This mandate comes after the board conducted extensive research to determine the added benefits of teleworking; benefits that pretty much everyone in the workplace on demand world already knows: it improves work-life balance, increases job satisfaction, reduces real estate costs, and attracts and retains top talent for the industry.

The GSA (General Services Administration) has taken initiative with this mandate by being the first agency to institute the following goals: “Make every GSA employee, with few exceptions, eligible for telework; explicitly define some of the ways in which we work, such as hot desking, the workspace sharing arrangements known as hoteling and desk sharing; and most important, empower our entire workforce to be mobile for the 21st century.” (source )

This is a great first step and has encouraged other agencies to follow suit. Despite this new trend however, supervisors still express concern over employee productivity and accessibility. They worry that without micromanagement, employee output will decrease.

Pro-telework arguments say that with proper office space and equipment, employees will have the same output and be fully engaged IF managers have the same expectations for their teleworkers as they do their nonteleworkers.

A survey of 20,000 federal employee teleworkers revealed that 82% felt their lives had improved since becoming mobile – they can boast a healthy work-life balance and are capable of working through emergencies. From a recruitement standpoint, supervisors admit that telework enables them to attract better candidates and retain employees.

Having a successful telework integration plan requires trust and being open to how the work culture in America is changing. This mandate has hopefully pushed forward the concept of equal treatment to all agency employees – and that includes giving similar assignments and having the same standard of expectations.What do you think? Have you noticed a difference in treatment for teleworkers since this mandate was issued? Let us know your thoughts below!

• Help find a better way to do things
• Help identify mistakes
• Help the process become more efficient

When you have a thorough debrief with your team, you will learn what works and be able to develop a list of best practices. This streamlines the process so that when similar projects come down the pipeline, you will have a reference guide to accelerate completion.

Some questions to discuss with your project team:

1. What worked?
2. What didn’t work?
3. What big risks did we take, and were they worth it?
4. What would we do differently?

Post project, it’s a good idea to set an informal meeting with your team to collaborate. Designate one person to write down all suggestions and thoughts so that you have a clear template to follow.

What can your team do to improve?
Even if you nailed a project, still commit to building a list of action items that will take your next project from good to exceptional. Can you go further with customer service? Are you able to throw in a few extra perks at no extra charge? See what everyone has to contribute when it comes to making your company stand out.

Make a checklist.
After the project is complete, build an action items list that you can use for similar projects in the future. Action items are an important part of this process since it eliminates the errors of remembering something incorrectly. Going by a list facilitates consistency with your projects.
(If you haven’t read Atul Gawande’s The Checklist Manifesto you should pick up a copy – will help you tremendously with how to put a list together.)

Communicate results effectively.
There are three different types of communication: auditory, visual and kinesthetic.
Auditory learners need to hear the results of the project and future best practices spoken out loud. It’s a good idea to have the auditory learners repeat ideas back to you. Visual learners grasp concepts through diagrams, lists and charts, so use a meeting room with a white board that will allow them to draw out their ideas. Kinesthetic learners process through touch, so be sure to have hard copies of documents and templates available. Addressing each style of learning will ensure that everyone is clear about the results of the debrief.

This project debrief process is your opportunity to grow, learn and expand. How many small business owners actually take the time to do this? What results have you found? Share your comments – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The law of attraction states that like attracts like. It is worth your time to pause and take an introspective look at your work life. What characteristics do your vendors, colleagues and clients posses? Are you surrounded by hard working, trustworthy, optimistic folks? Or do you tend to complain because you find people unreliable and difficult to work with? Your answer is a direct reflection of the image you are projecting.

The ability to work well with others directly influences your business success. As an entrepreneur, you are accustomed to doing a variety of tasks very well. And usually without asking for help. But it takes strength of character to realize that at some point you cannot continue alone. And hiring the right fit for your company will require more than just a cursory glance at a skill set.

How do you attract the right people into your business? By becoming the person that YOU would want to do business with.

Start by addressing these three points:

• Core Values: What are they? Be clear and identify them. The more specific you can be, the better chance you have of exhibiting those characteristics and finding the right people who fit in line with your ideals.
• Life Priorities: What do you consider most important in work behavior? Examine your list. Do your work and/or family life actually reflect those priorities?
• Contribution: What is your unique contribution that you give through your business? Are you doing something that manifests a contribution every day? Will your colleague help you work towards that contribution?

By starting to perceive your business in a more positive light, you will begin to attract like-minded people into your life who are able to help take your business in a positive direction.

Who has feedback on how hiring a positive employee strengthened your business? We’d love to hear your comments below!

Social media is predicted to shift drastically in 2012. The negative side of this is that many entrepreneurs and home-based business owners will still continue to abuse social media. Instead of viewing it as an asset, they will push their brand or product on their followers, which will only hurt their business. The best way to approach social media is how you would a spouse: you encourage a positive reaction through gentle persuasion. By going slowly, you will build more solid followers.

There is a saturation of information on the social media market right now due to almost everyone jumping on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon. Ensuring that you share quality and meaningful information will indicate how people perceive you and could determine the life or death of your business. Moving away from Twitter and Facebook, this year is also time to take a look at Google+. Social media experts are predicting it’s going to be bigger than Twitter, since it facilitates more dialogue-driven relationships.

That being said, there is still talk that Google+ is too hard to implement. Administration can be difficult, as it requires an individual account, and currently there is no option to add more than one administrator.

What are your thoughts on social media, and especially Google +? How many of you have started to implement this feature into your business? What results have you found?

Five Reasons to Live in Ballston:

• Convenience: Ballston is only 6 miles from Washington DC, and you can easily get there via the Ballston Metro. No sitting in traffic! From Ballston you can also hop onto I-66 which will take you straight to Northern Virginia.
• Prime Market: Within Ballston lie varied sectors of companies, from government agencies and contractors to science and technology organizations. A short list of top employers in Ballston include: The National Science Foundation, Nature Conservancy, CACI, SAIC, and Accenture.
• Mobile Workforce Solutions: Ballston provides on demand workplaces that attract government contractors and home based entrepreneurs alike. Metro Offices provide options like FlexDesks, Day Office, shared office and meeting spaces, free WIFI, admin support, free gourmet coffee and an in-house wine bar.
• Amenities: Ballston offers the Ballston Common Mall, a slew of restaurants and bars that stay open late, the Kettler Capitals Iceplex where you can catch a Washington Capitals practice, and plenty of outdoor green space. A cool bit of info: the Wilson Boulevard-Clarendon Boulevard corridor in Ballston was named on of the top 10 Great Streets in the U.S.
• Urban life: Ballston has created a unique atmosphere of urban city life, where you can walk easily to bars, restaurants and shopping that cater to the young urban professional. But just a few blocks away are quaint, tree-lined streets that give the sense of a neighborhood feel.

Feel free to contact Metro Offices for a tour – we’d be happy to show you what Ballston has to offer!

One of the biggest changes this act seeks to make with current government policy is to provide green cards and entrepreneur visas to immigrants with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees. Any student who graduates with a Masters or PhD in these fields will be given the option to obtain a visa and stay in the States to work, letting our country benefit from their skills.

Kauffman has conducted thorough research that led to the development of the Startup Act, and supporting their program is data showing that companies less than five years old are responsible for almost all job creation from 1980-2005, and have created an average 3 million jobs each year.

Three weeks ago, Congress also presented their own version of the startup act. It parallels that of the Kauffman foundation but also incorporates five key concepts:

1. Reduce regulatory burdens

2. Attract business investment

3. Accelerate the commercialization of university research

4. Attract and retain entrepreneurial talent

5. Encourage pro-growth state and local policies

“The private sector has been the engine of job creation in our country throughout history, and to get America’s economic engine roaring once again, entrepreneurs must be free to pursue their ideas, form companies, and hire employees,” states Sen. Jerry Moran. “Congress must put into place policies that remove barriers and help entrepreneurs succeed, so new businesses can grow and put Americans back to work.”

Do you think any of these new policies will help stimulate the economy and promote job growth? Or do you think something more needs to be done as far as helping entrepreneurs is concerned?

• Indifference – beware of apathy! If a client isn’t asking questions or voicing concerns about your bid, let the alarm bells go off in your head. When someone is serious about using your business, they will have issues that need to be addressed. One way to overcome this is to act as more of a “consultant”. Indicate that you will do whatever it takes to help them or you can point them in the direction of someone better suited to help. It may seem counterintuitive to do this, but this will develop trust with a client that can take you much further than your competition.
• No Deadline – if there is no deadline for a decision, expect the process to keep circling in a never-ending death spiral. Before anything begins, ask what the timeframe is for the client. If there isn’t one, create urgency by offering limited-time discounts and offers, or show them what their competition is doing and why a quick decision needs to be made.
• Unable to Speak with Decision Makers – this is a frustrating way to slow the decision making process. If you find yourself unable to speak to senior management after several conversations, try putting together a presentation that your junior level contact can easily show his superiors. Requesting a quick conference call with those on top is also a good suggestion and should help you break through to the decision makers.

When entrepreneurs and small business owners are slammed with work and have little time to get everything done, it’s tempting to only do the minimal amount required to meet a bid. But simple tactics like digging a bit deeper, using a bit more creativity, and showing why your company is unique will go much further than just meeting the minimum requirements and should help increase your odds of winning every bid.

Leave a comment below and tell us your strategies for saving a sell!

Here are some budget-friendly steps to help you create a great office space:

• Make technology your colleague. Thanks to the Internet, we have things like Gmail Chat, iChat and Skype that allow us to communicate, face to face, for free! Skype and iChat also provide a screen sharing option that lets co-workers in different offices (or States) see each other’s screens if necessary. Google Docs is a great free tool to use for sharing and organizing company documents, and lets you get away with not having to buy expensive office software.
• Create a quiet place. Many times, the company budget doesn’t allow for you to build an office separate from the rest of the house. If you find yourself constantly distracted by the noises at home, invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones. You will get instant peace and focus and it will allow you to continue to work without disrupting the lives of your family.
• Don’t play swanky interior designer. IKEA and Craigslist offer office furniture for cheap, or sometimes for free. Peruse the classifieds and neighborhood garage sales for things you can use to furnish your space.

It’s important to note that one area you shouldn’t skimp on is high-speed internet service.  Ask any home-based entrepreneur and they will tell you that the frustration that comes with a slow connection isn’t worth the savings. However, there are so many other ways for you to cut office costs that splurging for a good connection shouldn’t offset you at all.

Does anyone have any other budget-friendly tips they have used to help create a functioning office space at home? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Mentors not only help guide you through the uncharted waters of growing your baby business, but if you choose correctly, your mentor will be able to open doors and connect you with people and opportunities you otherwise would not have access to.  The right mentor can help you avoid amateur mistakes and provide guidance from a “road already traveled” perspective.

So, how do you choose a mentor?

• Understand what makes a great mentor – The greatest mentors will never actually tell you what to do, but act as the gentle guiding hand if you get off course. You want a mentor who challenges you and forces you to take a good look at your business and clearly define your goals. But you also want one who will step back and let you make your own decisions so that you learn the best way to grow your company.
• Look locally – instead of reaching out to the busiest, most successful mentors you know, try looking a little closer to home. Someone in your office space or industry is usually a better fit, as it gives mentors a personal connection with you and your business and can lead to a more beneficial long term relationship. A good approach is to first research your mentor and the company: read tweets, blogs, websites, etc. and find common ground to address in your initial email. In the email, introduce yourself, your start up, and why you are reaching out to that particular person. While it may seem like a good idea to suggest meeting up for coffee, don’t assume that your mentor has that time away from the office. Instead, offer a meeting in his office, and bring coffee with you.
• Nurture the relationship – once you have established a relationship, keep it going with monthly email updates as to your company’s progress and how you have implemented your mentor’s suggestions. Keep the emails short and to the point, don’t ask for too much at one time, but always ask at least one question to ensure the conversation will continue. Suggest regular meetings – about once a quarter for thirty minutes is reasonable.

Keep in mind that finding the right mentor may take some time, but don’t give up. Follow the steps above and keep your eyes open for the right person to come across your path. When the timing is right for both parties, a successful business relationship will be able to develop.

The five steps below provide an easy road map for rooting out the core problems of your business and changing them for the better:

• Identify The Problems – You can go about this many ways: talk to customers for feedback, follow up with potential clients, consult with other companies, etc. Just find out where you are coming up short.
• Assess The Problem – When you have a list of issues identified, ask yourself what is not happening because of these issues, how they can be fixed, how much they will cost to fix, and how much time the solution will take.
• Prioritize Your List – The first point on the list should be the one most crucial to your company’s survival. Next, choose the one that has the biggest impact and makes the most sense concerning time and cost. But don’t work on solving more than three at one time or you might get too overwhelmed to proceed.
• Execute The Solution – To help you in this process, it’s a good idea to consult with fellow colleagues who have experienced the same issues, so make sure you are reaching out for help.
• Revisit The Solution – Now it’s time to tackle the next weakness. But still make a point to check in from time to time on the previous issues that you have corrected. Ask yourself if the solution is still working or if other modifications need to be implemented, and adjust your plan accordingly.

This is a necessary plan for any government contractor to follow in order to make sure your business is focused on constant improvement. This will make the difference between your company barely getting by or your company excelling on all levels.