Leader
Unclaimed money
There's a frightening amount of money unclaimed and awaiting collection, about $458 million at last count. Are you one of the 500,000 Australians who’s owed something? Find out here. 
How to write a mission statement
This video by Dan Heath over at Fast Company shows you exactly how the mission statement of a small business goes from tasty to terrible in one brainstorming session.
Just how much are meetings costing you?
This basic, but very effective tool easily gives you the answer. Simply tell it how many people are in attendance, their daily rate and the clock starts ticking. Very, very scary! 
Any procrastinating writers here?
Thought so. This little site is a corker. Select how many words you're trying to write, your deadline and punishment mode and you'll get some pretty sharp reminders if you start to slack off. 
Need a financial health check?
Superannuation advice, budget planners and tips for saving are all on offer at the Understanding Money website. This Government operated site provides real back to basics information on how to, err, understand money. 
Font of all knowledge
Not sure what your default font should be? This site is sure to help. Simply paste in some text, choose from hundreds of different fonts and take your pick! 
Feeling demotivated?
The motivation industry has had its day in the sun. How's this for a contradictory view? Despair.com's demotivators claim to 'increase success by lowering expectations.'
Office pod
We want one. Well half a dozen, actually. These office pods have got to be the coolest little workspaces we’ve seen. They look so yummy in the garden.
18 smokin' hot business cards
If you’re just starting up or looking to redesign your business cards, here is a wealth of inspiration from our friends at Freelance Switch.
Wordle on the street
This cool free tool at www.Wordle.net generates funky looking word clouds based on your website or selected text. You can even try different colour schemes and layouts.
Hot or cold?
Stay up to date with the climate debate on this site. Great for those pro action and sceptics, it lists calls to action and dissenting voices from around the world.
Are you free?
If you struggle getting small groups of people together for a meeting, this little gizmo may help. It certainly saves on the email tennis.
Get help from the crowd
The Flying Solo forums are where you can talk and network freely. If you're looking for help, seeking a referral, or just itching to share some news or knowledge, there's a mob of supporters here.
Someone trying to empty your pockets?
SCAMwatch will help you recognise, report and protect yourself from scams that target you or your small business.
Want to get your articles out there?
ArticlePR features a free list of article submission sites or article banks, to which you can submit your articles in order for them to be distributed far and wide.
Keep it simple, silly
More often than not, a soloist’s life is about multi tasking and coping with complexity. If this sounds like you, our friends at Freelance Switch have some worthwhile tips: 10 Ways to Simplify Your Freelance Life.
Calling all Flying Solo fans!
If you're an active networker or involved in any small business groups, we'd love you to get involved in our snappy little promotional program. Find out more. 
Who's following you?
Twitter fans may like Twittersheep, which tells you which kinds of folk are following you. Give it a go! 
When it all gets too much
When it all gets too much. A big thanks to web developer, Simon for this little gem. Apparently it’s where he heads when clients drive him nuts.
Save (on) your energy
Make It Cheaper provides a free service that helps you ditch and switch energy providers. There’s a handy blog with money saving tips, too.
Have you read our manifesto?
If you've yet to read Flying Solo the book, have a read of the Soloist's Manifesto to get a feel for what it's about. Alternatively, browse some reader reviews.
Anatomy of Australia’s micro business owner
Flying Solo’s Understanding Micro Business, 2010-2011 – Australia’s largest micro business survey takes the pulse of this critical business sector. Download the results now.
Get projects over the line
If you admire 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' (and who wouldn't?) and recognise you need some assistance to get over the finish line, this online goal tracker may well appeal.
Text for dummies
Ever wondered where to find that dummy text used by designers? The answer is here. Given it's a practice that's been around since the 1500s, this may not be the original source!
Impress your TED friends
There's no doubt that TED is a wonderful resource and we love it, but FORA is pretty awesome too. Enjoy a short movie with your morning tea.
Please help us spread the word!
If you enjoy your time on Flying Solo, you may like to tell others. Here are a number of ways you can do just that. The larger we get, the greater the combined wisdom. Thanks!
What say you?
Become a member
Join Flying Solo and start promoting your business in our member directory; post comments on articles and dive into the lively forum discussions. It's quick, free and easy. Join the community now!
Profile | Karen Morris
Karen Morris
Karen Morris is a PR consultant and business copywriter with over 15 years experience in writing communications designed to grab an audience and deliver a clear message for her clients. She specialises in business to business and sporting communications, and places emphasis on getting to know her clients, their business and their market before developing a communication strategy.
Karen is also a wife and mother of three active (and very noisy) boys and believes that finding the right balance for everything in life is not like searching for the holy grail. By planning and prioritising she combines a (ridiculously) busy family life with ensuring she delivers quality work on time to her clients, as well as using the skills of a master illusionist to create that almost elusive small amount of 'me time'.
A true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination - Albert Einstein
Articles by Karen
The importance of business process documents
25 Jun 10Karen MorrisAs your business grows you may consider obtaining help, whether by outsourcing tasks to free up your time or hiring staff. Either way, are you ready for all that involves, including having business process documents? Read more
Comments: 1Business mastermind groups: Online vs offline
30 Jun 09Karen MorrisThe explosion of social media in its many and varied forms has led a number of people to wonder: is there still a place for the business mastermind group? I firmly believe the answer is yes. Read more
Comments: 15How to meet and greet potential clients
19 Mar 09Karen MorrisThe meet and greet is the business world’s equivalent to a job interview. The process of meeting potential clients can make even the most fearless of us break into a sweat. Read more
Comments: 6When networking is a business motivator
30 Oct 08Karen MorrisWe all know that networking is an important part of building your business. But as well as making connections with other business people, attending seminars can be a vital business motivator for renewing and maintaining enthusiasm for your business. Read more
Comments: 11How to raise your profile using a case study
19 Aug 08Karen MorrisA well constructed case study has all the elements necessary to get your marketing message across and establish the trust needed to build good business relationships. Here’s how to create a case study to help you win business and raise your profile. Read more
Comments: 6Adapt your business to manage work and family
22 Apr 08Karen MorrisWhen your kids are at school, you’ll have more time for your business, right? Not necessarily. How do you and your business cope with the constant evolution of your family? Here are some tips on how to adapt your business to manage work and family. Read more
Comments: 2Juggling motherhood and a solo business
18 Mar 08Karen MorrisWhen you’re a solo business operator who's starting a family, you'll find fitting in both a challenge. So how can you juggle parenthood and a solo business without becoming a quivering wreck? Read more
Comments: 16The benefits of community involvement
25 Nov 07Karen MorrisAs soloists we are able to give back to our communities through our ability to be flexible with our time. Community involvement keeps our society functioning as it should, through connecting with people rather than just focusing on making profits. Read more
Comments: 9Motivation: Getting back your work focus
11 Jul 07Karen MorrisIt's easy for solopreneurs to lose work focus and motivation. We only have ourselves to rely on to make sure the business runs smoothly. But before you take any steps to curb the problem, some lateral thinking can be very helpful. Read more
Comments: 10Balancing work and family
13 Mar 07Karen MorrisWhen you’re running a business it’s easy to get bogged down with the trivialities and busyness that seem to take over. But balancing work and family actually makes life more enjoyable... and business hours run more smoothly. Read more
Comments: 3Workload management: How to handle growing pains
26 Oct 06Karen MorrisHow you proceed if you find yourself swamped with work depends largely on your personal goals and the direction you want to take in the future. Three soloists share their workload management experiences. Read more
Comments: 3Work life balance: Exploding the superhero myth
14 May 06Karen MorrisRunning your own business to give you more time to be with and care for your family sounds great in principle, but we need to take care to keep a work life balance and not to fall foul of the superhero myth. Read more
Comments: 2Staying motivated when starting your own business
05 Mar 06Karen MorrisOne of the most confronting issues you face when starting your own business is staying motivated to keep going without the enthusiasm and encouragement of work colleagues around you. Read more
Comments: 9The realities of being self employed
19 Dec 05Karen MorrisIf you are enticed by the idea of being self employed, you need to be realistic about what it entails. If you’re just starting out, or you’re wondering why on earth you thought this was a good idea, read on. Read more
Comments: 6Balancing parenthood and running your own business
07 Nov 05Karen MorrisIt isn't easy juggling the demands of parenthood with those of running your own business, but it can be done. Read more
Comments: 10Join the community! It’s free.
Flying Solo is Australia’s micro business community, where thousands of business owners connect, support and network. Become a member today and join in the fun!
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- Learn from 900+ expert articles, updated daily, on topics including startup, marketing, working smarter, living smarter, technology and finance.
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- Network through our Flying Solo LIVE! events and meetups where you can connect with like-minded independent business people.
Join us today for a Free Membership or find out more about Profile Membership.