Business Education

Entrepreneurs Can Use These 5 Tricks to Fight Drowsy Days

Everyone pushes through drowsy days. In fact, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals 35 percent of adults ages 18 through 60 do not get the recommended 7 hours per night. That leads to a perpetual sense of tiredness. And, if this affects you, you know full well it’s not good for your productivity. But, if you’re unable to get a decent night’s sleep, you’ll need ways to cope to get through the workday.

5 Ways to Beat Drowsy Workdays

There’s a lot you can stop doing to be successful in business. When it comes to sleep, you can also stop doing a few things. First and foremost, give yourself some tech-free time in the evening, particularly before you go to bed. About an hour before you go to sleep, turn off or silence your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, and other devices. Also, get in a routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

We live in a fast-paced world where everything is quicker and more urgent. In leadership, in business, and in life, it seems we’re always behind: It needed to be done yesterday! It needs to be done now! Why isn’t it already done? Our days are hectic and our nights are busy. We constantly have to be on and available. Unsurprisingly, the side effects of this constant rush include an epidemic of fatigue. —Inc.com

When you’re an entrepreneur, you work long, hard hours. And, it’s not easy to just relax and unwind at night when you have so much idle time. It’s natural to mull over the day and to plan ahead for tomorrow. But, you need a good night’s rest to be your best. However, you can’t let go and toss and turn through the night. Now, that familiar mid-afternoon 3 o’clock yawn grips you. What do you do? You need to make a good impression when you have a face-to-face meeting. Even if it’s just another day, without a big agenda, you might still need to fight fatigue. Here are a few helpful suggestions for beating those drowsy workdays:

Leave your workspace. Being in the same environment for hours can easily lead to boredom (especially if you’re already tired). So, do yourself a favor and get outside. A walk around the block. A trip to the nearest mall for some quick window shopping. Just get out of the office for 15 or 20 minutes.
Have a quick, healthy snack. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are excellent sources of nutrition. And, some even help perk up your blood sugar levels. That’s enough to give you some more energy. It’s also a great way to counteract the effects of a big lunch that bogs you down.
Do a little exercise. You don’t necessarily have to go outside to reinvigorate yourself (although it does really help). You can exercise right in your workspace. Do a few stretches and follow-up with some simple calisthenics.
Tackle a few no-brainers. Tiredness can also be made worse by staying on a difficult task. One solution is to go with a few mundane chores. Take out the trash, clean the kitchen, organize your desk, anything that doesn’t require a lot of concentration will do the trick.
Play some music. It’s a well-known fact that music stimulates the brain. And, it also impacts the body itself. So, put on some of your favorite tunes and get into the rhythm. Your attitude will quickly improve and you’ll feel reinvigorated.

What do you do to power your way through a drowsy afternoon? What methods allow you to cope the best? Please share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment!

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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Cheap But Meaningful Ways to Boost Your Company’s Local Awareness

June 8, 2023 No Comments

In today’s competitive business landscape, it’s crucial for small businesses to enhance their local awareness and brand recognition to stay ahead. While advertising and marketing campaigns can be expensive, there are cost-effective yet meaningful ways to increase your company’s visibility and establish a strong presence in your local community. Cheap But Meaningful Ways to Boost Your Company’s Local Awareness Obviously, this is all easier said than done. With all this in mind, let’s go ahead and explore several inexpensive strategies that can help boost your small business’s local awareness and improve brand recognition. Community Involvement and Partnerships Engaging with the local community is an excellent way to enhance your company’s visibility and build meaningful connections. Consider sponsoring local events, sports teams, or charitable causes that align with your business values. Participate in community service activities or collaborate with other businesses to host joint events or promotions. These activities not only showcase your brand but also demonstrate your commitment to the community, fostering positive word-of-mouth and strengthening your reputation. Example: If you own a bakery, partner with a local charity to donate a portion of your sales to a cause. This initiative not only supports a worthy cause but also generates positive exposure for your bakery, as customers appreciate businesses that give back to the community. Online Presence and Local Directories Having a strong online presence is essential for increasing local awareness. Create a professional website that highlights your products or services, and optimize it for local search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your visibility in local search results. Register your business with online directories and review platforms such as Google My Business, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as online reviews play a significant role in building trust and attracting new customers. Example: If you run a boutique clothing store, optimize your website by including location-specific keywords and updating your Google My Business profile with accurate information, attractive images, and positive customer reviews. This increases the likelihood of your store appearing in local search results when potential customers are looking for nearby clothing stores. Social Media Engagement Utilize social media platforms to engage with your local audience and promote your brand. Regularly share valuable content, such as tips, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or customer success stories. Encourage user-generated content by running contests or featuring customer photos. Engage with followers by responding to comments and messages promptly. By building an active social media presence, you can foster a sense of community and increase brand recognition among your target audience. Example: If you own a coffee shop, use Instagram to share aesthetically pleasing photos of your drinks, cozy corners, or latte art. Encourage customers to share their photos using a branded hashtag, and feature their pictures on your profile. This not only creates buzz but also encourages others to visit your coffee shop to experience the ambiance themselves. Local Collaborations and Cross-Promotions Collaborating with other local businesses can be mutually beneficial in terms of brand exposure. Identify complementary businesses in your area and explore opportunities for cross-promotions or joint marketing efforts. For example, you can offer exclusive discounts or package deals when customers make purchases from both businesses. By tapping into each other’s customer base, you expand your reach and increase awareness of your brand within the local community. Example: If you own a gym, partner with a nearby health food store to offer a discount coupon for a gym membership when customers make a purchase at the store. This encourages a healthy lifestyle and exposes your gym to potential customers who are interested in fitness-related products. Local PR and Media Coverage Building relationships with local journalists, bloggers, and influencers can help generate media coverage for your business. Reach out to local media outlets, offering them story ideas or insights related to your industry. Consider hosting local events or participating in local trade shows, which can attract media attention. Being featured in local publications or online platforms increases your company’s visibility and establishes you as an authority in your field. Questions Example: If you operate a pet grooming salon, collaborate with a local pet blogger or influencer to offer tips on pet grooming or demonstrate grooming techniques. This partnership can lead to a feature article or blog post that introduces your business to a wider audience. What other suggestions would you include for how to boost a company’s local awareness in meaningful ways but doing so inexpensively? Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your input! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group to learn more about us and the services we offer.

Best Ways to Grow Your Small Business with Smart Community Sponsorships

September 25, 2025 No Comments

Building strong ties with your community is one of the most effective ways to grow a small business.

Tesla is Now Asking Suppliers for Cash Back, Here’s How to Avoid that Scenario

August 14, 2018 No Comments

Tesla is back in the news. Headlines proclaim the electric car manufacturer actually approached some of its suppliers, requesting cash back in an effort to realize profitability. Elon Musk quickly reacted to the reports. Now, it’s a he-said-she-said storyline. But, that’s just another fight the media will happily play up for clicks and tune-ins. The reality is Tesla is not a profitable company. Even though it enjoys so much buzz and customer loyalty, it can’t turn a profit. The Top Reason Small Businesses Fail The company reportedly burned through $1 billion in a quarter. And, it’s promised to bring its expenditure to under $3 billion this year. That, after it went through $3.4 billion last year. Not to mention, it lost $710 million in Q1 of this year alone. Just as good cash flow keeps a business afloat, poor cash flow can sink it. In fact, poor cash flow is a big reason why one in every four businesses doesn’t make it past the first year. And why more than half don’t survive past the fifth. —Fresh Books.com It gets worse. The company might not reach a stock conversion price of $560.64. Which means it will have to shell out $230 million to obtain a convertible bond in November. Its stock fell by nearly 4.5 percent just in the last twelve months and continues to struggle. This is an important lesson to those who’d like to start a small business because it’s one of the main reasons startups fail in the first place: inadequate cash flow and reserves. Problems with cash is typically the reason small businesses fail. Top Small Business Cash-Flow Mistakes to Avoid So, if cash is the biggest reason new companies fail, then how do they actually get into such a pickle? Well, it’s not just avoiding bad business ideas (although that’s certainly helpful), it’s more about being smart with money in the first place: Impulse spending. We all know retailers embrace this practice. But, it’s far too easy to fall into the trap of impulse spending, particularly during the startup phase. It’s also a shortcut to failure because it’s the ultimately lack of responsible cash management. Past-due receivable apathy. When cash is rolling in, it’s very easy to let an invoice or two or more slide. After all, there’s plenty of money coming in, so why bother? It’s important to stay on top of receivables because it sends the wrong signal when you become apathetic. Plus, you might be able to put that money to good use in the future. Not sticking to a real budget. You wouldn’t spend more money that’s in your personal bank account. However, when it comes to business finances, too many owners just don’t adhere to a realistic and strict budget. And, that’s a recipe for failure. Failure to put some cash aside. Feast or famine. That’s an old cliché but it’s entirely true for many businesses. That reality means it’s best to have some cash on-hand when needed because it’s very likely that time will come. What other ways do small business mishandle cash? What other advice would you give about maintaining positive cash-flow? Please share your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.