I make it a habit to show up to every client meeting really early. It gives me time to collect my thoughts and mentally refresh myself on the agenda for the upcoming meeting. Sure, sometimes I sit around for a while in the lobby waiting for my client, but I always find that they are happy to know that I am there and ready for them. It is never a good idea to keep them waiting.

At one meeting recently I showed up about 45 minutes early for a meeting at a coffee house, and found my client already there. It was then that he filled me in on “The New Business Mantra”:

Really Early is Early
Early is On Time
On Time is Late
Late is Unacceptable