One thing I regret about how I handled the early phase of setting up and managing my home based business is that I did not put enough value on catching up regularly with friends and former colleagues for a general chat.

I did meet up with people, but too often that was an excuse for a pitch session on my part, looking for business either from them directly or from people to whom they might refer me.

Not that there is anything wrong with pitching.

It’s just that it took me a while to realize that when that was the purpose of my invitation to get tother, the courteous thing to do, the proper business etiquette, was to be upfront about the fact that I wanted to pitch my ideas or business proposition.