Aliza Sherman on Shine

Put that computer down!

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(this post originally appeared on WorkItMom's Entrepreneur Mom blog) I had one of those aha" moments at the collision of work and life recently.

While I was supposed to be playing with my 2-year-old daughter ("two and a HALF"), I kept feeling a terrible compulsion to…

What to do when competitors turn ugly

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I was thinking back to the days when I owned an Internet company and encountered some women who decided they didn't like me (we had never met). They set out to badmouth me to whomever would listen -- including the press -- as well as publishing false statements about me online. It was a very painful experience for me, especially since my entire business revolved around teaching and helping women and girls get online. I was floored that other women felt the need to put me down -- as an author, as a businesswoman and even as a person -- as a way of "competing."

Contingency plans for a 'company of one' -- when life gets in the way of work

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Last year, when my husband got word that his brother was killed in a car accident, I was on standby as his support system, wanting to be at the ready for anything he needed as he processed his grief.

This incident put my mind into overdrive about how one manages a business while dealing with life's issues, tragedies and unexpected events. If I had a staff, I'd say now is the time that delegation should kick in, preparing staff to take over projects and tasks. As a Company of One, however, I don't have anyone to delegate to, and this could be a problem.

So how should we as business owners prepare for those moments when life steps in and kicks you out of the office for an undetermined number of days? Here are some of my thoughts:

Should you blog for business?

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It seems like everybody wants a blog these days, but is a blog really necessary for a company? Here are some things to ask yourself before blogging for your business.

1. Do you have time to blog? Blogging is a time-consuming process because people who read blogs expect a certain amount of fresh content on a regular basis -- at a minimum, weekly -- preferably several times a week.

2. Do you have anything interesting to say? Blogs about your company and your products may sound interesting to you, but people rarely tune into a "commercial" blog unless there is additional information of real value.

Starting an online business: 8 things you need to know

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What does it take to start a business online? I'm talking about a solely online business, not the online component of your "bricks and mortar" business but a bonafide e-biz.

Starting a business online - an e-store, for example - does not mean instant success. Some things to consider before starting an online business are the same things you need to think about before starting a regular business.

Let's say you have an example for an online catalog. Some things to think about include:

What's a Mompreneur, Really?

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As a writer, I receive a lot of pitches from PR people trying to get me to write about their clients. Since I specialize in writing about women in business, I see my fair share of pitches with the term "Mompreneur" in them. I've even seen some for "Momtrepreneur," but that...

Your quick business startup checklist

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You have a business idea, you've tested it out a bit and done some market research, you have a business name and you are ready to get started. Here are some things to consider as you start a business:

1. Structure - Check with both your accountant and a lawyer about the best way to structure your business (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation).

2. Bookkeeping - Hire a bookkeeper or accountant to set up your company's books.

3. Intellectual Property - Turn to a lawyer to help define and protect copyrights and trademarks, including your company name. For all 10,

Funding your business idea

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If the answer to the question "How do I fund my business idea?" were simple, we'd all have businesses. There is no easy answer and almost no single correct answer. But here are the most common options you have - and maybe a few not so common ones.

1. YOP - Your Own Pockets. If you don't have any money in the bank, you may want to think twice about starting a business until you have a little savings tucked away. That said, lots of people took the business plunge without a safety net. Not the most advisable approach, but if you've got a solid plan and unrelenting stick-to-it-edness, you just might make it to the next step.