I love the New Year because I believe it’s the perfect time to start fresh and look for ways to improve professionally and personally.

Picture the Great Sphinx of Giza, calmly fixed in its gaze, unable to look left or right. The view is profound, but limited.

Every retirement is unique. An individual’s situation – where they live, their health, their family, their finances, their goals – drives retirement. But, despite being so unique and individualized, fundamental tenants of retirement apply to almost everyone. In fact, the notion that we think we are so unique can be a hinderance to a financially successful retirement.

The holidays puts everyone in a celebratory mood — or almost everyone. For small business owners, the celebration may be tempered by stress over unpaid invoices. My business is lucky: Lots of our clients are scrambling to issue payments before year-end to finish off their fiscal years. But for other small businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs in the B2B world, getting paid this time of year is an ongoing struggle.