One of the questions I hear a lot is: "Am I considered self-employed?" The simple answer is this: If you're earning money by working for yourself rather than as an employee, you're probably self-employed. That could include: - Running your own business. - Freelancing or consulting. - Driving for Uber or DoorDash. - Selling handmade products online. - Doing photography, lawn care, bookkeeping, or other services on your own. - Receiving income reported on a 1099 instead of a W-2. Here's an easy way to think about it: 👉 If you're responsible for finding your own customers, setting your own prices (or accepting gigs), and paying your own taxes, you're generally self-employed. A Simple Story Imagine Jennifer loves baking cakes. At first, she bakes birthday cakes for friends a few times a year. Then word spreads, and people start asking if they'll pay her to make cakes for their parties. One day, she realizes she's making a few hundred dollars every month. Even though she still has a full-time job, she's now operating a small business on the side. She's self-employed. She doesn't have to quit her day job to be self-employed. Many people are both employees and self-employed at the same time. Why Does It Matter? Once you're self-employed, you take on a few new responsibilities: ✅ Tracking your income and expenses. ✅ Setting aside money for taxes. ✅ Keeping good records. ✅ Understanding the rules that apply to your business. The good news? You don't have to know everything on day one. Every successful entrepreneur started somewhere. If you're thinking about becoming self-employed—or you've just started—welcome to an exciting journey. Ask questions, keep learning, and remember: progress is far more important than perfection. What was the first thing you ever got paid to do on your own? Let's start Doing Business Right!

One of the biggest mindset shifts in business is realizing this: People are leverage—but only if they remove a constraint. Don't hire just because you're overwhelmed. Hire (or outsource) to help your business grow. Ask yourself: ✅ What's the biggest bottleneck in my business right now? ✅ Could outsourcing solve it more efficiently? ✅ Will this increase revenue, capacity, or profitability? For many small businesses, outsourcing services like bookkeeping, payroll, marketing, or IT is often the smartest first step. You gain expertise without the long-term commitment and overhead of hiring an employee. The goal isn't to build the biggest team. The goal is to build the right team at the right time. What's one task you'd love to delegate so you can focus on growing your business? Let's start Doing Business Right! DBR For more information on this topic, check out the DBR Bookkeeping community.

One of the biggest mindset shifts you can make as an entrepreneur is realizing that people don't buy your service... They buy the outcome. A client doesn't hire a personal trainer just for workouts. They want to feel healthier and more confident. A client doesn't hire a bookkeeper because they love spreadsheets. They want financial clarity and peace of mind. The clearer and more desirable the outcome, the more valuable your service becomes. How could you better communicate the transformation your clients receive instead of simply describing your service? Let's start Doing Business Right! DBR

One of the biggest excuses I hear is: "I'd market more... if I had the money." The truth is, some of the best marketing is free. It just takes consistency. 1️⃣ Network Consistently Meet people wherever you can—not just potential clients. Build relationships with people who enjoy connecting others and supporting small businesses. 2️⃣ Create Content... A LOT OF IT Post so consistently that it feels like overkill. Why? Because most people still don't know you exist. You can't help people if they never see you. 3️⃣ Create Goodwill One of the easiest free marketing strategies is supporting others. Like their posts. Leave thoughtful comments. Share helpful insights. Give referrals. Become known as someone who adds value without expecting something in return. Over time, people begin recommending you because of the goodwill you've built. DBR Insight: If you're on a tight budget, your investment isn't money—it's time. Spend several hours each day building relationships, creating content, and serving others. Those habits compound over time. Let's start Doing Business Right! DBR

One of the most common things I hear from entrepreneurs is: "I just need more leads." Sometimes that's true. But more often, it's a symptom—not the real problem. Ask yourself where your bottleneck actually is: 👀 No one knows you? → You have a visibility problem. 🎯 The wrong people keep reaching out? → You have a positioning problem. 🤝 People are interested but don't buy? → You have an offer or sales problem. ❤️ Customers don't come back? → You have a retention problem. 💰 You're busy but still not making enough money? → You likely have a pricing or operational problem. DBR Insight: The fastest-growing businesses don't try to solve every problem. They identify the one constraint that's holding them back and focus on fixing it first. If you'd like help identifying your biggest bottleneck, check out the #Break Your Biggest Bottleneck course in the classroom. 👇 What's the biggest constraint in your business right now? Let's keep Doing Business Right! DBR