Chris Robinson had grown his home-based financial advisory business over the past 18 months. But there were signs he had outgrown his domestic location. He had learned that some new clients might find it unprofessional to meet with him in his family room, for example.

Chris knew that developing his business further would require moving into a professional office and hiring an assistant. The move would entail expenses initially, but would more than pay for itself ultimately. While discussing his situation he learned that:

> image is important: clients want to deal with someone who looks and acts like a successful business person;

> hiring an assistant enables you to optimize your potential, focus on those activities that you do best and delegate the rest;

> you can make the transition gradually by starting with a part-time assistant and shared office resources.