Larry O. NJ asks: “I have been asked to make a presentation at our corporate sales conference in September, and I am breaking into a cold sweat–literally– at the thought of speaking in public. I want to pull out but know that will be a career-limiting move.”

George C. Chicago asks: “I opened up a catering business nearly three years ago, pouring a large severance package into it, along with life savings and a significant amount of borrowed capital. We’ve been bleeding financially ever since. I’m at that point where I don’t know if I can go on, but I feel I have so much invested in this that I just don’t know how I could walk away from it. I’m pretty desperate.”

Daniel K. NY asks: “I’ve just turned 40 and about a year ago was downsized at the corporation I’d worked at for over a decade. I was a VP, had a global marketing job, managed big budgets and had a big expense account. Since becoming self-employed (in other words I haven’t found a job yet), people treat me completely different. They just don’t seem interested in me any more. Are they reading me as a loser?”