While we’re several months away from the deluge of articles and general business obsession over 2017 goals, plans and strategy, now is the ideal time to determine your first quarter goals and plans.

It doesn’t matter if you are a recent college graduate or a high level associate; you must have a dynamic LinkedIn profile. It is the first thing recruiters look at when searching for a candidate and when current associates consider you for a promotion. Here are some action items you can do today to get your LinkedIn profile up to par.

Lately, with the news worldwide being somewhat bleak, I thought I’d write about trust -— since it seems to be waning a bit. Trust is something we commonly talk about in business, in leadership, in politics. It’s something we aspire to build and yet still seems challenging to grasp. So here’s my attempt to define trust and how it manifests in our lives.

Once players make it to Triple-A, the prospect of being called up to the majors is more tangible. Only about 10 percent of all minor league players make it to the big leagues, and the majority are pulled from the more talented and experienced Triple-A teams, which represent the highest level of Minor League Baseball. 

It’s not yet tax season, I know, I know. But as a self-employed freelancer, solopreneur or consultant, and doer of all things for your business, it’s quite imperative that you prioritize estimated quarterly taxes — the next deadline is just around the corner. And actually, there are penalties if you ignore these taxes. So listen up, freelance friends!

The phrase “typical day” is not one Larissa Meltz and Alex Larrabee have uttered recently and, as they get closer to their expected Labor Day weekend opening of Big Stump Brewing Company at 1716 L St. in Midtown Sacramento, their schedules will likely only get busier.

I was fired for not meeting 100 percent or higher of my performance goals. I feel these goals are unattainable. People are fired if they are at 99 percent. Is an employer allowed to set those types of goals?

We all deserve time off from the daily grind, even if we don’t get a traditional paid vacation. I’m looking at you, fellow freelancers.

It’s a rare occasion when burning a professional bridge is necessary — extremely rare. In all other cases, you’ll want to wrap up your employment experience on a good note and keep those connections open for references and possible networking in the future.

Boundaries are the metaphorical lines we draw to ensure we don’t slip into doing things that counter our value systems. Having clear boundaries prevents other people from taking advantage of you and helps you keep your distance from possible dubious activities. While there are no hard-and-fast rules for setting your boundaries, these tips may be helpful.