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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 | Mark Moore
Mark Moore
Mark helps business and career people fly high. In 2003 he started flying solo in his own work and has gained height and strength ever since. He helps individuals to get their ladder up against the right wall in their career or business, and then to climb it fast.
Mark's work comes from a life long passion for "accelerated learning" which he's helped organisations and businesses of all sizes in the UK and Australia to apply through his popular seminars. His work increases their productivity, improves their business acumen and cuts the costs and pain associated with learning and applying new skills and approaches.
More recently Mark has helped people find and get into their ideal career or business, get and keep more customers and increase their performance surprisingly fast. He offers plenty of free help and ideas through his websites and blogs, and a free e-course.
If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my axe - Abraham Lincoln
Articles by Mark
Your personal mastermind group
30 Jun 10Mark MooreAs a soloist, do you ever wish you had more support from advisors, sounding boards or mentors? Would some expert advice from a personal mastermind group help you make better decisions? Read more
Comments: 2The soloist’s flight plan
07 May 10Mark MooreWill your version of flying solo involve soaring above the clouds or spinning out of control and coming back down to earth with a thud? A good flight plan could make all the difference. Read more
Comments: 0Do you know when to quit?
04 Feb 10Mark MooreNever giving in can sometimes lead to flogging a dead horse. But knowing when to quit and when to stick is a business skill that many of us struggle with. Read more
Comments: 4Word of mouth marketing
15 Oct 09Mark MooreAre you just a soloist or are you an exceptional soloist? Your customers know the answer to this question, and they discuss it amongst themselves and even with strangers. Here we discuss word of mouth marketing. Read more
Comments: 6Lessons from the School of Hard Knocks
19 Jul 09Mark MooreThere’s no doubt in my mind that learning from hard knocks, mistakes and experience is powerful learning. The more intense the damage, the stronger lesson learned. Read more
Comments: 7Surviving economic downturn
11 Jun 09Mark MooreHow will the economic downturn affect you? How easy will it be for you to gain new business? Here’s a rundown of what you can and must do differently now for your business to survive. Read more
Comments: 4Removing obstacles to learning
27 Nov 08Mark MooreBy removing obstacles to learning, I have discovered many time saving benefits for both myself and my business and now you can too! Read more
Comments: 6The law of forced efficiency
21 Sep 08Mark MooreHave you ever noticed how if you have a day to do something, you’ll drag it out to fill the entire day? Yet if you only have one hour to do it, you’ll find a way to get it done? This phenomena is known as Parkinson's Law - the 'Law of Forced Efficiency.' Read more
Comments: 14Client briefs: Asking smart questions part 2
01 Jul 08Mark MooreMy previous article on client briefs covered asking smart questions to yield the right information to help you secure contracts. For best results, you also need to consider who, when, where and how to ask these questions. Read more
Comments: 3Client briefs: Are you asking smart questions?
27 May 08Mark MooreDelivering for a new client is of paramount importance. Yet many struggle to do this because at the outset, they fail to obtain the right information about their client’s needs. Are you asking smart questions in your client briefs? Read more
Comments: 7Optimise learning by showing you know
01 Apr 08Mark MooreYou’ve spent time and energy learning something new and you’re about to put this new knowledge into action. For many, this is when they realise they hadn’t really learned what they meant to learn after all, so here are some ways to optimise learning. Read more
Comments: 2Building confidence by earning confidence
19 Feb 08Mark MooreIt’s been said that your business’ earning potential is directly related to how confident you feel. There are plenty of tips around these days on how to feel instantly confident but I’d like to suggest a more robust approach to building confidence. Read more
Comments: 6Why you should document procedures
28 Nov 07Mark MooreMastering the art of performing a new business process, such as using a new software program, is something we can be proud of. It is also something we should write down. Here I outline several reasons why it is beneficial to document procedures. Read more
Comments: 13Job satisfaction: Is your ladder up against the right wall?
27 Sep 07Mark MooreOn a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you in your work? Do you get job satisfaction from the rewards your work brings? Do you do it well, almost effortlessly? Or is it a constant frustrating struggle? Read more
Comments: 15Improve your memory
05 Aug 07Mark MooreHow often does your memory let you down? Are your powers of recall lacking? The good news is those whose memory lets them down can learn to remember using the right techniques. Read more
Comments: 4Speed reading: How to read those business books fast!
04 Jul 07Mark MooreI have been running speed reading workshops for several years now and in this article I’ll share with you what I consider to be the most effective approach to reading books, or any material, without actually having to 'speed read' it. Read more
Comments: 8Learning tips: Ten ways to make learning easier
08 May 07Mark MooreAre you learning in the best way that you can? Do you find learning easy and enjoyable? If not, by following these learning tips you can make a few powerful changes to make learning easier. Read more
Comments: 2Professional Development: Seven steps to turn learning into earning
05 Apr 07Mark MooreOf all the vital skills that you must have to perform your work excellently, which is your weakest? Have you ever considered that it’s the weakest of all your vital skills that sets your level of professional development? Read more
Comments: 4Join 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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Join us today for a Free Membership or find out more about Profile Membership.