Who's In Charge Here? Assert yourself

You wanted to be in charge, so you started your own business.But now it seems your company is running you. You feel continuallypressed to meet impossible deadlines to please demanding clients.Although you realize you should say no to some of yourcustomers' terms, you're banking on their business to keepyour venture afloat, so you're afraid to say anything thatwould put much-needed revenue at risk.

But here's the irony: Saying "Yes" to every clientrequest without confirming whether you can follow through isactually a greater gamble in the long run. Here's what yourisk:

• Losing your client's future business by falling short ofhis or her expectations.