Welcome back, everyone! I hope you had both a productive and relaxing summer.

I've been hearing comments from soloists about how they'd like to move forward in their business, but they "don't have the money." While money is important, here are four things I believe are more important than (or just as important as) money in growing your solo business.

1. Your skills.
Your success as a soloist depends on the value you bring to your clients and customers. Expanding your skill base these days is more a matter of time and dedication than money. There are countless free or low-cost resources available today. Web-based tutorials. Books from the library. Online training. Pick two or three skill areas you want to boost, set a timeline, and go to it.

2. Your connections.
Next to your skills, your professional and personal connections are among your most valuable assets as a soloists. Building a network takes ongoing, focused effort. But the payoff is powerful, in terms of creating new business, maximizing your efforts, and keeping you moving forward. Do you have advisors you can turn to, such as a banker, attorney, tax specialist, marketing consultant, or Web guru? MasterMind colleagues? How's your LinkedIn or other social media network? All these take initiative, not money.

3. Your self-confidence.
For years, I've said that "Self-confidence is the currency of self-employment." When your self-confidence is high, you can accomplish great things as a soloist. What's chewing away at your self-confidence? That extra 10 pounds from poor diet or little exercise? An unending To-Do list due to weak time management skills? An office floor you haven't seen in years because of clutter accumulation? Poor writing or speaking skills? Again, many of these issues can be addressed without money.

4. Your attitude.
Of all four of these items, this one is particularly no-charge. (It's not cost-free, however, because a negative attitude can incur all sorts of costs, including lost clients, colleagues, suppliers or opportunities.) Anyone can change their attitude...particularly one that says "but I don't have any money."

-- Terri Lonier
Founder, WorkingSolo.com