Hiring managers typically know within 10 seconds whether your resume will move on to the next round or be thrown in the trash. And while the resume and cover letter are still powerful tools, most recruiters will head straight for your LinkedIn profile to find the one piece of information that makes you truly unique — your profile picture.

The book of our career is definitely judged by the cover. The best experience and most prestigious education can be quickly ruined by a bad profile picture. So just what makes that picture less than ideal, according to LinkedIn?:

• An old photo that shows your profile is out of date and neglected
• Your favorite party picture from college (this isn’t Facebook)
• A stale headshot with no smile or real personality
• A group shot with everyone else cropped out (it just looks sloppy)
• A complicated picture with too much going on in the background (less is more)
• A profile picture that looks like it belongs on Tinder
• A picture that included spouse, family or pets (it should be only you)

Now that you know what not to do, how do you achieve that perfect profile picture? Depending on your budget and how much time you want to invest in a pristine snapshot, here are three options that can help your profile shine.

The Smartphone Picture

If you have an iPhone or even the LG G5 with its 8-megapixel, front-facing camera, an incredible camera is already in your pocket. There’s a few ways a smartphone can capture a stunning photo for your LinkedIn profile:

• The #WorkSelfie is an up-and-coming trend on LinkedIn, but also a subtle art. If you can strike a balance between fun and professional, you’ll have profile picture gold.
• Have a friend or colleague take a picture at a work event or in the field. A good picture that shows you in the middle of your craft will stand out.
• Follow the standard rules of good portraits — use natural lighting, the rule of thirds, proper zoom, etc.

A Professional Photographer

You don’t need to be an executive to invest on a professional portrait for your LinkedIn profile. Customer-facing industries will always take an extra look at profile pictures, so if you’re not confident with your smartphone abilities, leaving it to a pro could be the way to go.

There are some drawbacks. A professional headshot won’t capture you in the field or at an event, but it will give you a universal portrait fit for your resume, LinkedIn and other professional resources. One session can cost a few hundred dollars, but it’ll give you photos you can use for years.

Event Pics & Existing Inventory

There could be an amazing, professional picture of you out there right now, for free, and you don’t even know it. If you job involves conventions, charity events or work functions, chances are a photographer was hired to cover the event and a great portrait is just hanging out on their photography website.

Pay attention to your next event and look for a photographer floating though the crowd. A lot of events, especially charity fundraisers, will have “red carpet” photo spots to capture a great picture. These are perfect for showing off a charity you work with, plus you’ll already be dressed up for the occasion.

Happy New Year! Is this you year to break out and ‘fire the boss’ and finally be the boss?

It might seem an odd stretch to consider franchise experts a megastar, but in the industry generating billions of dollars each year they exist. Certainly, everyone knows NFL legend and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning has a love for Papa John’s pizza. Lest you think this is some advertising gig for him you might be surprised to know that Peyton is actually an investor. NBA superstar and Hall of Fame player Shaquille O’Neal decided over 155 Five Guys Burgers restaurants were a safe investment for him. Drew Brees likes Jimmy Johns and Magic Johnson is into Burger King, but what remains constant is that superstars with money see franchising as a safe way to grow wealth and expand their empire. However, when we talk about megastars we are not speaking of those who made their claim to fame on the sports field or silver screen. Rather, we are talking about those who made their claim to fame right here in the franchise industry. Turning a one time investment into a lifetime of income, going from one location to an entire fleet of stores and coaching those looking to do the same are those of which we speak. On January 18th, these franchising megastars will be converging on Dallas, Texas, to open up the world of franchising to all who might come their way. If that’s you then Dallas, Texas on January 18th-20th, 2018 is the place to be. Here’s why…

The Value of a Face to Face Meeting

It’s one thing to Google what some of the leading experts have to say on franchising, but it is of an entirely new level of helpful to hear it in person. One can see the tone of voice, what excites them and most importantly ask a follow up question. The internet can offer you a world of information to research on franchising but nothing will replace human interaction. At the Franchise Expo South, hundreds of the top franchise brands in the nation will be there in person. This is your opportunity meet them face to face and ask the questions, follow up questions and get vital information right from the source. However, it’s more than just the franchises that you will get to meet face to face.

In the franchising industry, there exists more than just the franchise and franchisee. Yes, the Papa John’s CEO made famous from his commercials with franchisee Peyton Manning are not the whole deal. David Omholt is a Certified Franchise Executive and the Senior Franchise Consultant of iFranchise Group’s Dallas, TX office. Throughout his history in the industry, David has found himself both a Licensor and Licensee. Meaning he has been on both sides of the coin which gives him a credible and unique perspective on the industry. Members of the International Franchise Association have gone so far as to say David is one of the top franchise consultants in the country. So when David speaks, the industry takes note and listens.

At the Franchise Expo South in Dallas, TX, David will be presenting on the strategies and tactics to improve franchise sales. Throughout his career he has specialized in franchise development and marketing strategies and is a frequently requested speaking in academia and the entrepreneurial community. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur himself, David consulted from of the most recognizable Global 500 companies to include Best Buy, JC Penney, Kroger, Radio Shack, Walgreens and more. The value in the opportunity to meet and learn from franchise leaders like David cannot be understated. On January 18th, 2018, the Franchise Expo South is exactly where they will be.

Why Franchise to Begin With?

Now that we have covered where the megastars of franchising will be and who they are you might still have the question as to why you want to consider franchising to begin with? Let’s start with the basics. Namely, that the roadmap to success has already been laid out for you. It would be misleading to tell you there is not a lot of hard work and grinding it out on the path to success, but make no mistake that path is laid out for you. Franchises are heavily invested in the success of their franchisees as they carry their brand and reputation. As a result, the most successful franchises have a blueprint to offer as to what it will take to succeed. So if you think you have the drive and wit to pull off a franchise, but worry you don’t have enough experience then never fear. Come to the Expo and hear first hand how these giants of the industry went from zero to hero.

The next reason to consider franchising is that someone else is going to do it if you don’t. Have you ever driven by a location close to your home and thought, “this would be a great place for a Chik-fil-a or Dunkin Donuts?” Well, don’t be shocked if in short order you see that very franchise in place. The only difference is that someone else is cashing in on the big idea. The franchise industry is exploding right now because we have more data than ever before. We can pinpoint the market potential of your area, tell you when you ought to expect a full ROI and even let you know if this is not such a good idea right now. Remember, when a franchisee fails its the brand of the overall Franchise that takes a hit. So come meet these brands at the Expo face to face and you’ll quickly find out just how invested they are in your success.

Fortune favors the bold and with the expert minds you will get to pick at the Expo you don’t have to worry about guessing away your future. Leaders like David Omholt will be there to answer your questions, teach you from a lifetime of experience and undoubtedly leave you excited for your potential future in the franchise industry. You know where and when the expert will this January, the only question is if you will be there with them. The franchise market is as hot as it’s ever been so now is the time to act. For more information about the Franchise Expo South you can click the link and in just a few weeks we hope to see you there on your path to unprecedented success.

According to Inc.com, the United States has 27 million entrepreneurs. Some of these will succeed while a majority will fail. The actual number of small businesses that do not thrive is a matter of debate since most transition into a new form. Though there is no formula for entrepreneurial success, there are some things that can stack the decks in your favor.

Money

The number one reason that a new small business fails is because it is undercapitalized. Generally, entrepreneurial companies have very little staff, being solely staffed by the owner. Some may be able to maintain a worker or two. Paying yourself and an employee is a huge overhead and you will need enough money to keep this going, plus have three months of operational expenses saved in the bank. Some people are able to do this by keeping a day job and working their business at night. Others have an angel investor or take a loan against existing equity. No matter how you do it, you need to factor these expenses, labor hours and repayments into your budget and financial plans.

A Network

Your business cannot flourish if you keep it in a small bubble. You need people that love and support you. These individuals will become your inner marketing circle, creating the basis for most of your marketing. Social media has made it easier for a small business to gain a foothold on a small budget. You will want to use it to disseminate information, make your business a thought leader and educational resource, and recruit minds to your cause. If you have an extensive personal network then much of this can be accomplished without your business spending a cent. Use your friends and family to expand your social network.

A Practice Run

In any business, there is an amount of on-the-job training. Unfortunately, if you are the owner and sole employee, this training is hard won, costing you money and sales when you make mistakes. To take some of the pressure off, create a safe business to use as practice. An established direct sales organization like Amway can let you get your feet wet. If you lose a sale or two from lack of experience then there will be no dramatic hit to your business but you will gain very valuable skill. Bring these new skills into your own business and use them to create your empire.

A Business Plan

You may never look at it again but the process of business planning will make it so that you are not walking in the dark. The parts of a business plan include the mission and vision, the day-to-day operations, and your financial projections. Also, most investors and lenders will require a business plan before they give you any money. Take a look at the Small Business Administration for resources on developing a business plan.

The Right Attitude

Entrepreneurs are a unique breed. They are risk takers. It is one of the reasons that it is so hard to spiral in on failure statistics. Following Edison’s idea that there is no such thing as failure, only a thousand ways not to make a lightbulb, the entrepreneur never quits. Their daring attitude makes them change the way they do business, transforming one idea into another. Do a self-assessment and make sure that you have the right attitude to be an entrepreneur.

A growing business usually implies success. However, without the proper foundation to support the needs of the company, it can soon find itself drowning in work and desperately needing more help. Here are four ways business owners can effectively manage their business’ growing pains.

Use a Virtual Assistant

As a growing business continues to scale, areas of importance like customer service, manufacturing or direct labor will see continued demand. For a small business, a big problem here lies with not having enough people to take on the work. Using virtual assistants (VAs) provide an excellent alternative to hiring interns or on-staff employees. VAs are especially well suited for tasks like back-office work, data-entry tasks, research, lead scoring and responding to customer service requests. There will be some training needed in the beginning, and it’s inevitable that the VA will need guidance to provide solid work. However, once the swing of things is mastered, VAs continue to provide great work at fantastic prices compared to hiring someone full time. Companies can find great VAs from all skill levels for a number of jobs, including mobile developers, graphic designers and content writers.

Use Better Accounting Software

When business is booming, the company focuses its attention on keeping up with the momentum. But chances are, most small business owners don’t see keeping up with its books part of their formula to success. Without understanding how the company is doing financially, small businesses suffer from not knowing their current cash flow, which invoices are outstanding or what inventory looks like. Having online accounting software means these things are taken care of for you — financial reports are shown on the dashboard, reminders are sent for outstanding bills or receivables and inventory is tracked in real time. Regardless of size, every business owner can benefit from having a good accounting system that actively works to provide insights on company performance. Having a routine in managing the company’s financials regularly (at least once a month) and having a good accounting system are invaluable to maintaining a healthy momentum to growth.

Prioritize the Work

Effectively managing growing pains means effectively prioritizing day-to-day tasks. Small businesses have a million things to do in a day, and if the company is a one-man show, it will soon find managing the workload too daunting without an efficient task manager. Business owners should consider using a project management tool to prioritize and assign work, especially when on-boarding VAs. Focus on using a task manager that’s easy to use, easy to manage and most importantly, effective in getting the work done. Everyone in the company should be given an account and held responsible for keeping up with each task assigned. Companies using VAs or planning on using VAs will benefit from access levels, granting specific access to tasks only they need to see.

Store Files in the Cloud

Not only useful to share documents with clients or colleagues, cloud storage and backup services are useful for data security when comparing to saving files only on one computer. Small businesses should keep their files securely stored in the cloud for easy retrieval, convenient sharing and ensuring that files won’t be lost from hard-drive failures.

Growing pains are an inevitable part of a company’s climbing success. The importance of having a stable and secure foundation is paramount for early success. Remember to utilize VAs to free up valuable time for management, keep a routine for managing company financials, use accounting software that’s powerful and budget friendly, prioritize work and delegate efficiently, and store important files securely in the cloud.

Lost luggage, crowded flights, long delays, no Internet for extended periods of time — traveling for business comes with its fair share of stress, that’s for sure. According to a Carlson Wagonlit Travel study, all of these stress factors translate into an average of 6.9 hours of lost productivity per trip, equivalent to $662. An analysis of the data found that women experience greater stress than men over lost luggage and travel delays, as well as not being able to eat healthy food, while men stress more over having to fly economy class. Frequent flyers experience greater stress than occasional travelers, because they have less time to de-stress between trips before they’re off on another one.

If you travel for business, it is vital you have a stress management strategy. Here are some tips for keeping your stress under control during your business trips.

Use a Travel Checklist

Use a travel checklist to help you prepare. A comprehensive list should include such items as:

• Clothes
• Luggage and other carrying packs
• Food
• Garbage bags
• Toiletries
• Pillows and other sleeping items
• Medical and sanitary items
• Maps, pens and notebooks
• Cameras and mobile devices
• Tickets and passports
• Money and credit cards

Visit OneBag.com for a one-page checklist that makes planning easy. Once you’ve got a basic travel list assembled, you can save time on future trips by creating a travel kit with most items already packed.

Plan Your Itinerary

Have your flights, hotels, rental car reservations and dinner and entertainment reservations booked in advance. Using a travel planning app can help you organize your itinerary. WorldMate is a travel app geared toward business travelers that combines itinerary-planning features with travel briefs and notifications, calendar synchronization and itinerary sharing capability.

Get Enough Sleep

Many people experience sleep deprivation and insomnia when they travel, so take steps to help you get enough sleep. Be mindful of getting to bed early as your trip approaches. If you’re going to be changing time zones, plan adjustments to your new schedule in advance, setting your watch ahead a day or two before you leave, or even possibly getting to your destination a day or two early to give yourself extra time to adjust. Avoid caffeine and alcohol near bedtime.

Schedule Exercise Breaks

Sitting around for long periods at airports and in flight can wear your body down and boost your tension. Scheduling time to stretch or exercise can help you loosen up. CNN Travel provides some stretches you can do while traveling to help you loosen up your neck, spine, shoulders and legs.

Bring Some Entertainment

Boredom can also contribute to stress. Bring some entertainment to keep your mind distracted while you’re traveling. Some people prefer to read a good novel while others would rather listen to music or watch a movie or play a video game on their mobile device.

Bring Your Family

Loneliness is another reason many business travelers feel stressed. Taking your family along can help you have fun on your trip.