It may be tempting to jump in with a new partner or project, but it’s worth taking a beat to be sure your goals are actually in alignment. In this episode of The All-In Podcast Diane Helbig offers wisdom about the need to strike a balance between joining forces and taking opportunities and doing the necessary due diligence. Whether it’s being approached by a service provider or forming a joint venture, Daniel and Diane share their experiences with scanning the landscape in order to protect your business as you’re growing it.

A successful certified business coach of 15 years, Diane is passionate about helping small companies maximize opportunity while minimizing the kinds of mistakes that drain away time, energy, profit and growth. Inspired by lessons taught by her father, himself a small businessman, Diane uses a hands-on methodology to help organizations and enterprises operate constructively and profitably.

When it comes to optimizing your small business over the long term? Diane and Daniel discuss the importance of taking the occasional “mental health” hour or entire day to reinvigorate and recharge batteries. They also emphasize the importance of doing your homework before forming alliances of any kind and, on the flipside, relying regularly upon trusted colleagues and mentors for positivity and support because, even for the most successful entrepreneurs, the road can occasionally feel long and lonely.

Diane shares more of her expertise in small business management, sales, social media, networking and leadership both in her book, Succeed Without Selling, and also on her podcast Accelerate Your Business Growth.