To life..

Note to self: Try this more often.

Sleep might be more of a money-maker than you thought.

Sleeping_Entrepreneur A new poll by Fortune Small Business found that 84% of entrepreneurs said they developed business ideas or solved work-related problems while sleeping. The results were featured in a broader package of stories on the benefits of adequate sleep for entrepreneurs.

Alan Stafford, an executive coach and self-described “sleepworker” interviewed by Fortune Small Business, offers tips on how entrepreneurs can boost their creative and problem-solving juices during sleep, such as identifying business problems that need to be solved right before falling asleep, waking up slowly instead of with an alarm clock and keeping a dream journal on the nightstand.

I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised: I find some of my best ideas come around dawn in the hours I’m drifting in and out of sleep before actually climbing out of bed.

How about you? Ever have an inspiration while you slept? Or are you too busy to sleep much in the first place?

I'm not entirely surprised. I'm also completely sympathetic. Work weeks stretch out too far these past few months, and I know that it'll be like this for the duration of my life. Its a lifestyle and choice in this case.

Yes, I'd prefer working a lot to having a life. I haven't had a martini lunch in a few years. But again - not going to really complain. The only regret I have is the lack of sleep I actually win. I'm going to try this more often - and when I go on vacation I'll be sure to email myself thoughts to developing leads for the business. It's odd - I'm going on break and I can't just stop working. That would be a travesty. Really the projects can't handle a week off. I'm more or less forcing myself to go and try and handle it with some measure of relaxation.

In the back of my mind while I'm partying it up - I'll also be thinking about how to come up with the right mindset to speak with some potential sellers.

There is a certain amount of rational to this.

See the economy isn't so bad as it is in a correction. Everything investors have put money into is being revealed. We've seen six (I believe) credit companies go under. When the mistakes are shown to be numerous - the obvious thing is to drop them. Cut them. Like pruning a tree. Has anyone noticed some restaurants are risking loyalty with downgraded and poorer quality products? I certainly have. And they aren't receiving my business if they intend on keeping their cheap products at the same rate.

Yes, its costly to be an entrepreneur at this point in time. But - thats the gist of it. To those who make it past the intitial hurdle of costs there are alternatives. To those that make it when all others have lost - they'll come out quite successful. That's half the battle right? Survival.

Instead of cheapening the product - they should be looking to alternative types. I know we have. Instead of lower-quality we've been investing in alternative media for sales. We've alternated the sales of products to reflect seasonal needs. Focusing on selling short term, low cost equipment parts (vs the machinery that requires quite a bit of investment). Instead of allowing the sellers to monopolize on this and raise their prices - we've agreed instead to buy into bigger bulk - to keep the costs down overall. It works out for both buyer and seller.

In the end - loyalty from the customer is what keeps business afloat. If business owners continue to charge the same price but cheapen the product - they lose. This is the time to obfuscate problems by innovating on a variety of products at lower rates.

The worst part is things just don't cost more as that our dollar has dropped in value. Thus we can measure the worth of our dollar by the increase in prices on goods. I try not to cringe when I do spend. I know its ultimately not worth the extra stress if I absolutely have to have it.

So here's to a vacation, to business, to life. I'll see you all in a week.*

*Sooner if I have to update. >_<