Most corporate employees complain about the endless meetings and work protocols that stand in the way of their productivity. But anyone who works for herself will tell you that, even when all the corporate noise is stripped away, it’s still hard to get things done. Maybe even harder.

Freelancers and entrepreneurs often spend years trying to establish organization systems to stay on track and on task. And while no one approach works for everyone, I’ve learned there are a few universal tactics and rules that you can’t go wrong with.

The wage gap women face today is no laughing matter. It’s been nearly 50 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, and women still earn significantly less than their male counterparts for doing the same work. That difference will add up to quite a bit over their careers—and it has to stop. But today, we figured you might need a little extra plain, old-fashioned encouragement. So, to help kick off Equal Pay Day, we’ve recruited the impossibly talented and persuasive Ryan Gosling to remind you why you deserve to be paid what you’re worth, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it.

As an entrepreneur (or aspiring one!), you constantly hear about the value of expanding your network. But the truth is, when it comes to business relationships, it’s not quantity that matters—it’s quality. Having memorable, substantial relationships with people who understand your business and can help you over time is the real key to networking success.

So, instead of forcing yourself to meet and greet as many new people as possible, spend your time focusing on a few strategic relationships. You can get all the inspiration, information, resources, and connections you need to move your business forward from five people in each of five strategic areas. Read on for how to build your 25-person power network.

Do you blog? Maybe you chronicle your travels, report on the issues in your industry, or share your latest fashion finds with the world. Blogging can be a hobby, a way to build your brand, or a line on your resume that can help you land a job.

Hiring your first employee is a huge step for your start-up. In addition to the sudden sense of responsibility (you’re now in charge of someone else’s livelihood!), it’s a strong signal that your company has real merit: Someone has chosen to turn down other opportunities to help make your idea happen. And in many cases, he or she is embracing a significant amount of risk to do so.

But the most fundamental way in which it changes your business is bandwidth. A new person dedicating all of his or her time and focus to the company means that suddenly you get to move faster. A lot faster.

Like it or not, Skype video interviews are becoming a regular part of the job application process. A market research firm recently found that 42% of companies used video interviews to recruit senior executives, management, and entry-level job functions, compared to just 10% of companies in 2010. And my company uses Skype for a good 90% of our first round interviews.

But despite how common they’re becoming, the nuances of acing a Skype interview are only starting to be recognized. Many people still simply prepare as they would for a regular interview.

A Skype interview is a whole different ball game, though.

In my book, right up there with Christmas gift-giving season and summer beach-going season is Girl Scout cookie season. I mean, who can resist those classic mint patties or coconut-covered goodies?

But this year (being the 100^th anniversary of Girl Scouts and all), as I’ve been enjoying those delicious factory-baked goods, I also got to thinking about the valuable lessons that cookie sales taught me. As a Girl Scout who sold cookies for 10 years, I learned some important things about business, responsibility, and life in general from all those brightly colored boxes.

Anyone who watched It’s a Brad, Brad World on Bravo this past season is familiar with the celebrity stylist’s assistant, Lindsay, who famously took a break from her day’s work to pose in a tiny white bikini and sailor’s hat for a photographer who was there to shoot her boss’s photo. She’d only held the job at this point for a couple of weeks, and the unease that ensued was palpable to everyone—including me, watching from the couch.

But the reason Lindsay’s antics made me especially uneasy was because they brought back memories of the jobs I held—and the cringe-inducing mistakes I made—early in my own career. And while I can’t turn back time and take them all back, I can share them with you so you don’t make the same ones.

If you’re unhappy with your life in any way, it’s easy to think a change of pace would make all the difference: If you could just land a new job, move to a new city, or achieve more success, you know you’d be happier.

Think again. Turns out, only 10 percent of your happiness is determined by your external world—the rest is based on how you look at it. What’s more, being happy is likely to make you more successful, not the other way around.

Standing out—in a positive way—is no easy task at a career fair. When you’re piled into a packed auditorium and competing with hundreds of other job seekers for just a few minutes of a recruiter’s attention, it’s crucial to show up prepared, ready to face the day, and knowing what it takes to distinguish yourself from the crowd.