Kids need to be kids and enjoy their time as children. But, at the same time, as they get older, they also need to learn to make money and function in our society as responsible adults.
Oftentimes, they get a job at a Burger Joint, where they learn how to listen to a boss, and how to work with others, but then they may also have to give up some extracurricular activities, study time and time with family. Not terrible things, but enough of a challenge that many families are helping their kids start their own businesses.
Why? Let’s compare the lessons your kid is learning working at a burger joint verses starting a business.
1. Responsibility.
Burger Joint: Yes, it teaches responsibility. You need to show up for work and do a good job or your boss and co-workers will get mad at you.
Entrepreneur: Teaches you responsibility as well. You need to work hard or you won’t get paid.
2. The Value of a Dollar
Burger Joint: You learn that time is money.
Entrepreneur: You learn that creativity, ownership of responsibility and hard work is money.
3. How to Market Yourself
Burger Joint: Teaches you how to fill out an application and go on an interview to market yourself. You do this once and then you’re done.
Entrepreneur: You have to market yourself and your business on an ongoing basis if you want to make any money.
4. Customer Service
Burger Joint: Service with a smile or your boss may reprimand you.
Entrepreneur: Service with a smile or you don’t get repeat business and your income drops.
5. Banking Skills
Burger Joint: You learn how to collect a paycheck and how to deposit it into the bank.
Entrepreneur: You learn how to budget for advertising costs, taxes, and expenses and weigh them against your profits. You learn to deposit your income into the bank and write checks to cover expenses. You learn how business works.
As you can see, both options have benefits. As for which option you’ll choose? That’s up to you and your child.
5 Lessons Your Kids Will Learn By Starting A Business
The Biggest Mistakes That People Make When Starting A Home Business...
When you're starting a home business, it's all too easy to make mistakes -- after all, you've never done this before. Fortunately for you, though, you can learn from others' errors, by making sure you don't do any of these things.
Thinking Skills You Don't Have Aren't Important.
So you have no idea how to keep records and accounts, or you don't know how to maintain a mailing list. You need to learn these things! Too many home business owners just do the things that they know how to do, and assume that they can probably get by without everything else.
You need to realise that when you're running a home business, you're going to need to do as much as you can for yourself, especially when you're starting out. This means that you can't get by if your business skills are lacking. I always say that everyone who is thinking of starting a business should take an inexpensive and quick local business course, and I stand by it -- even if you think you'll be fine, it can't hurt, can it?
Not Managing Your Time.
When you're used to working nine to five, an easy trap to fall into is not managing your time effectively. Your home is full of distractions, and there won't be anyone there to tell you to get on with it. If you're prone to daydreaming or procrastinating then this can be disastrous -- whole days can go by with only tiny amounts of work getting done.
You need to be sure that you have a schedule, and you stick to it. Draw a clear line between work and non-work time, and don't cross the line in either direction. Apart from that, the word to remember is 'prioritise': appreciate that you won't always be able to do everything, but make sure you get at least the important things done.
Making Clients Think You're a Joke.
There are many home businesses where clients might need to visit your home -- but make sure it's fit for visiting! You can't lead them into a messy office, or be holding your dog back from barking at them when you first meet. Remember that professionalism is important, and it's too easy to end up looking silly if you don't plan how you're going to make a good impression when you invite people to your home.
If you can't afford a 'business annex' to your house, then consider hiring someone to look after your dog or children for a few hours while you have a business meeting there. It might also be worth paying a cleaner to give the place a quick once-over, if you haven't had time to clean up for a while.
Not Specialising.
Too many home businesses, when asked who their target market is, say 'well everyone, silly'. Your target market is never everyone -- if it is, you will fail. You can't just choose an industry and advertise your new-found profession to everyone, in the hope that someone will work out that the fact you're an electrician means maybe they should ask you about re-wiring their house.
The key to success is this: think about what you can do, and then market that to people who will want it. Advertise in places where these people are. If your business has no target market, then you have no business, period.
Making Start-Up Costs Too High.
Finally, too many people overestimate how much money it's going to take to start a home business. Do you really all brand-new equipment? If you're spending thousands of dollars before you've made any sales at all, you're setting yourself up for a disappointment.
Start your business on a shoestring, work hard, and expand gradually -- otherwise you're setting yourself up for a big fall. However much you might think you ought to do things 'properly', you need to make sure that you're minimising costs and maximising profit every step of the way, otherwise you're failing yourself as a home business owner. It's when you start to get some bigger clients and better cashflow that you can start paying a little extra to make your business life more comfortable.
Restaurant Business: Best Payment Method
Charge: A Promise to Be Redeemed
Plastic money or the credit card is now growing as the most popular form of monetary exchange. It is convenient and easy to use. It is easy to carry and has a lot of spending power in a small package. Consumers love using it because of the extra perks that come with it, such as airline miles and bonus gifts. On the recipient’s end, money collection is certain, since the responsibility of payment belongs to the credit card company, who carries the burden of chasing delinquent customers as well. The payments may also be directly credited to the recipient’s bank account, making the sale secure.
Convenient as it may be, credit cards aren't devoid of disadvantages. Credit card companies usually charge significant percentages of sales and could diminish your earnings. Money can also take time to collect and there is more paperwork needed to claim money. Credit card fraud is very possible and can victimize both customers and restaurant owners.
Perhaps the best alternative of all is the debit card. The debit card represents everything good about cash with none of the headaches of checks. A debit card purchase is like having instant cash. A debit card looks like a credit card but functions like a check or cash. When a customer presents a debit card, the merchant swipes the card just like a credit card. The checking account of the presenter is queried to determine if there are sufficient funds in the account to cover the purchase and the amount is immediately deducted and transferred to the merchants account. This is definitely the next best thing to cash!
The Final Verdict
In choosing which mode of payment is best for one’s restaurant the final choice boils down to the customer. Restaurateurs should keep in mind what mode is best for customers to pay – what is most convenient to them with regards to their profile. It might not be advisable for a place that caters to children and teens to accept only credit cards since most kids don't have cards yet. It might not be advisable to refuse checks or credit cards for fine dining that caters to executives, as prices would be high and bring lots of cash that could be very inconvenient and secure. Of course it is good to have all modes available.
With careful study of the benefits of each mode of payment alongside the market profile, an aspiring restaurateur may be able to choose the best payment option for their restaurant. Hopefully money will rake in by the bundles, whether in cash, check, or charge. Get up to $200,000 to "move" your existing business. US Government Grants for USA Citizens. Claim your FREE $79 Gov Grant book!
Managing Your Business Wisely
If you are a writer, especially one who charges for your services, having a business plan in place is essential. Never mind that a business plan can help you run your business more effectively, but a plan should be one that passes IRS scrutiny as well as meets all state and local government requirements.
Sometimes it is nearly impossible to figure out what steps you should take in order to even meet the myriad requirements. You are an excellent writer; that doesn't mean you are an expert at business administration!
My local technical/community college is offering on Tuesday nights this year to help business owners. Some of the topics they are offering include:
I plan on taking several courses this year as I want to make certain my business passes muster. Naturally, I want to concentrate on the writing aspect of the business, but the remaining "stuff" is necessary too. Check with your local continuing education office for a list of upcoming seminars. Many courses are free or require a nominal fee. In any case, you have nothing to lose, but a business to gain!
Staying Sane in a Home Business
An Overload Rescue Plan
Well, you finally did it, you've escaped the traditional, away from home work force and are now self-employed. You started your very own home based business. There you sit, in your nice new office, whether it's in the corner of the sitting room or in a converted bedroom, surrounded by your equally brand new toys, your computer, desk and some strategically placed shelves.
Your new multi-function center will print stuff, fax stuff and copy stuff. (It won't hang out the washing, but hey, you can't have everything.) You've even got work coming-in and the immediate worry about making a living has vanished. Hooray! Youreally can work from home!
At first, working from home is pure bliss. Then you get a week when everybody and their dog seems to want your services. After putting in a few late nights, you meet all the deadlines and think; phew, I'm glad that's over! You decide to relax and give yourself a day off. After all, you worked all through the weekend and earned it, right?
Unfortunately, the following week you find yourself off to a bad start trying to make-up for your day off. Before you know it, you find that you're dropping further and further behind. You reflect gloomily that when you were working for someone else, at least at the end of the day you were finished, what didn't get done didn't get done!
Well, it's time to take heart and set a few simple strategies in place that will keep you in control of your time, and your sanity. Consider the following:
1. Do NOT Accept Any New Work This Week.
Take a good look at what you have on your plate now, and carefully plan the week ahead. Your aim is to regain control. Tell new clients that you are fully booked, but you can put them on a priority list to be phoned next week. This will not only allow you to catch up, but make your services appear highly in demand.
2. Build In Time For Leisure and Rest.
Not only for this week, but EVERY week. A half hour walk; a twenty-minute break in the sun with a cup of coffee; a quick swim or a movie outing with friends, all these activities can recharge your batteries. You will find that you can achieve far more when you are rested and alert. How many times have you sat at the computer staring at the screen, achieving very little, because you're over-tired?
3. Tackle Urgent Tasks First.
If you're behind, your first step must be to contact all clients and arrange firm new deadlines. Make sure you base these new deadlines on what you can achieve, not what you hope you can achieve. If any existing client needs your services or products urgently, bump them up the queue.
4. Prioritize Remaining Tasks.
Scrap anything that is not essential, and delegate what you can. Consider involving family, business associates or friends to handle some tasks. Do not hand over tasks that must be carried out only by you as the principal of the business. Your reputation is important.
5. Set Achievable Daily Goals.
If you finish a task ahead of schedule, begin the next, but adhere to a definite cut-off time each day. What you are doing this week is establishing a system that will continue to work for you.
Getting out of trouble when your business is in overload is just like getting out of debt. Your business rating is similar to your credit rating, nothing can be gained by denying that a problem exists. Nothing can be gained by slipping deeper into the mire. Call a halt; contact the main players; set workable strategies in place and you can quickly regroup. Before you know it, your home business dream will be on track once more.
Poker Affiliate Program Success: Business Building Tips For Affiliates
Becoming a poker site affiliate does not mean that you have to become a full time advertising executive. Affiliate schemes are a way of spreading a message of making sure that service providers make sure that their site is getting maximum coverage. When a website incorporates affiliate programs and advertising it does not mean that they have to fill a quota or work specific hours. The affiliate system makes it possible for poker sites to reach huge audiences without having to pay for the privilege. Only when a potential customer follows a link from an affiliate site does the parent site have to outlay any money. Similarly the affiliate does not have to pay for the advertising, so in essence both sides gain from risk free advertising and revenue.
As an affiliate it is your job to encourage visitors to follow your links to the poker sites. But the way in which this is done is completely at the discretion of the site owner. The best way is to create a site that encourages visitors to play poker, to use enticing language in order to make it an attractive proposition. If you create a site dedicated to the game of poker or even an aspect of it, you are far more likely to ensnare some people. As soon as they follow your link to the poker site, sign up and begin playing the job of the affiliate is done and all they have to do is wait for the money to pour in.
But building and maintaining a site dedicated to poker or anything for that matter can be a time consuming business. If the task of creating a well-presented site is beyond your personal means you may choose to simply add links to a personal site. This way you are far less likely to attract the sort of clientele that are likely to want to join a poker room, but you could get lucky. Luck is what affiliate programs are all about, even the best sites rely on a bit of luck to get people to join through them. Your chances are significantly increased however if you do choose to take the time to create something that will ultimately attract a huge number of visitors each and every day.
However you plan your attack you must always consider restrictions. Such as time, capability and cost. There is no point in over exerting yourself or spending more than you can afford in the vain hope of getting some custom. For people 100% committed to making affiliations work, dedicating time and effort can reap huge rewards. But for those who want a casual regular income no matter how small from very little effort, the opportunities are there. Make your website work for you by adding advertising and becoming an affiliate. The rewards are there to be won by those who dedicate time and effort to the goal, but it can also work for casual webmasters too.
Why Your Business Cannot Afford Not to Advertise on Craigslist
Craigslist is not always the best advertising option but there are certain situations in which a business cannot afford not to advertise on Craigslist. For the purposes of this article we will examine two common scenarios where a business owner should definitely consider advertising on Craigslist because failure to do so can be detrimental to his business. These examples include small startup companies without a large advertising budget and existing companies whose direct competitors are advertising extensively on Craigslist.
Small Startup Companies Benefit from Advertising on Craigslist
Small startup companies often have a great deal of work ahead of them to begin competing with existing companies who are already thriving. These companies may already have established client bases and may have substantial funding budges for the purpose of obtaining new customers. Customer loyalty can be difficult to break and new companies either have to offer significantly better quality products or services, comparable products or services at reduced prices or a slick marketing campaign with consumer appeal.
However, smaller companies rarely have the advertising budget necessary to orchestrate an elaborate advertising campaign. This is when Craigslist becomes a necessity. Smaller companies can focus their energy on creating outstanding advertising copy without spending exorbitant amounts of money to run these advertisements in other forms of media such as newspapers, magazines, television or radio.
It is important to not that while free advertising is appealing, the advertising should be just as sophisticated as it would in markets where the business owners would be required to pay a fee to run the advertisement. This will help the business to maintain a professional image and will entice potential customer to try their products or services.
Don’t Let the Competition Corner the Market
Another scenario where a business cannot afford not to advertise on Craigslist is when direct competitors are making use of the advertising opportunities on Craigslist. This is important because businesses who do not advertise in the same locations as their competitors are essentially conceding potential customers who peruse those locations to the competitors.
Imagine you own a dog walking business in Portland, Oregon. If there are a large number of members of that community using the local Craigslist website to find dog walkers, you will likely miss out on these business opportunities because these individuals will likely select one of the individuals advertising on Craigslist for their dog walking needs. If you were to place a well written advertisement in an appropriate section of Craigslist you may find you are able to gain a market share of the available business.
There is, however, one caveat to placing advertisements wherever your competitors are advertising. This practice is not considered worthwhile when the market is already saturated with competition. Consider the above example of a dog walker in Portland. If there are a small number of competitors competing for business on Craigslist it is worthwhile to place your own advertisement here. However, if literally hundreds of dog walkers are flooding the website with their advertisement it is not worthwhile to post an advertisement because your advertisement will likely be lost in the shuffle. It is much more worthwhile to advertise in other locations. Checking Craigslist periodically may still be a good idea because those advertising on Craigslist are likely to not see great gain from this advertising and may resort to other options. When you notice a decline in competitor advertisements, it is a great opportunity to add your advertisement.
The Places Any Home Based Business Opportunity Seeker Must Go
A home based business opportunity seeker is likely to become quickly overwhelmed when searching for an opportunity online. It is only natural for a person to start looking for a home based business opportunity online since the internet is such a great marketplace. It can really help, though, for a home based business opportunity seeker to be prepared before they start their search.
There are a wide range of websites that are tailored to people working from home or seeking a home based business opportunity. These websites can provide great leads, lots of information and most even have message boards where people who work at home or who are wanting to work at home can chat and help each other out.
One thing a home based business opportunity seeker needs to know about these types of websites is that going to them and simply asking for help instead of exploring the information available s a quick way to end up being shunned. These people that frequent these websites are tired of having people come in and expect to get all the answers without doing any work themselves.
Most of the people that frequent these websites have been around for quite some time, which makes them great sources of information. However, it also means that it is likely when they got started working at home that there weren’t resources like this and they had to work to get there they are. That is part of the reason why they resent people expecting a hand out. Another reason is they get bombarded with the same questions over and over.
Most of these types of websites have clearly written guides or files that will explain everything a person needs to know. So, the bottom line is before jumping into one of these websites and asking for help, look around and try to find the information yourself.
Work at home type websites can be one of the greatest tools for the home based business opportunity seeker. They can network and learn a lot at these websites. They can find the opportunity that they’ve always dreamed of and become rather successful. However, they have to respect the rules and even the unwritten code of conduct. The home based business world is one of doing for yourself and being independent. It is not about people holding your hand and guiding you every step of the way.
A home based business opportunity seeker should defiantly start with these work at home type websites. They have some of the best and most respected information available online. They make finding what you need simple. When a person needs help they can call upon the community and they will gladly help out, but asking for help should not be the first thing a person does if they want to get stared on the right foot. These types of websites often become like the office environment for a person who works at home and can be a great place to make lasting friendships and build up your business.
The Level Of Entertainment In Show Business
The main reason people feel as if there is nothing on the tube is the fact that we as humans have a short attention span. This translates to people switching from a channel once they become bored or disinterested. As they flip and they see nothing that really entice them they continue till they end up on the original channel in which they decided was boring the first place. The only people who think they have too many channels, are the ones who are engaged and have an attention span that keeps them glued to one channel.
With the growth of niche television channels, this eventually led to the growth of sub channels dedicated to things such as trout fishing and video games. This eventually led to there being a glut of channels in which only a few people were interested. For regular television watchers, this would add to the bane of them not having anything to watch because in their incessant flipping they end up in a patch of channels in which they have no interest in.
Have a large amount of channels is a good thing to some people but in reality less is better. If you only had a couple of channels, like people without cable or satellite television then you would be forced to watch whatever came on the TV. You would become adjusted to what channels show what show and create a viewing habit based off that. You would basically create your own TV viewing schedule and you would not stray from the fact that there is nothing to watch on television.
Downloading television programs is basically the same as downloading other kinds of files. You first need to find a website that contains links to TV shows online, and then you have to make sure that you have some kind of file-sharing client that will allow you to access the files (often called "torrents" after the name of one of the most popular clients out there). Television program files contain both audio and video components, so they are much larger than music files. As a result, it can often take several hours to download a single file.
There are a couple of different ways you can watch the files you've downloaded. First, the most common way to watch TV shows online is to simply view the downloaded file in a media player. You probably already have a media player on your computer; if you don't, there are several different ones that are available for free. You just have to run a search and choose the one that you think will suit you the best. You'll also have to download the appropriate codecs so that you can both see the video and hear the audio of the television program files. Again, a few minutes spent with your favorite search engine can point you in the right direction as far as codecs go.
If you're a bit more comfortable around your computer and know what you're doing, there's another way to watch TV shows online. You can actually burn the MPEG file to a CD-ROM (thus creating a VCD), which you can then watch on your regular DVD player. You should be aware that this extra step takes much longer and that not all DVD players are capable of handling VCDs. But the end result is definitely worth it, so give VCDs a shot.
7 Steps to a Purpose Driven Home Based Business: The Winning Combination of Passion and Profit
Have you been thinking about leaving your job and starting a work at home enterprise? If you have mentioned your desire to anyone other than another entrepreneur you may have been discouraged. For many people it is hard to understand why anyone would want to leave “the safety and security” of a job and “risk their lively hood.” But if you have ever been hit by an entrepreneurial seizure there is something that happens which is unexplainable.
If you are willing to respond to this deep emotion you will never be happy living your life by a job description. You want more. A cubicle will feel like a prison and until you create something you can call your own you will feel like each day a part of you is making a deal with the devil.
For most people starting a business is a scary proposition. So how do you create an environment that pulls you towards success? What can you do to inspire yourself to take your life back and build wealth from home? Creating a purpose driven home based business is the winning combination that blends living your passion and profiting from it.
Here are 7 seven steps you can take towards a purpose driven work at home career:
1. You can create a vision and mission for your home based enterprise that inspires you. Life is too short. When you make the decision to leave the rat race you don’t want to create a business that’s simply another job. So why are you taking this journey? What do you want your business to look like?
For example, I am clear that my home based venture is as much about lifestyle as it is profit. When ever I work on my business I look at my mission that includes income developed through passive income and working no more than 25 hours a week.
Why? Because after 15+ years in Corporate America I learned that what are important to me are my personal relationships. I no longer wanted to trade my time for money. At the end of my life I don’t want to remember how many hours I worked for someone else or the sacrifices I made for a company. As a result, my vision is to create a lifestyle that allows me to enjoy life with the people I care about.
What is your vision for your business? Try to include all of your senses. What will it look like when you get there? How will you feel? Who will be there to celebrate with you? With you smell the breeze of the ocean water or the pungent fragrance of swaying honeysuckle? The more you connect with your vision the more you will be inspired.
2. Create your business based around something you are passionate about. There is something magical that happens when you are operating in something you love to do and are uniquely good at. Have you ever had a job you hated? How did you feel? You will never live a life of purpose doing something you don't like. Discover your passion and give it all you've got.
For years I worked in jobs that I was good at but hated. However, when I struck out on my own I wanted to have a life I loved. I uncovered my unique talents and went to work. And what happened for me can happen for you.
When you start to live the life you were born to do the universe makes all of the resources available to you that you need to be successful. So what are you passionate about? What skills and talents do you have you can create a life and business around? Write down two or three skills have that would be utilized in your purpose driven business.
3. Make your business a business that is bigger than you. What would it feel like to know that your business was directly responsible for impacting the world in some way? How would you feel to know that when you passed on people from around the world would thank you for the part you played in creating something of value that was important to them?
At first, this line of thinking can be overwhelming. However, not when you start to think of what is at the core of any business. Your goal is to find a solution to your customers’ problems. And in exchange they are willing to pay you for it. To the extent that you get to know their hopes, desires, dreams and pains and you help to successfully maneuver the maze of life they will be forever grateful.
So how can your venture make its mark in the world? My goal is to help people discover their passion, monetize it and live a life they love. I personally want to help 1000 people in the next 3 years take their life back and build wealth from home. The very thought that I could play a small part in helping someone else do this gives my business a purpose much bigger than me.
Write down one goal that you have for your business that is bigger than you. Make sure you keep the goal in front of you where you can see it everyday.
4. Develop a business plan that supports your values and beliefs. Whenever you are working to accomplish something great you must have a plan. The creation of your business plan is the map that you will use to guide you through your journey. One of the keys to a successful plan is to make sure everything you do is consistent with your values and beliefs.
For example, if you have a family and want to spend more time with them you don’t want to build a business that requires you to spend long amounts of time away from them to build.
Don’t get me wrong. You will make choices and sacrifices. However, those should be things that are short term and spelled out. You want to be clear what you are giving up or making adjustments and what you will get in return.
"Strive for integrity--that means knowing your values in life and behaving in a way that is consistent with these values." ---author unknown. When you are building something that is consistent with who you are as a person your daily actions will feed your soul.
5. Consider giving a percentage of the profits to an organization you love. I love the quote, "No one has ever become poor by giving." --Anne Frank. Actually our lives are enriched when we give.
For example, maybe you have a religious organization you would like to tithe to. Or you might like to help a cause that is close to your heart. One of my favorite charitable organizations is the Junior Achievement.
Junior Achievement uses hands-on experiences to help young people understand the economics of life. This organization partners with business leaders and educators. The mission of Junior Achievement is to bring the real world to students and open their mind to their potential.
I chose to contribute to this organization because I love to see young people find their passion and follow it early in life. I feel like my life is enriched when I can help a young person discover their passion and avoid the rat race.
Do you have an organization you would like to contribute to? Think about how you would feel if your company was contributing to an organization that was helping to make a difference in the world.
6. Extend your hand to help someone who wants to do what you do. One of the ways to give purpose to your business is to teach, coach or mentor a person. There are people who would love to benefit from the knowledge and expertise you have acquired.
You might want to teach a class or create a coaching club. You can impact several people at once and leverage your time.
Who can you reach out to and help? What vehicle will you use to make a difference for someone else? Write down 3 ideas and implement one immediately.
7. Create a community by enrolling others to make it happen. Have you ever experienced the power of what happens when several people are committed to one goal? There is a powerful force that happens when you speak your purpose out loud and invite others to become a part of it.
Look for opportunities to have customers, friends, family and colleagues to become a part of the mission of your business. Your company could become a cause for change in the world.
For example, who would ever imagine that the purpose of a greeting card company was to change peoples lives one card at a time? Well it’s true. I had the privileged of hearing the CEO of this greeting card speak.
He told the story of how he had a prompting to say goodbye one more time to his brother when he was moving and failed to do so. Shortly after the move he got a phone call that his brother had died tragically. He was haunted by the fact he had failed to say good bye.
Later he was inspired to create a greeting card company that allows people to act on their promptings. Never again, would anyone miss any opportunity to send someone they care about a card. His passion and commitment about his business is contagious. He truly embodies the characteristics of a purposed driven home based business.
So the choice is yours. You can create a business that focuses solely on making a buck and during the difficult times it might not be enough to get you through. Or you can create something with purpose. These 7 traits are a winning combination. Life is truly a joy when you can have a home based business with purpose and profit from it.
Keep The Fountain Of Business Idea Flowing
In an age of catastrophic population growth and shrinking job opportunities, why not take a look at putting up your own business? There has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. No, it is not too late nor it is too early to open for business.
If you choose to try your luck at having your own business, start right by keeping your business idea fountain flowing. The many enterprises you see today, from the ones you see in your neighborhood to the ones you read about in the business section of various broadsheets, are once merely ideas; they are products of one’s fertile imagination and spirit of innovation.
Know Thyself
First things first, to be an effective business owner someday, you must know yourself. Ask yourself if you have even the smallest trickle of the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. While not everybody can be a businessman, the good thing is everybody can learn the skills of how to be a good businessman.
Do you have foresight? Are you creative or imaginative enough to come up with new ideas and products? Are you courageous enough to face the challenges of running your own enterprise? Can you endure criticism and instead channel your frustrations to churning out more innovative business ideas?
Being an entrepreneur is not easy. And the very first step is to know yourself so that you can adapt your ideas to your personality. Thus, you will be able to upgrade your skills or choose a business that suits your character.
Be In The Loop
You would not want to offer fire proof paints with asbestos! Asbestos has been banned for decades now because it has poisonous side effects. To have great business ideas, you should know a lot about what is happening around you. Read the papers or visit trade fairs; this way, you will be sensitive to what is current and what could be the trend in the future in terms of products and services to offer.
Do Not Reinvent The Wheel
You can not offer baked goodies with holes in the middle and call them bread wheels. What you can do is try to improve or create unique toppings and syrups for your goodies and still call them donuts. Forty years ago, computers are found only in science fiction comic books. But today they are as essential as the cooking stove.
As much as your creativity can take you, come up with ideas of new products and services to offer. Nothing beats being the first in an industry. If not, your ideas should try to add more value to existing products and services. Like the story of cellular phones and cameras; they used to be two different gadgets, but now it is not uncommon to see camera phones.
Force yourself to think of new ideas and concepts. This will keep your idea fountain alive and flowing. Besides, it is always a good business sense to venture into new or improved product lines.
Join The Club
There is no point in having excellent business ideas without having the heart to start your own business. Turning the business switch on is different from just having the famed light bulb flashing inside your head. When you are actually starting and running your business, you get the feel of the industry you are in; more and more business ideas will pour out.
Always be aware and prepare yourself when that light bulb in your head blinks. You might never realize it but you will be at a crossroad between living your dreams and living in mediocrity. Good luck on your venture!
Security System – The Way To Protect Your Home Or Business
A security system is the key to protecting your home or business from intruders and burglars. Today security systems are increasingly popular and are installed in the majority of homes. There are many different models available from wired systems to wireless systems. You can also purchase do it yourself alarm systems that will range in price from $10 to $100, but for a sophisticated whole home security alarm system you will need to call in the experts.
A security system is built around a basic design concept and this concept uses a simple electric circuit. This circuit is built into an entry way and once the circuit is broken the alarm system is triggered. There are two types of circuits that are used and these are closed circuit systems and open circuit systems. Closed circuits are normally seen as the better choice.
Magnetic sensors are also used for closed circuit systems and when a door is closed the magnet closes the circuit. Other methods use small buttons which are embedded in the door frame and these buttons are pushed in when the door closes. If the door is opened the button is released and this will trigger the alarm.
The control box is the next most important piece of equipment used in security systems and these control boxes are normally located just inside your entrance door. Once your alarm system has been triggered you must enter your security code into the control box to disable the alarm.
The control box is also used to turn your alarm system on when you are leaving your home and is crucial to any security alarm system.
These are the key components to a security alarm system; sensors or circuit breakers and a control box. There are many additional components that can be used and these include motion detectors.
Whatever type of alarm system you decide to have installed in your home or business, it is always advisable to shop around before purchasing anything.
Have you ever stopped to think about the goals that you have made for your life? We have all had plans and dreams about what we want to achieve in our life time. When I was in college I had thought about many things that I wanted to accomplish. Then life began to happen and many of my dreams were set aside to deal with the reality of what was going on. Instead of working on my master’s degree I was raising a family and keeping my household running. I was enjoying my children and my relationship with my husband but so many things that I wanted out of my life seemed to be slipping away with the passage of time. When my last child finished high school and entered college I decided that it was time to once again focus on some of my dreams and goals.
When I first started working I had decided that I did not want to spend my entire working life working for someone else. I knew that as an employee I was helping to make my employer rich and that I would never see the full benefits of the time and effort that I put in. I knew that the way people made big money was to start your own business. I was beginning to realize that I needed to act on this soon or I would be working longer than I wanted to. My husband warned me that I may no longer have the energy to pull this off. He felt that to start you own business you had to build from the ground level up and establish it through many years. We had agreed that we would retire in our late fifties and he was concerned that my dream to start your own business was going to get in the way of this. I told him that I at least needed to do some research into this to feel that I had at least made an attempt towards the goal. We agreed that I would not become involved in anything that would jeopardize our retirement time frames. I told him that one of my co-workers had received information to start your own business that outlined a ten year plan to make a good living. This is where I wanted to start to see if it involved something that I would be interested in.
My criteria for getting involved in a business were that it would be something I could do from home without a great deal of travel and be product based rather than information based. I looked at many different sites that out lined ways to start your own business. I became involved with a company that has been in business for over twenty years and made products for the environment. I liked the fact that I could get involved with the business while still being involved in my job so we were not losing income. Within six months I was able to quit my job and match the income that I had been bringing in. I love being my own boss and setting my own hours. It is never to late to work on your goals and accomplish your dreams.
The Number One Reason For Business Failure!
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door."
But when you're starting your own business, there's no guarantee that your "mousetrap" is going to survive, especially in today's fast-paced business world.
Nearly half of all small businesses fail within the first two years of operation. The number one reason for business failure is inadequate planning. The second reason is under-capitalization.
So before you mortgage your house, or go into debt financing your business, you need to know if your business is going to do more than survive -- you want to know if it's good enough to thrive! Here are three things successful businesses that have stayed in business for five years or longer have in common:
1. The idea. A successful business start-up always starts with an idea. Something that makes your business stand out from all the rest. So how do you know if you've got a good idea?
You've probably got a good idea if you can answer yes to any of the following questions: Does your idea provide the solution to a significant problem for your target market? Does it satisfy a need or want? Does it create an opportunity?
The most successful businesses either fix problems (either real or perceived), or they increase your customer's pleasure. They create a repeat need for a product or service among the target market.
2. The market. Your chances of survival are better if you can answer the following questions with a yes: Is there already a market for your product or service? (It's much easier to fill a need than trying to create an entirely new market.) Can your target market afford to buy your products or services? (If they can't afford it, it doesn't matter how great it is, you won't sell any!) Will your target market perceive your product or service as valuable? (If they want it, but don't think it's worth what you're selling it for, you won't make any sales.)
3. Your ability. Do you have the people, the resources and the knowledge to be able to consistently provide your products or services to your target market? Can you maintain a competitive advantage? Do you have enough manpower? Can you purchase the supplies and materials you need over the long run?
Your first step always is to create a solid business plan. Your business plan is more than an essay on "Why I deserve to get funding for my idea" however. Don't spend all the time creating a business plan and then toss it in the bottom drawer of your desk. Your business plan should be a living, breathing roadmap that helps you make sure you're on course and reaching the goals that you set for your business.
The second step to business survival is getting enough financing. Although the term "bootstrap entrepreneur" describes most small business owners, having enough capital to be able to keep your business afloat is vital to your survival.
When you're creating your financial analysis of your business, make sure you're being realistic about costs and expenditures, so that you give yourself the cushion you need to succeed.
If finding financing is a problem, either because you don't have enough credit or equity, or there are other problems, take the time to look into the resources that are available in your community. There are a wide variety of grants and loans (including microloans) for entrepreneurs, if you know where to look.
Some great resources will be:
-The Small Business Administration
-Local Small Business Development Centers
-Women's Organizations
-Local University or Community College
-Chamber of Commerce
-SCORE (The Association for Retired Executives)
-Nonprofit organizations that work on economic development in your area
Use other successful business models as a guide. When you're getting started, look around. What businesses are successful? Why? What is it they're doing that is working? What attributes do you admire, and why? You stand a better chance of succeeding if you're modeling someone who is already successful.
Find a mentor. Most entrepreneurs have great skills and abilities, but no one does everything well. You probably already know what your strengths and weaknesses are. (If not, there are many resources and tools that can help you figure it out!) Rather than ignoring your weaknesses, find a mentor who can help you either build your skills in your weaker areas, or offer advice for getting what you need.
If you take the time to plan to succeed, you could be creating a legacy that will be enjoyed by future generations, and that other entrepreneurs will look at as a model for building their own businesses.
5 Top Things Baby Boomers Must Do Before Starting a Home Based Business
5 Top Things Baby Boomers Must Do Before Starting a Home Business
Don't quit your day job just yet.If you are a baby boomer looking to start a home business, there are 5 essentials things you must do first.
Leaving the security of a job with an established 401(k) plan, health insurance or other benefits can create a real tug of war for baby boomers who want to pursue their dreams of owning their own business.
Analyze Your Exit Strategy
At the time of this writing, the youngest of the baby boomers are turning 42 and the oldest are turning 60. No matter where you fall into this group, analyzing and preparing your exit strategy from your job will be crucial to your long-term success as a home business entrepreneur. Do you have adequate savings? If you're married, will you be able to participate in your spouse's health insurance?
Create a Financial Plan
How much is your salary now? What are your fixed, variable and frivilous expenses? Creating a solid plan so that you and your family will know exactly what the financial picture will be until your business gets off the ground and starts generating revenue.
Choosing a Business Model and Legal Entity
There are several business models to choose from; home party plans, consulting, and affiliate marketing to name a few. You have to make the decision based on your personality and what you are best-suited for. Choosing a legal entity for your business should be discussed with a tax accountant or your attorney. Options are sole proprietor, LLC or Subchapter S- Corp.
Set Business Benchmarks
You wouldn't travel across the country without a road map, your business is the same. Setting financial and business-building benchmarks will help you to create a focused plan that will help you to reach your success.
Get a Physical
What does getting a physical have to do with your business? Once you leave your job, most likely your health insurance will change and as unfair as it may be, trying to get new health insurance when in your 40's, 50's or 60's can be difficult. While pursuing your dreams of a home business is something you are probably very passionate about, if you do not have good health to enjoy the rewards of your efforts, then not much else is important.
The baby boomer generation is like no other before it or after it. Technically, we are considered middle-aged, but we are anything but middle-aged in mind, body and spirit. We know there is more meaning to life than a commute to an unrewarding 9-5 job, but there are also important steps we must take first. Planning and preparing for your home business now will lead to less headache's later on.
The Business Of Loaning Money
Most lending institutions are in the business of loaning money for home buyers or businesses, and have no desire to go through the repossession process for someone who has defaulted on their mortgage. The process of booting someone out of their home or commercial process can be long and costly procedure and working through financial problems with the current owner is often cheaper and easier than taking ownership of a property.
However, in many situations lenders find that repossession may be the only option they have in securing repayment on the defaulted loan and begin the steps to claim the property as their own. Once the process has begun, there are avenues for the debtor to follow in the courts to attempt to retain ownership, but the stipulations are spelled out ion law, and without meeting those requirements, the borrowers will have trouble maintaining rights to the property.
Typically, once a foreclosure order has been sought by a lender, the borrower will have a set amount of time to bring the mortgage up to date, before the entire unpaid balance comes due and payable. Once that time has passed and the mortgage remains in arrears, the entire balance must be paid to stop the repossession proceedings. Since this is unlikely to happen, the courts sometimes give the owner time to sell the property, if it can show that selling the property will provide sufficient funding to satisfy the mortgage agreement.
If the deadline to sell is not met, the borrower can appeal the foreclosure proceedings, but if that fails, repossession of the property is usually granted to the lender and the borrower is evicted from the property. Once vacated, the lender is considered the legal owner of the property and has all legal recourse to collect the balance due on the loan as well as any costs incurred during the process. This can all be avoided however, if the borrower keeps in close contact with the bank.
In most cases, the property is put on the market for sale, or put up for auction and once sold the previous owner is liable for any portion of the balance not covered by the sale of the property. If the sale nets more than what is owed, the lender is obligated to forward the balance to the previous owner. Although this is a rare occurrence, if the property appraisal is high enough, and has built up untapped equity, it is entirely possible.
Most people view repossession as an end to their financial life and accept the probability that they will never be able to own property again. However, once their financial obligations are dissolved and they have rebuilt a positive credit history, there are alternative lending sources that may be willing to take the risk of offering another mortgage in the future. There are many ways to go about rebuilding credit and a wise financial advisor can help with the challenging task. Credit scores are quite important and it is worth the time and effort to repair them for the future.
Is the MLM business opportunity better off worked at home or what?
MLM is a legitimate and potentially lucrative way to work from home for your own MLM business opportunity.
By directly selling products while creating your own upline downline, you can work your MLM business opportunity part-time, from home, and at in your own hours. Even with all the potential for making money, you should decide, though if an MLM is for you.
Many people are blinded by all the benefits of an MLM when determining if this type of business is right for them. You do not need to have a college degree or any experience to get into the industry.
The products are already manufactured and are usually shipped by the company directly to your customers. Plus, you choose your hours and your work location. In fact, many MLM business opportunities are taken by people who work from the comfort of their own home.
Other benefits of an MLM business opportunity that is worked from home is that you have leverage; you continue earning commissions on a single effort. You do not need to come up with your own business or marketing plan, because the company does it for you. Also, recruiting and training systems are provided for you by the company.
Despite the numerous benefits, MLM businesses do come with some downfalls.
For instance, you usually start of marketing to family and friends. This is especially so if you are just starting your work from home MLM business. This can create some friction and alienation, especially among people who are more acquaintances than close friends and family.
The work is selling, so you need to have a pretty strong backbone, as many people will tell you, “no” instead of the much-coveted “yes”. Therefore, it takes a lot of effort and motivation.
In order to make the most potential income, you need to continuously recruit new representatives. Plus, if you are working from home, your MLM business opportunity require that you purchase a certain amount of product each month or quarter, adding in a financial commitment.
Working at home works for some people. But other people find that it takes a great deal of discipline and motivation to get the job done without being easily distracted. Before you decide to take up the MLM business opportunity and work at home, make sure that you get all the information that you need to make an informed decision.
So weighing out the good and bad, is MLM for you?
Well, if you are a self-starter with a lot of energy and motivation then it is a good start. If you have leadership skills and can set goals and meet them, then MLM might be for you, too.
MLM people have great people skills and are self-starters. They have strong powers of persuasion and can influence people easily.They also have an ability to guide and encourage others to work the program.
An MLM business opportunity is an ideal trade to run on the Internet and work from your home. If you have the personality to run this type of business, then it could be the perfect opportunity for you.
Just make sure you watch out for MLM scams and do your research before joining. Then take advantage of the MLM opportunities that await you. Try working at home and see how well it suits you.
Per Diem Rates and Business Taxes
The tax code for the United States is over 50,000 pages. Buried in this code is the subject of per diem rates, a topic that can save businesses money on their taxes.
Per Diem Rates and Business Taxes
Understanding the Internal Revenue Service and all of its workings when trying to fill out your tax forms can be a monumental undertaking indeed. There are many complicated factors that work their way into gross revenues and potential deductions. In order to successfully get the best rates and save the most money, it is incredibly important to understand some of these complex concepts, such as Per Diem rates.
Employers who pay a per diem allowance to their employees for business travel obviously will seek ways to have this amount deducted which is very understandable considering it is a necessary business expense. The rates released by the IRS each year indicate how much a business can receive in deductions on their taxes from giving their employees allowances for business travel. Essentially, the Per Diem rates give businesses a scale as to how much they can reduce of the amounts that they are considered to have give their employees in wages, thus reducing taxes.
The Per Diem rates are split into two categories. CONUS rates are updated periodically and they relate to the rates for business travel and expenses within the Continental United States. On the other hand, UCONUS rates are posted a bit more often that have to do with the rates in relation to business travel and expenses undertaken outside of the Continental United States, whether it be foreign or even Hawaii and Alaska.
These rates are updated at intervals to reflect the estimated costs of sending employees on business trips to different locations. For instance, an employee flying to New York and staying at a hotel for a business trip would cost considerably more than another employee going to Nebraska. The Per Diem rates are calculated by the Service and attempt to deduce accurately the costs of going to different locations on business. With fluctuating fuel prices, the rates are being changed constantly as you might imagine.
If you have a business and employees that travel, per diem rates should be of interest to you. After all, they are going to save you a load of cash on your tax bill.
Polos and Work Shirts: The Pick of the Litter for Business Uniforms
It's always exciting to start a new job at a reputable company, but if the required uniforms are uncomfortably stuffy, the anticipation of clocking in may decline a few notches. Polos and work shirts are definitely the preference when it comes to uniform gear.
One of the benefits of dispensing Polos and work shirts to employees is the easy upkeep. There's nothing worse than the look on a supervisor or manager's face when an employee shows up in a wrinkled garment. While it is possible to wrinkle Polos, it would take a lot of effort, such as scrunching the shirt into a ball, running over it with a steam roller and then attaching it to a flag pole to flutter in the wind! As long as the worker washes, dries and hangs up the Polo or work shirt in a normal and proper way, they should be able to walk into work wrinkle-free. Really, the only concern at hand for management is making sure the Polo work shirt is tucked into the dress pants or jeans and not stylishly (and sloppily) hanging loosely over the waist line.
Employees prefer polos as work shirts because they simply are more fun and comfortable. These duds are less confining and resemble the casual attire many people would likely wear during their everyday lives rather than a button-down, stiff dress shirt.
Solid color Polo work shirts also add a bit of excitement to the atmosphere of a retail store or restaurant for business patrons. They project a lively and playful environment which sends a message of light-heartedness and sincerity. Additionally, providing employees with matching Polos and work shirts will send a message to customers that help can be attained by simply tracking down an eye-catching red work shirt, for example.
For a retail business, such as an electronics store, it is probably best to keep the Polo work shirt direct and modest as to express the utmost professionalism and business-like atmosphere. Name tags would be a nice addition to add a personable touch to the customer-salesman relationship. Instead of blue jeans, require employees to present themselves in a more salesman-type way, accompanying the Polo work shirt with dress slacks or kaki pants and comfortable, yet clean and tidy, shoes.
However, in a restaurant scene, the more fun the ambience the better. Encourage employees to not only display name tags, but also sport entertaining (but tasteful) pins or broaches and colorful animated buttons. This adds a memorable experience to the paying customer. Because most restaurant workers are required by the health department to secure long hair, providing employees with solid color baseball caps that coordinate with their Polos or work shirts will add to finesse of the uniform. Not only will instituting Polo work shirts into uniform requirements for your business add a controlled and professional appearance to your sales floor, but it was also instill a high-spirited and lively attitude in your employees, as they will feel more comfortable and less confined in their work uniform.
5 Steps To Explode Your Business
Here’s a great strategy that can dramatically change your business. It works best for professional service providers but it can work well for others as well. If you haven’t started down this road before, it can involve a lot of work but you only have to do it once. As soon as you’ve gone through the process once, you can use the same strategy over and over again. And you’ll be positioning yourself as an expert along the way.
First things first. You have to ensure you’re an expert in the field. Does that mean you have to be a PhD in the topic? No, it doesn’t. It just means you have to know enough about the topic to be authoritative. Keep in mind that most people know very little about any one fields and a recent study found that if you read just three books on a particular subject, you’ll effectively become an expert on that topic relative to everyone else.
The next thing you have to do is write a short handbook on the topic. This can be as easy as summarizing the content in the three books you read and putting the same content in your own words and in a condenses document. By doing this, you can forever more refer to yourself as an author and other people will treat you with more respect as a result. I have written two handbooks in the past. One was 28 pages and the other was 34. So these don’t need to be long novels. They just need to demonstrate your expertise.
The process of writing a short handbook does something else too. It structures your thoughts and your understanding of the topic. By being forced to explain the topic to an uneducated reader, you will end up knowing the subject better yourself. And with that understanding in place, you need to massage that content into a 2-hour workshop. Think about the most important points and organize them into a logical order for an audience to hear.
Next up, schedule the event and market it to get a few people in attendance. There are a lot of different ways to market an event like this and it doesn’t need to cost you a lot of money. The important thing is to get 10 or 15 people in attendance. That will give you a sufficient audience to practice delivering the information and getting the questions that naturally come up.
When you’re comfortable with the process, bring a microphone and record an event live. You can download Audacity for free and the microphone will cost $50 or less. Then, you’ll get the exposure from the workshop as usual but you’ll get an information product to boot. The importance of this is significant. A lot of speaking engagements require the speaker to have an information product to sell. It also builds more credibility. And it allows you to make some money even though you’re providing the workshops for free.
This 5-step strategy is a great way to position yourself as an expert within your field and leverage that position to gain new clients or partners. And once you’ve gone through the process once, you’ll have the tools forever more and can use them as often as possible without further efforts.
Tactical Execution has made a business out of helping others achieve their goals. The information in this article is just the tip of the iceberg and I encourage you to visit the website to take advantage of the resources available there.
Is Your Reception Letting Your Business Down?
Visiting a business for the first time a potential client's first point of call is the reception. If the reception desk is not inviting or worse still cluttered and untidy, then your potential customer might believe that the whole business is disorganized!
As the first point of contact the receptions desk should reflect the ethos and identity of your business. It is often your first chance to impress a potential customer or a future supplier.
Businesses should spend just as much time and effort on their reception as they do on their logos, brochures and website. Remember to try and coordinate the furniture elsewhere so that the offices and boardroom also fit in with your receptions design.
If you use bright and bold colors for your reception, it might signify that your company is forward thinking, embraces technology and likes to portray a cool & innovative image.
If you have a more traditional reception it could signify that your business is well established and respected in the community. It can signify conservatism and generate respect from your visitors.
On the outside it should be inviting, welcoming and friendly. Your visitor should be drawn to it and feel relaxed approaching it.
On the inside it should function well as a work station. It must have enough desk and drawer space so that the receptionist can stay organized and uncluttered. If the receptionist is comfortable s/he is much more likely to greet your visitors with a smile.
Phones on the desk should be cordless so that they can be passed to a visitor without worrying about wires. They can then make an important call whilst waiting for their appointment or speak to the person they have come to see.
There must be comfortable seating preferably with arm rests if your visitors are expected to wait for any amount of time. Bear in mind that in this day and age you might also need to provide power sockets so that they have someplace to plug their laptops.
A coffee and tea vending machine is ideal for a busy reception and can make the life of a receptionist a lot easier. A nice coffee table where you can also leave your company brochure finishes of the reception.
The reception is often the first place where real impressions are created and the tone is set for any business that might take place. Is your business giving the right impression to first time visitors?
Will Your Business Be A Victim Of Identity Theft?
Identity theft is the world's fastest growing crime. In the US alone, there are 27,000 identity theft victims daily. It's likely that a high number of these victims include businesses of all sizes.
If Microsoft or Wal-Mart loses customer data to identity thieves, they simply pass the problem onto their extensive legal teams and security experts. But what if your small business gets caught up in some crook's identity scheme?
The consequences can be devastating. The average victim of identity theft spends 1,600 hours sorting out all the problems and confusion. Losses can quickly mount into the thousands of dollars.
To make matters even worse, the federal government demands you keep all your customer and employee information safe from thieves. If it's stolen, you can be liable for big fines and harsh penalties.
If all this makes you just a little nervous, I can't say I blame you. This is the fastest growing crime in history, and touches almost everyone. It could easily devastate your business in a most expensive and public way -- and that's something to worry about.
Keep in mind as soon as it becomes known your customer or employee information was stolen, creditors and customers will start to have second thoughts about doing business with you. This trend has sadly been borne out time and time again.
Fortunately there are some solid, positive answers appearing. Recently one of America's top legal service providers teamed up with one of the world's most respected security companies. The result is a very inexpensive service that monitors credit reports 27/7 to catch criminals in the process of committing a crime.
If suspicious activity appears on a credit report, the alarms are sounded immediately. That can quickly limit and stop unwanted activity.
Furthermore, you'll need legal help. A qualified team of experienced lawyers can help you sort through even the most daunting identity theft problems.
And while we're talking about lawyers, don't skimp on legal representation when dealing with contracts, problem customers, and problem suppliers. The biggest companies and richest individuals don't make a move without first consulting their attorney -- you shouldn't either. One of the reason so many small businesses fail is they can't or won't afford legal help.
Again, this much-needed legal representation is now available for just a few dollars per month. In the past, a business would keep a legal firm on retainer for thousands per month. Because most people don't need a lawyer all that often, top attorneys found they could charge very little per month, help those who asked for help, and still come out ahead. It's a win-win for both lawyers and the business owners who need them.
SEO - Can You Start An SEO Business For Free
Many Internet gurus will lead you to believe that you can make a ton of money as an SEO marketer without making any initial investment into it as a business. This is completely false. Although it is true that you can write a blog strewn with affiliates on a free site, or make yourself up a fancy online business card on a build it yourself website you are probably not going to make much money unless you have a little bit of money to invest in a high quality website with a decent domain name.
Many gurus who write books about this stuff will tell you that you can optimize your site for free by using certain keywords to describe your site etc. This is simply not true. In fact the trend in marketing is for the search engines to start penalizing sites that have too many keywords repeated throughout the main body of the page. This is why you need to be quite clever about your SEO marketing.
The reason is that it is completely impossible to make money on the Internet without an investment is because you must count your time as an investment. Surely your time is worth something and if you don’t value it, who will? Even if you have arranged not to pay for anything online, you need to pay yourself something. So if you pay yourself ten bucks per 500 word SEO article and write eight a day then you need to factor in the cost of your time as eighty bucks a day.
You can make money on the Internet as a SEO marketer without a big investment, but you will not make a six-figure income! You are probably looking in the below $5,000.00 region in that case. The intelligent thing to then do is invest part of that $5,000 back into your SEO business.
Staying Sane While Starting A Home Business
Starting a new business can be a harried experience. There are a myriad of decisions to be made, the budget needs stretched, the new secretary quits before the end of the first week: the struggles are endless. When starting a business from your home, you can add a slew of unique challenges to the list. Being aware of the potential pitfalls, and preparing for them can provide a way of preserving your sanity.
Friends and family members frequently assume that if you are home, you are available. Nothing can set your work back hours, faster than an unplanned visit from your mother. Setting clear boundaries regarding your schedule and availability for phone calls and visits can prevent misunderstandings early on in the life of your business.
If you are choosing to keep your small children home with you while you work, that carefully planned schedule can quickly become fodder for your three year old. Getting up early is often the best way to increase your productivity while those little angels are still slumbering away.
Having a contingency plan for days when the work load requires more attention than usual is an excellent way to head off disasters before they happen. Find local babysitters who are willing to come to your home to help out when needed. Recruit friends and family to provide occasional entertainment for short periods of time to allow you to work without interruptions. Anything that helps you keep focused is a good investment in preserving your sanity.
Running a business from your home has a few perks, especially at tax time. Consulting with a tax expert or accountant early on will arm you with the knowledge necessary to save you time and money when filing your first year’s business taxes.
Finding service providers that are both competent and trustworthy is a lesson in perseverance. The business directories, internet advertisements and even newspaper ads are clogged with scams and incapable providers. Seeking the advice of a seasoned home business veteran can be your salvation. Word of mouth will reveal strengths and problems with service providers.
If you find that you have chosen poorly and end up with a full sized, ten year old copier in your den instead of that sleek, all-in-one model with all the bells and whistles that you paid for, don’t despair. Don’t back down either. You can explain your dissatisfaction firmly and politely while explaining that the services were not acceptable. If after bringing the blunder to the business’ attention, you are still left feeling cold, you can report the offender to the Better Business Bureau: and call for legal advice.
Using good old common sense, a little street smarts and a lot of charm and honesty will help your achieve your business goals, while allowing you to keep your sanity and your home life intact.
Income Opportunity Home Based Business
In my recent articles titled Internet Home Based Business and Online Home Based business: I covered many aspects of creating, marketing and the real time modifications that need to be made on a regular basis. Owning your own online website is a very attractive and obtainable goal for many web surfers. This article will give you some insight into how to easily get you own online business started quickly.
One can see the demand by the observing the key words searched for on a daily basis such as income opportunity home based business, home Internet based business opportunity, work at home based business opportunity, home based mlm, business opportunity, free home based business, and starting a home based business. This just a few of the thousands of searches made daily.
The Internet is an excellent vehicle for many people to us in achieving their business goals. What better way is there to reach millions of people on a regular basis? The startup cost for an online business is minimal. Where else could you get a business that offers such margins and cost so little and reach millions of people? Many people are achieving financial freedom utilizing the Internet. You have to be willing to do a lot of research to find the best online business for your particular skill sets. You also have to sift through the hundreds of programs so that you can narrow down the choices to the best of the best. Not the scam of the scam or worst of the worst.
My suggestion is to either use a website that has researched and eliminated the companies that will only waste both time and money or spend many hours doing the research yourself. I cannot tell you how important the research is. It is mandatory. While I and others offer many different types of home based business and work at home opportunities I am focusing today on a Online Web Site Business.
Once you have selected a home-based business that you wish to start you will need to look at the following areas:
1. Web Site creation (If you are going to have an online website)
2. Companies, Affiliates and various offers for your customers.
3. Marketing your website (How will you get people to visit to your site?).
4. The ability to change your website in a real time mode.
What I realized is that I did not have to be the creator of the business system. I decided to look for an online business system that would encompass the website creation, Have a broad range of affiliate companies to start off with, step-by-step guidance on how to market my website, rules and guidelines on (PPC) advertising and I wanted to have total control of my business and the ability to modify it when necessary. After much research on the Internet I was able to find a proven system that would fast track my online business.
In following a proven system I figured my chances for success would go up and I could take the saved time and put it toward making money faster. It worked for me and as long as you follow the same proven system I think it will for you too. Please feel free to read more of this article by visiting my link in the resource box below. I always enjoy getting emails pertaining to my articles or my site. Your feedback is important to me.
Work At A Home Based Business Opportunity Skill Set
It is common knowledge that you need to work at home based business opportunity success the same way that you need to work hard to achieve success – both personal and financial – from the average nine to five job. Unfortunately, it appears as though it sometimes gets lost in the whirlwind of enthusiasm that the skill sets required to realize the success from the home business and the day job are entirely different. Some might even say that in some cases the skills required are diametrically opposed from one another. To help you work at home based business opportunity success while at the same time give you an insight into the skills that are required to prevent failure, here is a quick list of the four most important proficiencies.
1. You must be a self starter. When you work at a home based business opportunity, you are in charge. You cannot rely on anyone else to tell you to get started, to get to work, to set and meet a deadline, to work through your lunch to accomplish a number of tasks before the end of the day, to work overtime after the kids are in bed to get more done, or to cancel your day off because you need to get a vital aspect of the work done. At a regular job, you will be told by a supervisor when extra hours are available for work, when vacation requests will not be granted, and when a special project requires an “all hands on deck” approach which the company rewards with a catered buffet for everyone who commits to come in on their days off.
2. You should not be a team player. In a startling reversal of the tired adage that requires everyone in a corporation to be a team member and look out for the good of the company or the department, as a person who is busy with work at a home based business opportunity, you are number one. This means you are responsible for everything and your way is the only way. The odds are good that nobody will look out for your benefit, and you will need to be mindful of it yourself. Great customer service is up to you to deliver, hard lined collection of funds is your department, and dealing efficiently with customer complaints and generating goodwill in the community for your business is your job.
3. Recognize personal shortfalls and correct them immediately. If you find that you are not as organized as you should be, you will need to burn the midnight oil and take an online class or course to find a way to become more organized and then implement it. At a regular job this might translate into a seminar your boss may pay for and send you to, and then will most likely end up in your taking some of the suggestions and adapting them to your work environment. In your home business it means adapting your way of doing business to a correct way of being organized.
Last but not least, the most overlooked skill when you work at home based business opportunity success is your unwavering commitment to success. This means that you can look past failure, rejection, and mistakes and instead keep trotting forward, always looking toward the ultimate success – even though there will nobody there to cheer you on. At a job, you will have a boss who will encourage you, a concerned coworker who might write you a nice card and put it on your desk, or a friend who will call to encourage you. Not when you are on your own.
The Nine Principles of Business War
How you can maximize and retain the best and the brightest
Did you know that up to 38% of your managers, supervisors, and team leaders are about to leave? Monster (the premiere online job search company) has seen a 44% increase in new resume postings in the first quarter of 2004. In particular, "confidential" postings from job-seekers hiding the search from their bosses are up 13%.
Do you know who they are?
The Problem
Exit interviews by JWT Specialized Communication show that manager - employee relationships and weak communications are the top reasons for voluntary departure. When there is a gap in alignment between employees, supervisors, and the corporation, you will experience a rise in costs, lowered shareholder value, and increased turnover.
CEOs tell us:
o I'm concerned about losing good people.
o I don't have the time to mentor.
o My key talent is getting burned out.
o How can I help my key talent prepare for an uncertain future?
o What is the benefit of ensuring the personal success of my employees?
Through McNerney's leadership, 3M has certainly become a company that grows. Just imagine what you and your company could accomplish if your key talent knew what their unique strengths, core values, and lifetime goals were!
Are your employees' goals and strengths aligned with the corporation? Do you know what their goals and strengths are?
Consequences of Inaction
James McNerney and 3M are on to something here. By not addressing the personal growth of your employees, the consequences could be:
o People may "resign" but not quit
o If you do not recruit your employees continuously, someone else will
o You will lose the excitement of your employees' first days on the job
o Potential loss of market reputation
o Loss of shareholder value!
So how can you eliminate unwanted turnover and engage your key talent?
The Roadmap to Domination
True success relies on a clear path, consistency, and innovation. And the roadmap to success can come from unusual-and sometimes forgotten-sources. Take the field manual below, for example.
So what does an army field manual have to do with anything, you ask? Plenty. Business is war. It is a battle to reach your objectives. It is a battle to keep your key talent from leaving and "upgrading" your competitors. Above all, it is a battle to dominate your competition.
We have taken this old field manual and put it in a fresh perspective for the modern business leader.
The Nine Principles of Business War
Principle One: Objective
Direct all actions towards a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable objective.
Real leadership begins at the beginning. To engage your employees, you must communicate precisely what the objectives are. This is a war you cannot win alone.
Principle Two: Take the Offensive
Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative.
Once you have determined your objectives (and you have clearly communicated them to your employees), you will have a ready team to seize the opportunities that arise in your market.
Principle Three: Be Effective
Identify your priorities and concentrate minimum essential resources to lower priorities.
For this you must identify your priorities and establish the details of your objectives. By minimum essential resources we mean that the focus of time and money must be on the primary objectives without neglecting the small details and lower priorities.
Principle Four: Be Efficient
Determine the most efficient use of your employees.
This is where personal growth comes into play. To know precisely who to assign to what, you need a system to determine the unique strengths and goals of your employees.. Determine your innovators, brainstormers, organizers, communicators-find the employees with the strengths to match each objective.
Principle Five: Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome
Place your competitors in a position of disadvantage through a flexible application of your resources.
With the right person in the right place, your company will be able to maximize each and every opportunity. Take the time to communicate the company's objectives and to discover the strengths and goals of your employees. By doing this, you will have shown them that you believe in them, and they will be engaged when and where you need them.
Principle Six: Unity of Leadership
For every challenge and objective, ensure synergy among all leadership.
In essence, this means two things: (1) You now know exactly who should be in a position of leadership for each objective and (2) you communicate your collective goals throughout the company. In one word, alignment. By engaging your employees through invested and unified leadership, you can align your employees with the objectives and goals of the company.
Principle Seven: Retain the Best and Maximize the Rest
Never permit the competition to acquire an unexpected advantage.
If you do not actively recruit your key talent, somebody else will. By addressing the personal growth of your employees, the greenest grass will be in your company. Knowing the unique strengths and goals of your employees has another benefit-you will have a clearer picture of those employees who are actively disengaged (or whose strengths are not matched to their job). The real benefit from this will be reduced unwanted turnover, where the costs can add up to more than 150% of the former employee's salary.
Principle Eight: Innovate
Strike at a time or place, or in a manner, for which the competition is unprepared.
This principle cannot be properly done if you do not know the unique strengths of your key talent. With the alignment of strength to action, you can maximize the hidden opportunities that arise in your market.
Principle Nine: Simplicity
Prepare clear, uncomplicated plans and clear, concise orders to ensure thorough understanding.
By aligning your employees' goals to the company's goals, they will be engaged and ready to act. You must communicate clearly and constantly the mission, values, and objectives of your company.
How can you put all of this into action?
Dominating the market does not come easily. You need a system to determine the unique strengths of your employees and address their personal growth. This insight will let you match ability with action. Are your innovators organizing? Are your organizers innovating? "The right tool for the right job" isn't just for carpenters and mechanics.
Engage your workforce. Help them achieve personal success. This will transform your company into a highly profitable and aligned organization.
Langston began his career in the international business arena almost 30 years ago, he had two objectives:
1) Become a successful global leader and
2) Maximize the potential of all those he came into contact with.
While running operations in excess of $1.2 Billion and 8,000 employees, he learned that without a process and technology, these two goals often worked against each other. He created 100daystosuccess to provide Life, Personal and Business coaches and Executives with a proven Roadmap which will help their clients Discover, Determine and Direct their futures while driving an excellent return on investment (ROI).
Successful Home Businesses – A Second Income from Homes
Successful Home Businesses – A Second Income from Homes: The dilemma whether your legitimate home based businesses will be a success or not can be nerve wrecking. So evaluate all aspects of your stay at home business solution before you actually start a home business. Examine the pros and cons of money making home business ; especially it’s financial and commercial aspects before starting one. The reason is most people lose money in their home based business ventures. The market is teeming with hundreds of ideas of stay at home business. Every single day new schemes come into the market calling them money making home business opportunity. Sadly, most of the so-called successful home businesses are scams.
The right money making home business: If you are planning to start home based business, choose a stay at home business that interests you. If you are pursuing it just for kicks, sooner or later you are going to fail in legitimate home based businesses. Hence choosing the right kind of money making home business can decide whether you will be successful or not. So do your research and then decide on which of the successful home businesses suit you.
Speculate all your issues minutely: Do not leave your stay at home business solution midway and change to a stable but permanent job This is the mistake most people in legitimate home based businesses do. Once you start home based business, try to understand the nitty gritties of it. Also don’t expect that you will become successful within a few days of starting your work from home business . So stays put & work hard at your work towards making your home based businesses a grand success.
Choose the Right Partner: Successful home businesses will bring you rewarding results in the due course of time. At the beginning, there will be certain difficulties associated with your work at home business solution which will frustrate you. Your mental and physical stress will hinder you to resolve these issues. The best solution to such a situation is a partner or a mentor who will be at your side and guide you through the difficult times.
Make failures your strength : Once you decide on a stay at home business, make sure you allocate the resources in a planned way. And in spite of everything, you keep in your mind is whether the legitimate home based businesses will actually make money or not?
There are chances of failure in every business, and work in home businesses are no exception. That doesn’t mean that you should give up all your efforts and leave everything to destiny. But if any unfavorable situation has evolved, face it bravely with confidence. S tart a home business only if you are comfortable with the idea. If your financial situation doesn’t permit you to take risks then it is better to take up the idea of work at home business solution at a later time.
Remember, success of your business depends on the way you project your business to the world. The success or failure in home businesses depends on the degree of confidence you have in your home business and also on your own abilities.
5 Low Cost High Profit Businesses You Can Start From Home While Working In Your Pajamas
There are two type of people in the world. Those who see the glass half empty and those who see it half full. This experience was heightened for me when I had lunch with an old colleague from work and he began to complain about how only rich people could start a business. I thought he was joking.
As I sat and listened he ranted for almost ten minutes giving all the reasons he could not start his own business and get out of the rat race. He talked about the high cost of start ups,
franchising and real estate development. When he finally came up for air I decided to ask simply ask him one question. Mark, “Have you every asked yourself what kind of low cost businesses with high profit margins are out there?”
He looked like he had been run over by a truck. I went on to say, “You are just asking the wrong question.” He sat for a minute and said, “Ok, if you’re so smart give me some ideas.” I said, “Great. Oh and by the way let's make it fun and focus on the ones you can work from home in your pajamas.”
Here are the 5 low cost high profit businesses I shared with Mark.
1. Internet Marketing: Do you have a computer in your home? If so you could be sitting on a gold mine. People use the internet to do all types of things. From a multimillion dollar wire jewelry making enterprise to a young kid from Long Beach California who created his empire teaching people how to play music by ear. Everyday people are getting on the internet and pursuing their own dot com fortune.
2. Tele-seminars: If you not a very technical person one of the
best strategies is tele-seminars. With simply a telephone and a
conference call line for your guest to call in on you can offer
a class or seminar. You can either use it as a lead generator or you can sell your product or service from the seminar itself. An additional product can come from recording the class. Once you record the class it can become an instant product you can create passive income from.
3. Joint Ventures: If you like the idea of not needing a product or money of your own than the idea of joint venturing could be for you. This business is simply the art of the deal. You are paid in direct proportion to your ability to bring together two parties who would not otherwise know each other outside of your introduction.
For example if you combine company A’s products, knowledge,
resources and partner it with company B’s client list you get to share in the profits. And it would not cost you one cent.
4. Affiliate Marketing: What if someone else did most of the work but you got to share in the profit pie? Well, that is
what affiliate marketing is all about. There are thousands of
products ranging from digital down loads, books,seminars not to
mention hard products like computers, cell phones and other
techie stuff. Your job is to find the products that your market is interested in and when you sell something you get a percentage of the sale. You can do this without having any inventory or the overhead of a traditional business.
5. Information Products: This is one of the most highly lucrative low cost businesses you can get into. If you have specialized knowledge or can do you can research and reporton it you can create products that are highly profitable. For example, one of the fastest ways to success is to interview experts in a high demand niche market.
Once you have interviewed these experts you can take the information and create several different products from the one interview. Some of the things you can do is sell the recording itself, sell the transcript of the call, use some of the content create an e-book or report or take several of the interviews and put them together for an expert tape series.
6. Network Marketing/MLM: I have always been a fan of network
marketing because the business model is as much about self
development as it is building a business. The premise is you find a company that you are passionate about the product, has a proven system and strong team leadership. Most of these companies are low cost of entry. And you build your empire leveraging the efforts of many.
Some people incorrectly believe you are going to get rich off the back of someone else. Not true. The very core of network marketing is built on the fact that you get paid in direct proportion of your ability to recruit, train, inspire, support and lead a voluntary group of people. For those who can do this the rewards are great.
7. EBay: I was recently introduced to the EBay craze by someone
who in the beginning had no money so he decided to sell a tape set a friend had created. This product was a compilation of interviews with successful entrepreneurs. Their first sale was $37.00 and they went on to build multi-million dollar empire. EBay is one of the quickest ways to get to a profit. You can take things that you have in your garage today and sell them on EBay tomorrow. Remember one mans junk is another mans treasure.
At the end of the lunch something interesting happened. My friend Mark was starting to see the glass half full. How about you? Are you looking for a business you can start without breaking the bank? The above five businesses are just a few ideas to jump start your thought process. However, make no mistake you can start a low cost high profit business and enjoy it while lounging in your pajamas.