Networking is regularly considered one of the parts of business that is least enjoyed. Most people worry that they are coming off as either too pushy or too aloof, as well as struggling to make meaningful connections with people who are in similar industries.

While many people now use networking tools such as LinkedIn, studies have shown that face to face networking is still considered the best and most effective. Building a successful network of colleagues, business associates, or acquaintances doesn’t have to be as difficult as many make it out to be. The following 10 tips for face to face meetings can help you network more effectively.

1. Do your research. If you’re preparing to attend a workshop, conference, or other event, do research, ahead of time, as to who will be attending. This can help you target other professionals with whom you want to make connections.
2. Quality, not quantity. Successful networking isn’t measured by how many business cards you can hand out in an hour. Instead, focus on making meaningful connections with people with whom there is a potential for mutual benefit.
3. Don’t put business first. Although this may seem counter-intuitive, don’t immediately push your agenda when meeting someone new. Instead, get to know them as a person; people are more willing to do business with someone they feel they connected with or can relate to.
4. Listen more than you talk. The more you talk about yourself or your accomplishments, the more arrogant you seem. Instead, ask questions, listen actively and attentively, and respond appropriately to create a meaningful conversation.
5. Share your passion. Not all networking conversations have to be business related. It’s easier to make a connection when talking about what you are passionate about. Discussing your hobbies and interests outside of work is a great way to find some common ground.
6. Avoid excessive compliments. When meeting someone whose work you admire, avoid excessive compliments. Often, the only response to a compliment is “thank you,” which doesn’t add much to the development of a conversation. If you look up to the person you’re talking to, ask specific questions to help create a thoughtful discussion.
7. Be upbeat. Having a positive attitude is an important part of making a good impression. Complaining about your business or industry can often create a negative impression. However, it is important to note that being upbeat to the point of acting fake or cheesy can be just as much of a turnoff as being pessimistic.
8. Ask to meet for drinks, not dinner. After meeting someone new, it is common to suggest continuing the conversation over a meal such as breakfast or dinner. However, many people cannot commit to the hour or more that a meal would take. Instead, suggest meeting for coffee or drinks; this shorter time commitment may be more doable for those with busy schedules.
9. Get creative with business cards. Business cards no longer have to just include cursory contact information. Twitter handles, blogs, or LinkedIn URL’s are all options to further customize your business cards. Likewise, a including a photo may help people better remember you.
10. Follow up. Networking doesn’t end after you exchange business cards. After meeting someone, send a quick email; it can be as simple as “It was nice meeting you” or include something relevant to your conversation such as “Here’s the article I was telling you about.” Doing this can help keep you connected while opening up further discussion or dialogue.

Taking the leap to turn an idea into a reality is a risk that most people are never willing to take. This is also what sets entrepreneurs apart and has created some of the most successful business minds in the industry.

However, being an entrepreneur isn’t easy; in fact, creating a successful business can be one of the most difficult things in the world to accomplish. The following five tips that every entrepreneur should remember can help guide and encourage you through the sometimes difficult process of creating your own business.

1. Be willing to adapt
   Having a strong vision is an important part in driving the growth of your business. However, being unable or unwilling to change can be the downfall of even the most well thought out businesses. In today’s modern market, many products or services that were once thought of as indispensable are now obsolete. Because of this, it’s important to be willing to adapt. If not, your company may soon become obsolete itself.
   
   
2. Mistakes are not failures
   Although it may feel like it, a mistake does not always equal failure. Instead, use mistakes as learning opportunities to help refocus and redirect your efforts. If you don’t succeed – no matter how bad you may feel – don’t allow yourself to wallow in self-pity. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going; giving up is the only true failure.
   
   
3. Keep a work/life balance
   Whether you are trying to woo investors, get a business off the ground, or manage day to day operations as a CEO, an entrepreneur’s work is never done. However, it is important to maintain a work/life balance. Give yourself time to rest, relax, and recuperate; spending time with friends and family, or taking a vacation, can leave you refreshed and ready to redouble your efforts when you get back to the office.
   
   
4. Learn to say no
   When trying to get a business off the ground, many entrepreneurs will say ‘yes’ to almost any investor, project, or opportunity that comes their way. However, as your business takes off and becomes more successful, it is important to learn how to say no. Not every potential client or investor will be a good fit for your company; by learning to say no, you can surround yourself with people and projects that align with your company’s mission and values.
   
   
5. Find a business mentor or role model
   The best way to learn about starting a business is from those who have already done it. A mentor can serve as a sounding board, helping to guide you along the sometimes difficult path of entrepreneurship. By learning from the mistakes of others, you can potentially avoid making the same mistakes and put your business on the fast track to success.

Businesses are founded on innovation – providing a good or service that meets people’s needs in a new and exciting way. Unfortunately, after experiencing success, many businesses are hesitant to incorporate new ideas and stagnate, forgetting that innovation is what made them successful in the first place.

Innovation can provide the competitive edge your business needs to thrive in today’s market and outshine your competition. Below are some ways that you can spark innovation at your company and help your business continue to move forward.

1. Don’t task just a few people with innovating
   One mistake that many businesses make is designating a few select employees with innovating. While “think tanks” used to be the preferred method of creating new ideas, modern businesses understand that good ideas can come from anywhere. By encouraging everyone in the company to come up with new ideas – as well as taking the time to listen to them – an innovative work environment can be created.
   
   
2. Innovation doesn’t have to be concrete
   Innovation doesn’t have to mean coming up with a new or revolutionary product or service. Instead, innovating can also take the form of strategic, administrative, or field-level innovations. Creating new company values, changing internal systems, or finding better ways to meet customer’s needs, are all small steps that can lead to big changes in your business.
   
   
3. Dream big
   Most technology that we now use on a day-to-day basis was once considered fantastical. Even if an idea seems too far-fetched to have real world applications, encourage your employees to be big thinkers. Remember: the words “fantasy” and “fantastic” share the same root, meaning “to use the imagination”.
   
   
4. Use data to drive innovation
   Modern companies understand the importance of data analytics. However, few are fully using the amount of data they collect to its full advantage. Oftentimes, the keys to innovation may be presenting themselves in the data you’ve already collected.
   
   
5. Don’t be afraid to try new things
   Progress is made by trial and error. If you are too afraid to implement new ideas, there is no way that innovation can take root. Instead of punishing failure, encourage employees to take risks and try new strategies. Then, discard those ideas that don’t work while implementing those that do.

Life as an entrepreneur is not always easy. Most entrepreneurs have learned that lesson, sometimes the hard way. And even the most successful entrepreneurs still have their bad days.

So it’s never a bad idea to take a few quick seconds for a little push. A small source of inspiration can help clear your vision and unleash your motivation. Here are 15 of the best inspirational quotes for entrepreneurs.

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Chase the vision, not the money, the money will end up following you.” – Tony Hsieh, Zappos founder and CEO

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." – Chinese proverb

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” – Richard Branson

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”  – Steve Jobs

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." – Albert Einstein

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates

"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take." – Wayne Gretzky

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." – Tony Robbins

 “Always deliver more than expected.” – Larry Page, Google Co-founder

"I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse." – Florence Nightingale

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill

 “I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” – Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO

“Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” – Drew Houston, Dropbox Co-Founder and CEO

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

You have an important sales presentation coming up with some all-too-important clients. It’s a chance to land a big account. A chance to impress you bosses. So, how do you not blow it?

Some sales presentations are a hit and others fail, and it’s good to know not every factor is under your control. Still, there are many different ways to make mistakes during a sales presentation, and you can stack the deck in your favor by avoiding some of the most simple and basic errors.

Here are five quick tips on how to avoid sales presentation disasters:

Avoid too much obvious ad-libbing. While you want to avoid a canned, stiff presentation full of clichés, presenting on the fly can bring about its own set of problems. Don’t slack on your level of preparation, so that your organization, information and talking points are spot on even while you’re being casual.

Know your tech. Do not let computer or projector problems take away from your presentation. Know how to use PowerPoint, back up your presentation files, prepare for poor Internet connectivity (with backup files), use a remote, and disable updates and notifications on your tablet or laptop.

Know what to do if you get caught off guard. You won’t have an answer for everything. So know your responses to those situations ahead of time. When you’re met with objections or don’t have all of the necessary research on hand, know what you will say and do next.

Be aware of body language. It should be obvious, but don’t stand with your back to the room – you should not be reading word-for-word from your presentation. And be aware of awkward, non-verbal body language – always smile and look people in the eye.

Don’t talk too much … really. Yes, it’s your presentation, but you can talk too much. No one wants to sit through a boring one-way presentation. Make plenty of time to listen, answer questions, and make it interactive.

Bring real value. Whatever mistakes you might make, don’t make the mistake of giving a presentation that doesn’t include valuable information. Be clear and concise in articulating the value of what you are presenting and why it’s important.