The term "work-life balance" has come to be a bit of a buzz phrase of late but what do we actually mean by it? And why is it so important?

Talking about a work-life balance has come to symbolize a problem many of us face; increasing work pressures mean we neglect our families, friends and hobbies as they pale in to insignificance with the pressures put upon us to climb the corporate ladder.

I have been there. I worked in an office, not seeing enough of my children and spending a considerable amount of my precious time commuting. When I left the world of the office to focus on my company, WinWeb, in 1999 I switched to working from home, enabling me to see more of my son and even pick him up from school.

Despite building a growing company my work-life balance was better than ever. But did only my family reap this benefit?

It is my belief that increasing work pressures have led to detrimental trends being established within society over the last 150 years.  Many problems within our social fabric can be attributed to too much focus being placed on slogging on the working treadmill and our eyes being diverted away from our health, relationships and families.

Working from home when building a business allows people to work from anywhere, and can help build a sense of local community that many of our small towns and villages now lack. Most members of my team work from home and during their lunch hour regularly visit the local coffee shop, bakery or corner shop, building a sense of community around them that would be lacking if they traveled to an office in a city each day.

The implications of working flexibly, either for yourself or within an organisation, cannot be over looked when considering both mental and physical health. Being given a certain level of autonomy over the completion of tasks and being able to fit around the needs of your family reduces stress, anxiety and makes employees happier. And in my mind a happy employee is a productive employee!

With this in mind it is no wonder that now there is an ever-increasing and encouraging trend of people breaking out of the 9-5 stereotype and instead starting their own small businesses.  

Starting a business is hard work, I know that as well as anyone, but the flexibility it brings can suit a family's needs better than many roles within a corporate environment.

Technological developments have meant that virtually anyone, anywhere, with an idea, drive and passion can start a small business. Determination to succeed means that this can be achieved whether you work 9-5 or 5-9! In my experience more demands are actively pursued within a home working or small office environment to maximize financial results while maintaining the optimum work-life balance.

So is work-life balance an unobtainable dream? Is it a buzz phrase that will just disappear? I don't think so, and I certainly hope not. In my mind the definition of a work-life balance is different for us all. But I know that by finding your own satisfactory work-life balance you could not only increase your happiness, but also your productivity.

• Find out more about Winweb by visiting their website - or follow Stefan Töpfer on Twitter.

I am just like you: I am risking potential bankruptcy and possible humiliation by starting my own business.

In my case living the dream involves setting up a car sharing website that has big aspirations to shake up the travel industry by making more people share car journeys.

I am entering an industry that a few months ago I knew virtually nothing about and am doing so with limited funds. The one thing I have quickly learnt is while I'm starting up on my own, I'm definitely not alone.

When you're first starting-up, some people believe if you reveal anything about your business idea it'll be copied and you'll be exploited, but I take the view you are better off talking to people, bouncing ideas off them and benefiting from their expertise.

Maybe it's my natural optimism but I've rooted for the latter. I'll happily bore anyone who will listen about gocarshare. With any good idea you need to accept there are plenty of people thinking about it. Your ability to succeed lies in how you choose to implement the idea and your persistence to actually do it.  

I ask people for feedback at every opportunity. I setup an online questionnaire at surveymonkey.com and posted the link on my Facebook page. As a result I realised not enough people would pay to use car sharing and the website must be free for individual users - a costly mistake averted.

I've also asked for feedback on a competition I'm running to design a logo for gocarshare on 99designs.com, where friends and contacts have been able to comment on the entries to help me decide which is best.

Facebook and Twitter are great for instantaneous feedback on ideas, but I think to really benefit from social media you need to start looking further afield. I am setting up a group on Xing that will allow the potential users of my site to have their say on how the website is built. This provides a double benefit, the website will be well designed as it will incorporate customers' needs and it builds up demand for the service before we've launched.

Once we're live I believe it is key people are still able to easily and openly voice their opinion. Why? 'Reputation capital'. People in online communities are driven in part by the respect for their peers; they love to impart knowledge and demonstrate they are an expert in a certain field.

This is proved all the more so by the success of the recent Secret London website where people share lesser known, exciting places they have discovered in London. In my mind, secrets are all well and good but sometime sharing ideas and collaborating is better.

• For more information on GoCarShare.com, visit its Facebook fanpage, or follow Drummond on twitter at @drummondgilbert.

• I'm my own boss. I have no one else, other than those I trust and respect telling me what to do.
• I get to put my son to bed nearly every night - even if I do work for 3 hours afterwards.
• I am responsible for making my dreams a reality.
• I am able to work with lots of supremely talented women (and men!).
• I am frequently asked to address conferences to talk about social media, starting a business, running a business and being a woman in business. As you know, I love to talk!
• I wake up every day looking forward to going to 'work', no matter how challenging the day might be. How can that be called 'work'?
• I love being able to make a small difference, even in just one person's life. For me, that's what it's all about.
• I am constantly inspired by the women I meet who are running their own businesses and juggling families too. There is no doubt that women are the ultimate multi-taskers.
• I see no ceiling strong enough to hold me down.
• And finally, I love all the men who have supported me along the way - and there have been many of you. Chris Eubank, Barry Hearn, Sir Bob Geldof, James Dyson, Nick Davis, Justin Randall, Dan Wagner, Theo Paphitis, Tosh and of course Pops AKA Sir Richard Needham. Thankyou.

Find out more about Sháá and read her blog at shaawasmund.com, or follow her on Twitter.

• Sháá Wasmund is the founder and CEO of Smarta.com. You can read more blogs by her at shaawasmund.com or you can get her wisdom in 140-character snippets by following her on Twitter.

It's no coincidence the same people were early and most passionate adopters of social media given its power to connect, consume, share and collaborate. And certainly no surprise to me they're typically the ones to react quickest to emerging trends or develop compelling products and services people really want.

Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project, is so passionate about consuming information and meeting people he otherwise wouldn't, he only accepts every third invite regardless of what that results in him attending or missing. He's also introduced a policy at Eden where all staff frequently read books picked for them by others and must cook a meal for their colleagues.

Tim passionately believes "all strong leaders should regularly take their views to the cleaner". Check out what he had to say on the subject when we interviewed him

If you could do with stepping outside your comfort zone, here are 10 ways to consume something new:

1. Watch a TED talk every day - obvious once you're in the TED crew, not obvious when you're not.
2. Follow more people on Twitter. Forget the ego-flattery of having a high follower to following ratio and instead benefit from a wider stream of thoughts and opinions.
3. Use YouTube and Flickr as search engines - you should find what you're looking for AND something valuable you're not.
4. Engage in popular culture. Read tabloid newspapers, watch The Apprentice, X-Factor, Big Brother, Eastenders every now and again. Use iTunes and Amazon to keep an eye on the music and book charts.
5. Get into audiobooks - even if you can skim read a 300 page book on the tube, will you? Audiobooks get the job done.
6. Speak to children and young people. Ask them what they did today, what they're and what frustrates them.
7. Network erratically. Go to events for industries that have no relevance to you. You'll go from being the same as everyone else in the room to being the one who's different and interesting. Network in different cities.
8. Shake up your social scene. Visit your local gallery every month regardless of the exhibition. Let your friends pick the movie, play, gig, restaurant. Find out about talks in your area and go along. Take an evening course in something totally different.
9. Check out and sign-up to Springwise and other sites that give you regular idea and trend updates.
10. Read US magazines and websites. Watch live streams of US events.

If you've got a top tip, email editor@smarta.com with 'Top Tips' in the subject line or leave it as a comment below. We'll let you know when the first mail-out is about to happen. And we'll tell you how to subscribe soon.

To get the ball rolling, here are a few our Smarta's very own top tips on marketing and advertising on a budget:

1.    Pimp your services out to a printing company for one day a month in return for getting flyers printed for free.

2.    If you're doing market research, visit the British Library Business & IP Centre to read hundreds of Mintel and Nielsen reports for free - you usually have to pay several hundred to access them.

3.    Always, always bargain advertising sales people down from the rate card value (the original price they quote). They expect it, and you can often get up to 50% off that price.


Now over to you!

In this video interview Kendall talks about how she became an accidental entrepreneur and how her reputation for launching large brands for a small budget led to her gaining a lot of business. Her relationship with Ruby Hammer developed from business to friendship and Millie talks about the importance of partners sharing a combined passion and drive for the business as well as having a balance in skills and task delegation.

She also gives expert advice on the cosmetic industry and the struggle that small businesses may find in entering the "mastige"market. Kendall gives tips on maintaining stock level and deciding minimum purchasing orders. The entrepreneur also talks about how working on the shop floor was the best experience she had in terms of understanding the product and customer. With Kendall's great experience in the health and beauty industry, as well as brand management, means that this video will provide a unique insight into how a small business idea can become a huge international success story.

• Learn more about Ruby & Millie

1.    Do your homework

First things first: be sure you're talking to the right person. You might not be able to figure this out until you're in your first meeting. But then you can casually ask: "So who else is involved in the buying process for contracts like this at your end?" If someone more senior is mentioned, you know who to call next.

The more you know about your target customer, the better chance you have of understanding what they want - and how you can meet their requirements. Homework allows you to make suggestions that help seal the deal: pointing out you have a warehouse near their biggest retail outlet, for example, which would save them delivery times and costs.

Plus, knowing about a potential client flatters and impresses them. "Basically you'd love the prospect to say: 'Wow, you've really done your homework,' " says Sean McPheat, sales coach and founder of sales training firm MTD Training. "When you get to that stage you know you've done a great job."

Scrutinise your target's website and marketing material, ask mutual contacts what they've been up to recently and swot up on industry news. Then show off your knowledge by sprinkling your conversation with stuff you've learnt about them.

Homework also means figuring out your ideal and lowest case scenarios for the sell before negotiations start. There's no point doing a deal just for the sake of it. Figure out the lowest price you're willing to sell for that still makes you a worthwhile profit. And never go below it.

2.    Be their mate

"A lot of sales people sell on unique selling points and forget that sales are made for emotional reasons," McPheat says. If your prospective buyer likes you, they'll find it to harder to squeeze you on payment or terms. And they'll want to do business with you rather than a competitor.

Invite your target to drinks or follow them on social media before the hard sell, and find some common ground. Fake common ground if you have to. Use it to build rapport next time you meet. It may sound contrived - it is contrived - but you need to find a way to bond.

Use their first name often, too. It makes people warm to you.

And keep your target involved throughout the course of your conversation. Ask them if they follow what you're saying and if it makes sense, and go over things again if they sound unsure. You have to keep them on board with what you're saying at all times.

3.    Killer questions

Open the meeting by asking questions, rather than rushing straight into a sales pitch. Find out what your target buyer wants and what they dislike about their current supplier. "A real sales pro will pull out the pain and the hurt that the prospect is experiencing," McPheat explains.

Of course, not everyone will want to badmouth their long-term supplier to a complete stranger. Sidestep that by talking about problems in a more generalised way. Say you've researched a certain issue (the one you suspect they're facing) across their industry and you've found there's a widespread problem. Then lead into: "What's your experience been of that?" Use the word 'experience' not 'problem' so it doesn't inadvertently place any blame on them.

You can then start giving the problem more weight in their mind. Ask them what the long-term effects on their business would be if that problem carried on. Ask them how quickly they'd need it resolved to prevent lasting damage. Sowing seeds of worry and urgency in their mind will help open them up to the solution you're offering - which you can now tailor exactly to their needs, having found out what they want.

4.    Make it win-win

The days of trying to completely screw over the person you're doing business with are long gone. "That was the way they used to do things in the 80s," says Brad Burton, MD of the UK's largest joined-up business breakfast network, 4Networking. "These days it's all about reputation. So talking someone into something that's not right for them is a mistake.

"If I sort you with something today that's not appropriate for your business, you're going to go and Twitter about that. You're actually doing yourself a disservice."

Instead, Burton always aims 'to make everyone a winner'. It makes your sale a heck of a lot easier if you can prove your service will help your customer. Plus, you can look forward to a few referrals if your buyer leaves the room feeling good about the deal.

Come prepared with numbers and arguments that show this will be a good move for both of you.

5.    Live the dream

Convincing someone your product is brilliant is hard work. You needed to come loaded with enthusiasm. You're selling your vision of the business as much as anything.

Know your product inside-out and practise your explanation of its wonders non-stop. Come armed with long and short versions of your pitch, so you can cut yourself short if they're looking bored, or carry on if they're engaged.

Tailor your pitch to each target. Make sure the bits that will excite them most come right at the beginning.

A few client testimonials neatly printed out never go astray either, and don't forget to casually drop in the fact you're in talks with other businesses too. ('Casually' is the optimum word there though - be cool, not cocky.) There's nothing like a bit of demand to stoke the fire in a buyer's belly.

And go in to the meeting expecting a yes. That optimism is really appealing, and will make you shine with confidence.

6.    Watch their feet

It's unlikely your target will be 100% honest with you throughout the pitch - they want to keep their cards close to their chest just as much as you do. Grasp the basics of body language, and you'll have a much better insight into what they're really thinking.

If someone's interested in what you're saying, they'll make direct eye contact, have a relaxed brow, with feet pointing towards you. Their mouth may be slightly upturned at the corners. If they're leaning back with their hands behind their head, they're incredibly relaxed. If they're still, they're pretty much captivated. Good news - you're in.

But you need to back off if you notice someone tapping their fingers or fidgeting, looking around the room, bouncing their legs or with their arms crossed. If their posture or face seems tense, pull back. Ask what they think, and give them a chance to talk themselves into a more relaxed state, when they're more likely to be open to your suggestions.

You need to be aware of your own signals too, so your buyer trusts you. Try not to go up at the end of your sentences or nervously half hold your breath - it makes you seem uncertain. Keep your posture as relaxed as possible and don't cross your legs or arms. Nod when they speak to show you understand and aim to keep your voice measured and calm.

Mirror the other person's body language if you can. It builds rapport.

7.    Use NLP

Neuro-linguistic programming is all about subtly structuring the way you speak to persuade someone. You can use it to keep your buyer open to your offers.

Rintu Basu, NLP coach and founder of The NLP Company, suggests the following technique for handling objections to your proposition.

Start off with an agreement, even if you completely disagree with what they've said. "Whenever you agree with someone, you're essentially opening them up to you. It's a rapport builder," he explains. "If they said something like, 'I wouldn't want to buy one of your products because I think it's rubbish,' you can say: 'I agree you're thinking like that.' "

You then use the word 'and' to lead into the next thing you're going to say (never the words 'but' or 'however', which negate your agreement).

You can then move your prospect's thoughts away from the negative thing they said to a new talking point. Using the earlier example, you'd say: "I agree you think like that, and the issue isn't the nature of our products, but how much of a return on investment you get from them."

You then lead into a question that encourages them to think about the new line of thought. So to continue the above: "I agree you think like that, and the issue isn't the nature of our products, but how much of a return on investment you get from them. So how much of a return do you need to make this worthwhile?"

Their answer tells you what you need to focus on to continue moving forward, and moves them on from thinking negatively about your product.

8.    Make them think you're a martyr

You want your buyer to feel they're getting fantastic deal. So create the impression you're making sacrifices for them.

Pitch your price higher than you expect to them to pay, and gradually allow them to bargain you down - but only give ground when they do. Gradually decrease the length of time of the contract or the quantity of what you're selling in sync with the price drop. And make it seem like you're stretching yourself to give them that, adding in the occasional, 'Well, I wouldn't normally, but...', so they feel they have the upper hand.

But don't take the mickey with your pricing. Be fair. Throughout the negotiating process, reiterate why your cost is justified (without being pushy).

Pick up on any obstacles to a sale so you can push them to one side. If they're telling you your price is too high, ask them if they'd want your product if price wasn't an issue. If they say yes, you're in - you just have to find a price that suits you both.

Keep an eye on the body language to figure out what they really think of your suggestions, to keep yourself in check.

9.    Play good cop bad cop

Here's a tip from killer dealmaker Brad Rosser's excellent startup book, Better, Stronger, Faster. You might be the only person in your business, but you can still defer to a higher power when things are getting hairy to give yourself extra leverage. Say you need to consult your accountant or exec board (whether or not you have one).

By telling your target that you'd love to do the deal but you're not sure if your board or accountant would go for it, you stay on their good side but still keep the boundaries you want to, protecting your position.

10.    Don't close

Rushing the close of a deal (the bit where you get them to agree final terms) is a huge error.

Always act patiently. Make sure you leave yourself a free window after sales meetings in case things overrun. You can guarantee you'll lose a sale if you have to rush off.

Everything should be about making your prospect feel like they're buying wisely rather than being sold to. So give them some breathing space if you sense they're feeling suffocated of if things are tense. Say you understand this is a big decision and would they prefer to meet at a later date, after they've had some thinking time. It shows you empathise and gives the impression you have their best interests at heart.

Stretching things out can also save you if you start feeling out of control. It's far better to do a deal slowly than hurry a deal that leaves you short-changed.