhouses. The country boasts the fourth-largest economy in the world …Read More »

Australia Phone Number Guide: An Explainer

guide to Australia phone numbers.

Australia presents a compelling landscape for businesses looking to expand. It ranks as the 12th largest economy globally. Its strategic location in the Asia Pacific region makes it a gateway …Read More »

Communicating Across Cultures in Our Intercultural Business Landscape

Developing a global mindset and having cultural competency are the fundamental elements of having a successful business in the global and domestic marketplaces. In order to thrive in today’s integrated labor force, employees, expatriates, and their managers must know how culture can impact business practices and everyday communication. The global business market has become very diverse and, as a result of technology, there are no more tangible borders and impossible transportation/ exportation problems. The only intangible border that exists between multiple countries now is the communication barrier.

Differences, even if subtle, are common across all cultures, and are even evident across state lines in the US. There are differences in the ways that people talk, the ways they walk, and even how they eat their pizza. As a person entering into the global business field, you must expand your awareness of multicultural communication in order to take advantage of the opportunities and avoid things that may present challenges when doing business.

What is Globalization?

Globalization has been and will continue to be the creator of a new and ever-changing international business landscape. Globalization has served as the object tethering societies together no matter how far away in the world they actually are. People now work and communicate across cultures daily with immense simplicity, like they never have before.

As great as globalization may seem, it does come with its challenges. Globalization adds work for managers who have to take on the responsibility of handling the operations of not only their local business, but a global business as well. There is a need for managers to not only have the correct amount of education, experience, and competency, but they must also be able to conduct themselves properly in a setting where there are differences in societal norms and beliefs.

The Importance of Observing Cultural Differences

If a manager is not able to understand such cultural differences, then a corporate partnership or business relationship will essentially be ruined. Misunderstandings between different cultures can become costly for businesses if they are not conducting themselves properly in international territories. When the management is effective in different parts of the world it typically means that they have an awareness, respect, and understanding of the way multiple cultures think, act, and do.

In order to communicate in a cross-cultural manner, the management must be highly aware and prepared beforehand of the best ways to communicate with global business partners. Many corporations have become globalized already and the task of management has grown in difficulty and complexity. Furthermore, managers must now make decisions keeping in mind the issues of other countries. They are in charge of informing their employees and training their employees to be empathetic towards cross-cultural issues. If a manager and her team are not sympathetic to another culture’s issues, there will be disastrous and costly consequences that will affect the reputation of the corporation.

If intercultural business can be conducted properly, then a wide range of options become available for a company. Globalization has seen the growth of many companies beyond what any business was capable of before. Businesses that are successful in intercultural communications gain an advantage over their competition because they can more seamlessly flow into global expansions.

To understand the link between communication and culture, you must first understand that it is culture that influences how one communicates. It is not just language; there are also other characteristics, values, and traits that belong to certain cultures that need to be understood and respected. Culture and communication go hand-in-hand because it cultivates the way people interact, not just what they say.

To become successful in an international business landscape, steps must be taken to understand their language, products, and food. Those are givens, but you must also think about their values, such as what is considered right and wrong. Everyday norms must also be understood, such as how one conducts themself at dinners, in the office, and at home? Where people live and how they live is also important to consider when entering a person’s office or home. Each country is different from another, but doing your research on these key components will help you and your business to become successful in any country in the global marketplace.

What is an LLC?

Corporation, sole proprietor, and partnership are terms that you’ve most likely heard before and understand the concept behind. But what is an LLC?

LLC stands for “limited liability company” and it combines aspects of corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships. It has become a very popular business model for small, new businesses. The LLC model works because it is similar to the way a corporation operates, yet the model is more straightforward and adjustable.

An LLC combines the limited liability of a corporation with the pass-through taxation of a sole proprietorship, which is very appealing to many small business owners. This combination means that the business is its own legal entity and separates debts, yet you can still tie them to your own personal taxes. You can either be the sole member of an LLC or you can have multiple members, like with a partnership.

If it sounds too good to be true, it might be. Though the LLC is a coveted business structure, there are certain businesses that are more well-suited to its model than others. Read on to learn about some pros and cons of the LLC.

LLC PROS:

  • No ownership regulations: If you’re starting a business from overseas, there are no restrictions to citizenship or residency. Also, if you want to have corporate entities as a part of your LLC as members, you can. However, if the corporation is the only member of the LLC, the LLC will be treated as a partnership for tax purposes.
  • Liability Protection: The members of an LLC are separate from the LLC entity itself, so any debts that the LLC incurs, the members will not be liable for. The only personal assets that are at risk with an LLC are those invested in the company by the personal members of the LLC.
  • Adjustable Profit Distribution: In a corporation, the percentage amount that is invested is the percentage amount in profit that is returned to each individual shareholder. In an LLC, the members choose how the profits of the LLC are distributed to each member. This can be differentiated by ownership percentage instead of an exact percentage share.
  • Pass Through Taxation: An LLC will not usually pay its own taxes, instead, the income would be passed through the personal income of each member of the LLC and would be taxed as personal income. In this way, the LLC is very similar to a sole proprietorship or partnership.
  • Adaptable Tax Status: An LLC is usually treated as a partnership or sole proprietorship during tax season, but the members of the LLC always have the option to treat the LLC as a C- or S-corporation for taxes.
  • Few Compliance Requirements: While a corporation is required to keep up a strict schedule of shareholder meetings, bylaws, and corporate resolutions, the LLC does not have to do any of that. Instead, the members of the LLC adhere to an “operating agreement.” Members can still call meetings whenever they want and can document meetings and resolutions, but they are not required by law to do so.

LLC CONS

  • Personal VS Public: As the owner or member of an LLC, you need to be able to separate your business and personal finances. This will require you to open separate bank accounts and keep track of different cards and spending. There are other things to think about as well, such as cashing checks in the name of the LLC and the fees that come along with the business accounts.
  • A Member’s Departure: If a member of your LLC departs the business, then your LLC immediately ceases to exist. Unlike a corporation where shareholders can come and go, the LLC members must be in for a permanent partnership.
  • Taxes: Pass through taxation can be a benefit or it can be a hindrance. Sometimes the personal income of the LLC member will have higher taxes than a company, and you will still be paying for personal tax items such as Medicare and Social Security.

If you are interested in flexible business management and taxes, then an LLC might be the best choice for your business. Even those with partnerships, sole proprietorship, or corporations may benefit from a change to an LLC. However, it is important to plan over any change with a corporate financial advisor to examine the personal pros and cons. Also, it is important to note that some companies cannot file as LLCs. These companies include insurance agencies and banks. For those wishing to establish an LLC in their state, all they have to do is research. For example, if you live in California and are seeking the best LLC service in CA, LLC services can provide expert guidance and legal support to make the LLC formation process smooth and easy.

Different Personality Types in the Workplace

When you go out into the world you meet all kinds of people with different motivations and personalities. Outside of the office, you can choose who you want to interact with, but in the office, it’s often a situation of “you get what you get.” Pinpointing your own personality type can help you steer your career trajectory in the direction you would like it to be going, as well. Along these lines, it’s important to understand how to work with different personality types as this can also help you to succeed in your career.

Some personality types will get along wonderfully and others may come into conflict more often than not. If your conflicts aren’t able to be addressed properly, you could end up becoming miserable at work or worse. Some of your coworkers may have outgoing personalities and want to talk and socialize with you at work, while others will find this behavior rude and distracting.

When conflicting personalities escalate to a problem among colleagues the issues will begin to throw off the office productivity. All problematic situations need to be managed directly in order to keep your office from becoming disjointed. The first step in keeping your office in harmonious working condition is to identify the 5 different personality types that you might find in a typical workplace environment and proceed accordingly.

1. The Solo Player

These people are multi-taskers that like to handle jobs alone. They prefer to not work with a team, but will if they are assigned to one. However, don’t expect them to grab drinks with the team after work or to volunteer to be the leader. These introverts are usually highly skilled and fast workers. In order to manage a Solo Player, try to give them as many individual work assignments as you can and keep team projects to a minimum. Also, don’t try to force the Solo Player into socializing with others; it will come naturally or it won’t, and its nothing to bother yourself about. Be sure to recognize their achievements and to give them extra time to process feedback and negative performance reviews.

2. The Slacker

Whenever work comes up, the Slacker has a reason to miss out on it. If they’re not needed, they won’t be there; and if they are needed, they’ll probably show up late. They have a list of excuses a mile long and won’t hesitate to give you any of them. How many “grandmas who got sick” does the Slacker have, anyway? Working with the Slacker means you need to be very direct in your delivery if you need something done. If they try to bring up more excuses, let them know you’re aware of the number of excuses they’ve previously given and let them know the consequences if they continue this slacker behavior. This person might need to be micromanaged because their productivity requires plenty of check-ins to get any progress.

3. Your Best Friend

Not just Your Best Friend, he or she is everyone’s best friend. This employee is constantly gossiping by the water cooler, cracking jokes in the break room, and can be found at other people’s desks more often than their own. This person is extremely extroverted and has probably gotten to know everyone in the building; let alone just your office. The problem with the Best Friend is that he might not be spending enough time on his work as he is focused on talking to everybody. To manage this person, use their skills to your advantage and get them to build company culture and organize after-work events. This person will need regular check-ups on progress – a lot like our other buddy, the Slacker.

4. The Angry Guy

Or girl, this person is a ticking time bomb ready to go off on a moment’s notice. You have already pinpointed this person because you’ve previously seen him/her get angry a few times since you started working together. These people can be very bad for company morale and they need to be dealt with immediately. The Angry Guy might be affecting your brand if they interact with customers or clients, and they can do a lot of irreparable damage. Try to find out what is making the Angry Guy so angry. Once those emotions are released, a healing process can occur.

5. Debbie Downer

Nothing can go right in Debbie Downer’s life. Whether it’s their awful in-laws, a mean landlord, or a “lazy” coworker, Debbie just can’t catch a break. The one thing you know about Debbie Downer is that none of this is his/ her fault and everything just seems to happen to his/ her. To manage the Debbie Downer in the office, you need to be objective when they lament about how hard their life is. Try offering constructive feedback instead of pity.

6. The Narcissist

The Narcissist loves to take credit and blame others. The Narcissist does not have loyalty to any coworkers, just himself/ herself. To manage the Narcissist, you need to work closely with them and point out where they could be doing a better job. Watch and see if their team interactions and work are tolerable; if not it might be easier to cut your losses and let him/ her go if they really are too much of a liability.

There are a lot more personalities than 6 in the workplace, but these might be the hardest to work with and will need the most managing. At the end of the day, it is up to you to build your team and figure out who can be let go, wherever necessary. As long as all the roads lead to a happy, productive, collaborative workplace, you’re doing the right thing.

How To Run A Business From Home

America’s small business owners create jobs, original products, and services, and these entrepreneurs make things happen for their companies – even during the rough times. What you might not know about half of small businesses, though, according to the Small Business Administration, is that they are run from home.

How to Start a Business From Home

Running a business from home can be a simple undertaking if you take the right steps to start. There is no end to the types of businesses that are run from homes, and they can range from providing financial services to selling art and antiques on Etsy or eBay. In all honesty, you are very much unlimited when it comes to the type of business you want to run from your home. In order to execute it, the most important aspects are to have the right tools to reach the right audiences, while also having the best tools to actually run the business.

Virtual Tools for Maximum Efficiency

If you are one of numerous Americans who run their small business from home or if you’re thinking about starting a small business from home, there are a few ways that Global Call Forwarding can help your business grow.

Purchasing virtual phone numbers from Global Call Forwarding can help small businesses establish a presence in places the business cannot physically be in. The numbers act as a point of contact between customers and businesses. The following includes a list of ways virtual numbers can benefit your business from home with maximum efficiency.

Keep Your Professional Life and Personal Life Separate

Having a virtual phone number attached to your home phone, cell phone, desktop, or tablet gives you the freedom to take work calls on your personal devices without having to give out your personal phone number. Now you have the choice and ability to walk away from your office phone without eliminating communications.

Set Business Hours

No one can be available 24 hours a day, but having a virtual phone number gives you access to many features. You can choose what time your business hours are, and then you can set up a voicemail message to let your customers know what time those business hours are or direct them to leave a message. Not only can you set up a personalized business voicemail, but you can also set your hours by visiting your account page and updating your settings. That way you won’t have to be bothered when you’re sitting down to dinner.

Put Them On Hold

Your customers won’t think its professional that you have a crying toddler in the background or a barking dog every time the mailman walks up to the house. If you run a business from home you may run into problems occasionally, and luckily that’s what the Hold Button is for. Once you’ve soothed your crying toddler or saw the mailman safely make his way to the next house, you can return to your call. You also have the option to transfer the call to another phone. If you run your business with another person or have someone working for you, you can simply dial their extension and forward the call over. Your small business will seem like it has all the bells and whistles of a large corporation.

Change Up Your Ringtone

Global Call Forwarding offers local ringback tones for anywhere in the country. The familiar ringing tones in each country are different from one to the next. Customers calling from other countries will prefer to hear their local ringtone, and you can customize your phone line to give them exactly that.

Call Recording

The Call Recording features will benefit your business in numerous ways. Being able to record calls and play them back will help you with your customer service skills. You will start to learn what works and doesn’t work and change your approach accordingly. It also helps when training a team of people, that way everyone can have a script of what they will say to customers. In the event of a legal situation, which is an unfortunate situation that businesses may have to deal with at some point, you can use the recorded phone call as evidence on your behalf.

Time of Day Routing

This feature allows you to route your calls to the device of your choosing when convenient. For example, if you normally work at a desk in your home, but step out to go to lunch or pick your children up from school, you can get your phone calls routed to your cell phone when you are away from your desk. You can also reroute your calls to an automatic voicemail message if you like to work within certain business hours. This automatic rerouting allows you to be present with your business as much as you would like to be, at your convenience.

Running a Business From Your Home

Running a small business from your home has never been easier than it is today. Your time is precious, and you deserve the freedom to work from wherever you want to be. Global Call Forwarding will help you on your way to expanding your business while looking professional and making the most of your time.

Challenges of Doing International Business

If you’re ready to take your business to the international level, there a few challenges that you might happen upon during your journey. The reasons behind these challenges are numerous. The recent Brexit from the European Union, political differences, and economic differences between international governments are just the beginning. To become a successful business leader in this global industry, there are practices in business that you should not observe carelessly. It will be an uphill battle but expanding and reaching new clients means a big boost to your profits. Despite these challenges, there are a few general rules that you can take into consideration before jumping into the international business world.

Businessmen standing in front of an earth map
Source: Stockphoto.com O#22773 – ID#100007500644

Do Your Research

Learning all you can about a foreign market is the first step to heading towards international business. You want to understand the market trends, how the economy flows, and the behaviors of consumers. If you find several issues that won’t allow you to enter the market or realize that your product or service is not necessarily beneficial to that foreign market, you will be happy that you did your research beforehand. It is better to find out it won’t work early on and work on choosing a different foreign market in the early stages. A normal American logo can look like an inappropriate symbol in a foreign market and vice versa. You do not want to offend your customers with your product. Try to speak to local distributors for some insights. Local distributors know how their customers behave and can point out issues with your product that may work in America, but not overseas.

Learn the Etiquette

Respect the culture, language, and simple etiquette of your new consumers and clients to get ahead. Human behavior varies greatly between countries. For example, blowing your nose in a meeting with Japanese businessmen will get you turned away. It is considered very crude, even if you can’t help that you have a cold. It is best to walk out of the room before taking care of a runny nose. Fortunately, you can learn about these many different cultural differences by doing a quick web search.

Decide Where You Will Run Your Business

Will you run your business from one place or have several shops around the world? If you choose to run your business from one place, consider getting an international virtual phone number so that you can keep in touch with clients and consumers. They will be more trusting of a local number than a foreign number and it will make them believe that you have a shop in their city. If you do expand your business with different stores or teams, you will need to coordinate between different time zones how you will all work together.

International Taxes and Accounting

After you have researched the area and decided on where you will run your business, you will need to look into that country’s tax information. You want to stay on the side of legality, therefore, understanding trading laws is key to gaining success and keeping it. Employment and labor requirements are different in other countries, too. For example, in Europe, employees receive 25-33 days of vacation time and you must also provide a minimum 14-weeks of maternity leave for expectant mothers.

Pricing Correctly To Break Into New Markets

Many businesses trying to break into the Chinese market realized right away that if their prices did not match the Chinese population’s expectations, they would not be able to compete in the market. The Chinese believe that the product should match the quality. That means that you might have to price down or price up your products depending on their view. For example, Apple products are priced higher in China than in America, because they are a symbol of status. If you can afford an expensive Apple product in China then you clearly have some degree of prestige.

Find Acceptable Payment Methods

There are a wide variety of payment methods that can be accepted internationally through e-commerce websites. It is important that you choose the right one for your business. PayPal, wire transfers, and Bitcoin are all possible payment methods. You can also go through well-respected global payment companies like Worldpay or through local payment methods in the country that you choose to do business in.

Despite these challenges, this is an exciting new chapter for your business! Since you are better prepared to face these challenges head-on, you and your business are sure to become stronger and more profitable because of it.

5 Reliable Ways to Impress Your Customers

Not every business is a success overnight, although it may seem that way. Behind these “overnight sensations” is most likely a hard-working entrepreneur or team that has taken an idea and created something that they are passionate about and proud to sell. To find someone to sell a product or service to is not as easy as one may think. After all the work that goes into developing a product, even more work goes into finding a customer to buy that product. Once a customer is found to purchase that product, wouldn’t you want to extend that passion to the customer? Many businesses would agree.

That is why so many businesses push the envelope when it comes to pleasing their customers. They worked so hard to get them there, now they are working hard to get them to stay. Each and every one of us has a story or a memory of when a business did a little something extra to make us feel special. Whether that was offering us a special discount because they remembered it was our birthday or offered to issue a return on an item that was on clearance.

Check out this list for 5 little ways that you can impress your customers and keep them coming back for more!

5 reliable ways to impress your customers
Source: Stockphoto.com O#22222 – ID#100022922088

Always Go Out of Your Way for a Loyal Customer

It is much more expensive for a company to gain a new customer than to keep one. Regulars are the backbone of every bar and restaurant, and this is true of any other business, as well. If a loyal customer is not satisfied with what they have been given, make sure that you go out of your way to ensure that your customer is happy. If a customer orders almond milk at your restaurant and you don’t carry it, if you’re friendly with the bakery next door, walk over and ask them for a cup of almond milk. It will mean the world to your loyal customer that their needs meant that much to you.

Be Available

Communication is key in every relationship, and that goes for customer-business relations, too. Provide customer service and make sure that the service is easily reachable. It’s all too easy to head to social media and rant about a company’s issues these days. You do not want to be on the other end of a bad mouthing from a customer with a loyal following. Not all press is good press. And if the customer decides to head straight to their twitter account to attack your company instead of dealing with the problem directly with your available customer service line, be ready. Responding to irate customers on social media can bring down any issues very quickly if you respond fast enough.

Treat Your Customers to Something Special

This is another aspect of going out of your way for your customers. Treating them to special discounts or other exclusive promotions is a great way to let them know that you appreciate them. It also encourages them to shop more from your business. Some businesses mail handwritten letters to their loyal customers on their birthdays; some may even send along a canvas tote bag or a sweet treat as a kind gesture. Get creative with kindness and your customers will be impressed.

Be Kind & Polite

Always treat your customers with respect and kindness. Be patient with irate customers and never lose sight that these people that you are interacting with are, in reality, giving you your paycheck. If this is the person in charge of your bank account, treat them with respect. Being kind also builds trust, which in turn, builds loyalty. This also means that you should deliver on your promises. Always make sure that your business is fulfilling its duties to the best of its ability. One reminder: do not lie, ever, to make a sale. That is certainly not how you build a strong following.

Listen

Really listen to your customers when they give you feedback, whether with praise or with criticism. Then take action! If you notice a trend that your customers are looking for something slightly different, make it work for them. Customers know when they are being listened to and will often praise businesses publicly when they recognize that their voices are heard, and there is no better marketing tool than word of mouth.

Essential Strategies for Maximizing Your Workspace

Whether you work from home or at an office, it is essential to have a physical space that gives you the best tools in order to get your work done. Let’s be honest, your workspace is the probably where you spend the majority of your time, so it is important that everything inside and around you is comfortable, creativity-inducing, and productive. Your workspace is your exclusive place to set tasks, goals, and finish assignments. And since you’re probably working for a paycheck that you want and need, it is important that that workspace has all the bells and whistles inside to ensure you do a wonderful job.

Have All Of Your Necessities Within Reach

Take a second to sit down and think about all the things that you may need while you’re at work. Write them down. Now, look at your workspace. Do you have all the items you need? If not, get them! If you’re constantly asking every other person to borrow their stapler, maybe it’s time you rise to the occasion and splurge on one for yourself? If you can’t concentrate without a morning cup of coffee, keep a coffee maker within reach. In addition to necessary supplies, inspirational items are important, too. Whatever inspires you to do the work that you do – keep that close. It could be a photo of your daughter, a playlist of your favorite songs, or an inspirational book or sign.

Keep It Clean

Some people do thrive in chaos, but if you’re not one of those lucky people, then try to keep your space organized. A little dust on the top of your computer that you get to once a month is fine, but make sure that important paperwork and necessary supplies are easy to find. It is easy to get distracted by a cluttered workspace. A lot of time is wasted when you spend several minutes looking for something that should be right in your desk drawer. You’ll feel better about yourself, your work, and your workspace if its clean. So tidy up the place once in a while.

workspace desk computer
Source: Stockphoto.com O#22222 – ID# 100059303329

Silence Is Deadly

Working in an eerily quiet or overly noisy office or home space can be distracting. Like the co-worker who can’t stop clearing their throat every five minutes? Drown out the background noise with a playlist of your favorite inspirational songs. This playlist probably isn’t the same one you’ll use to pump you up at the gym, or maybe it is? Classical music is always a great choice for studying, but maybe your work isn’t all that academic. Some people derive great amounts of creativity from the songs that they listen to while working. It is very dependent on the individual when considering which music will be helpful and not distracting while working. If you would describe yourself as more high-energy then you’ll probably opt for hip-hop, rock, or even some heavy metal. Introverts or more mainstream types may get more work done with some nice background ambiance, like the tunes found on ambient-mixer.com. They will also be the ones mellowing out to soundscapes like thunderstorms, and instrumental music without lyrics.

If you are looking to find music that you can listen to while still being able to get the most work done in the shortest amount of time, you should consider opting for mellow music like instrumental, classical, and chill-hop. It is much less disruptive than scream core. However, if you want to amp yourself up before you work, then something with a faster beat and loud lyrics can certainly do that.

Everyone is different and not every job is the same. A disheveled office is not going to be the best workspace for a Type A business person. A writer may want to enjoy the sounds of a rainforest and have a stash of healthy snacks next to him/ her while penning the next great American novel. Meanwhile, an artist may only be able to create their masterpieces while listening to punk rock and surrounded by empty boxes of Chinese takeout. Once you’ve created the perfect workspace in your mind, take it to the next level and build your workspace into the perfect physical space conducive to productivity and you will soon be getting the most out of your work.

Being An Entrepreneur Isn’t Always Glamorous

So you started your own business. That’s a goal many people only dream of and not many achieve. You may be giving yourself a well-deserved pat on the back, but there are always things in the back of your mind that may cause you stress. The fact is that starting your own business takes time, effort, and a lot of faith. Not only must you have faith in yourself but you must surround yourself with others that have faith in you and vice versa. You, your business, your family, your clients, and your employees… that’s a lot of people to have to constantly worry about. Not everyone can cut it as an entrepreneur and there are many aspects of entrepreneurship that aren’t as glamorous sounding as you may have thought when you started your journey. Sure there are entrepreneurs whose ideas have gone on to become so popular that it seems like their products sell themselves, but that’s a sliver of the reality of it. In truth, entrepreneurs must constantly be on their toes. Here are several things to know about about being an entrepreneur and building your business from the ground up.

1. Letting Go Of Other Dreams And People

In order to fully realize one dream, it may be necessary to let go of another. Dreams come with sacrifice and these could be personal or professional. If you aren’t ready to let go of your cushy corporate job then you may find that there is not enough time left over to focus on building the brand that you’ve always dreamed of. If your family and friends are not fully on board with your dream, there is a large chance it won’t work out. A support system is key in realizing your dreams. You may have to ditch the naysayers, at least for a while.

2. Balancing Work And Life

If you are building a company from the ground up, you can say goodbye to any free time. Many entrepreneurs find themselves in a constant swarm of meetings, brainstorming ideas, networking, and more. Even if you do make it out to your daughter’s ballet recital, you could find your thoughts drifting off to your business. Long hours are a requirement for entrepreneurs. When it’s your business and your livelihood, it’s no wonder that it takes center stage in your mind. Especially, in the beginning, you might find yourself shirking your chores, skipping the gym, and trading in your favorite sitcoms for informative podcasts.

3. Loneliness

“It’s lonely at the top.” There’s a reason for this popular saying. The bigger your business gets, the more competition it will have, and therefore more people who will be against your success. Then, of course, you are the boss of your huge empire. You’re surrounded by many people throughout the day, but you can never get too friendly with your employees as that may later cause tension or backlash. There’s no lonelier feeling than being surrounded by people and not having anyone to lean on.

4. Responsibility

It was your dream to become your own boss, right? Did you ever think about all the not-so-fun things that go with being the boss? Didn’t think so. There are some unpleasant rules that need to be established for any business to run successfully. You might have to implement rules that your employees do not particularly care for. There’s also the annoying responsibility of having to fire people from time to time, who aren’t aligned with your company’s direction. Along with implementing rules, you’re also tasked with carrying them out, and most people will divert to you when they have questions. Answering other people’s questions, along with being the one who is responsible for creating “new ideas” all the time can be very taxing.

5. Succumbing to Decision Making Fatigue

As mentioned before, you’ll be tasked with answering a lot of questions throughout your day. These questions will come from clients, investors, and employees all day long. You could suffer from some burnout and mental fatigue after a long, grueling day. The more decisions you make throughout your day could become steadily worse if you’re not accustomed to exercising your decision-making skills. You should implement a plan to avoid some simple decisions so that way you have more brainpower later and you will stay rational and informed throughout the day.

Should It Be Okay To Bring Pets To Work?

Imagine if the monotony of a work day could be lessened by bringing along your favorite furry friends. It is becoming increasingly more common to allow dogs and other pets into the workplace. Huge companies such as Etsy, Google, and Amazon allow their employees to bring their pets to work. Many pet-centric companies, such as Purina, have been doing this for years as well. If you’re thinking about working for a company that allows pets in the office or if you are thinking about adding a pet policy to your business, first you should check out this list of pros and cons of bringing pets to the office. While the affection of our furry friends is pretty much the best thing ever, there are some considerations to keep in mind.

Pro: Pets remind us that we need to take breaks sometimes.

When you’re caring for a dog, you become very aware of their needs for food and bathroom breaks, and this can lead to great perks like regularly-scheduled walks around the block. Often employees will ignore their basic needs in order to continue working. Having a pet to feed and nurture, reminds workers that they may need a snack and a break, too. Employees who listen to their bodies and take regular time to stretch out and care for themselves are able to perform better at their jobs, too.

Con: Distraction

On the other side of the coin, you may be working on a problem and nearing a solution when Fido starts to paw at you and turn around in circles, letting you know he has to go out. To leave your projects sitting around and then not being able to remember where you left off when you return can be a real problem. You may begin missing deadlines or leaving out important details that you would have otherwise included if you hadn’t been interrupted.

Pro: Improvements in employee satisfaction and morale

Employees are more relaxed when there are animals around. This 2012 study found that employees who brought their animals with them to the workplace had decreased levels of stress hormones compared to people who did not bring their pets. People who did not bring their pets experienced higher levels of stress at work. Not only do animals decrease stress at work for people, but allowing employees to bring their dogs to work also eliminates costs for the employees who may be paying for doggie daycare or a dog walking business.

Con: Hiring people with allergies or who are afraid of animals.

There could be a lot of legal trouble that happens if you refuse to hire a person because they’re severely allergic to cats or who are afraid of dogs. If there are people in your office that have severe allergies to animals and/ or have phobias of certain animals, then it will be necessary to create a safe area to prevent them from interacting with the animals. That may become a hassle over time, and you may risk losing employees with great talent who do not want to work in the presence of animals all day.

Pro: Employee turnover and performance

Companies that allow pets into the workplace often have lower levels of employee turnover. In addition, people want to show up for work! There are fewer absences reported and people are even more willing to work longer hours. Since the dogs are already running around the office, no employee is rushing home to let their dogs out.

Con: Potential for damage and legal issues

There are some legal issues that you will have to worry about as well. In the event a dog bites or trips an employee or customer, you could be dealing with a liability lawsuit. It is also possible that a pet may cause permanent damage, by breaking important items or having an accident somewhere that is potentially dangerous.

Bringing pets to work comes down to each individual’s preference. As the owner of a company, these pros and cons should be something you factor into making the decision to allow pets or not. As an employee who wants to work in an environment with animals, it is a definite yes. However, if you have found your dream job but you’re afraid of dogs, then you must first discuss options with your employer that will allow you to work safely away from the office terrier.