Archive for July 2009
Angel Investors – A Homework Kit
Preparedness creates confidence, and confidence seals deals. So take a good look at our points, and see if you and your venture fit the profile.
Are You An Inventor Or An Entrepreneur?
Harvard Business Publishing: One of the most consistent things I hear entrepreneurs say is, “I have this great idea.” And the advice they often get is to write a business plan and make it their bible. Most entrepreneurs firmly believe there is nothing better than a solid plan couples with a great idea. But don’t [...]
Rising Cost Of Childcare Leads More Moms To Work From Home
Examiner.com: According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), there are more than 96,000 women in the workforce in Arkansas with children under the age of six. This is more than 63% of mothers in the state. The national numbers are even greater, with more than 9,000,000 mothers of small [...]
GreenRay is developing a do it yourself solar appliance that can plug your home into the sun. Their modular, plug-and-play AC solar panel drops the cost of solar by simplifying system design and installation. Buying a solar electric system will be as easy as buying your water heater. Today’s photovoltaic modules generate DC power. Additional [...]
Myths That Kill Your Marketing Copy
photo credit: karen horton Just as there are steps you must take to write great copy, there are also mistakes you can make that can destroy your marketing messages and reduce your ROI to a fraction of what it could have been. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your customers care about you and [...]
Get Your Invention into Bed Bath & Beyond
Have you discovered a need for a dorm room product that does not exist? Here is your chance to invent a solution based product that could be sold in Bed Bath & Beyond. They have partnered with Edison Nation to search for problem solving product ideas submitted by the Students of Invention. If your idea [...]
10 Rules For Quick And Easy PR
Entrepreneur: How can you make the PR process work for you? Let me walk you through 10 rules you need to create an effective PR plan to give your product competitive advantages in your market: 1. Know your market. 2. Identify the product benefits relevant to your market. 3. Establish your product as unique. 4. [...]
Emily Rose @ Home Offers A Biz Op For Mothers And Daughters
Young girls like dolls, which is no surprise to most parents. The American Girl doll series is one of the more popular choices among them. Each doll has its own story, set of clothing, and shares a valuable lesson for every child that’ll listen. What they don’t have is affordable accessories. Lisa-Marie Cabrelli found herself [...]
My-Alarm: Self Monitored Alarms
My-Alarm is a cellular phone based home alarm business opportunity. My-Alarm uses a wireless system to transmit an alarm notification (like a window or door being opened, or motion detected) to any cellphone via a text message, or to any other phone via an automated voice message. The system can text message or call any [...]
Is Your Business Ready To Be Sold?
photo credit: PinkMoose The news might seem anything but encouraging; yet it doesn’t mean there’s no hope for selling a business successfully in this market. The truth is that some deals are closing, but in almost all of these cases there are some key attributes involved. Any business owner with a company on the market [...]
eBay Consignment Biz Is Booming
Skip Mcgrath Blog: It wasn’t that long ago that the consignment business model was considered pretty much dead. The severity of this recession has caused record unemployment, record home foreclosures and record bankruptcies. This results in people and businesses needing to raise cash or sell off goods and merchandise from bankrupt people and companies. This [...]
Entrepreneur: There are many ways to get access to the expertise you may need. The bad news is that just the process of managing your advisors and advice can be a challenge, especially when the advice you get from one expert conflicts with that given by another. However, the most critical mark of a good [...]
MakeUseOf.com: Flippa is a web service that acts as an online marketplace for buying and selling entire websites. The site is not new, it is actually redesigned and renamed version of a well known website auction section on a SitePoint.com. You have to be registered before you can buy or sell websites. While buying, searching [...]
Mompreneur Turns Gifts Into A Business
Rockford Register Star: When Joelene Chinn finishes one of her creations, it’s a bit like Rockford’s infamous Sock Monkey — gone punk. The 33-year-old mother is the mastermind behind the rockin’ sock dolls popping up throughout the Rock River Valley. It’s only been a few months since she launched her business, Socks That Rock, but [...]
WAHM-Articles.com Announces Partnership With Studio One Networks
PR-USA.net: WAHM-Articles.com, the website that publishes articles written by work at home moms (WAHMs) for work at home moms, recently announced an editorial partnership with Studio One Networks to bring WAHM-Articles.com readers Ideas That Spark, a free online program sponsored by Bounty paper towel that provides daily tips, fun quizzes, audiocasts, and feature articles that [...]
photo credit: Torley Recently there have been quite a few reports stating that newly graduated design specialists are having some trouble landing their dream job in that field, according to FastCompany. The speculation behind this problem is that there are a number of rather important skills that companies look for in design specialists that [...]
Product Teaches Kids Entrepreneur Skills
Phoenix Business Journal: A Phoenix woman is hoping to teach youngsters entrepreneurial skills with a venture called Biz in a Boxx. Melissa Rose developed the product during the past year and launched it in May after becoming concerned about the academic performance of her young daughter. She came up with the idea to help teach [...]
Storytellers To Follow On Twitter
photo credit: Atilla1000 In light of recent posts on improving your blog and how to make your blog work for you, I thought it to be a good idea to post a little list of some storytellers that you should follow on Twitter, recently found on DirectorTom.com. You never know what ideas or story [...]
Are Veterans Better Franchisees?
photo credit: BL1961 Entrepreneur.com posted a very interesting article on how veterans often make great franchise owners. There were many points brought up in this article that I have to agree with and find also very interesting as well. Today with more and more people being out of work, businesses and franchises are going up more [...]
The New York Times: For all those small-business owners looking for additional sources of profitable revenue — and who isn’t? — one option may be to go back to something old-fashioned: the suggestion box. Here are some suggestions about using that old idea effectively. 1. Make it easy. “Don’t enforce rules like: ‘Employees may only [...]
Online Network Offers Mompreneurs An Opportunity To Connect
While every entrepreneur is different, “mompreneurs” have one thing in common: children. Whether they are trying to balance their business and time for family or working from home and trying to find ways to work around their children’s needs, these are women who chose to create their own path to success while raising a family. [...]
A Guiding Hand From Big Biz To Small
The New York Times: For a small business, especially in the current weak economy, a contract to supply goods or services to a large corporation can be a welcome lifeline. Some big companies, meanwhile, are seeking to expand their network of small suppliers. To serve both their interests, some major corporations, including I.B.M., Wal-Mart, Procter [...]
Maid Brigade Giving Away Franchises To Vets
The Franchise King Blog: The Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway, is a program that will award more than $1.5 million in business ownership opportunities to 100+ veterans, creating more than 1,000 jobs nationwide. If you are a Veteran, you military experience could come in handy as a franchise owner. To enter, just tell the judges [...]
MakeUseOf.com: Mon.itor.us is a comprehensive online site monitoring and tracking service which not only warns you when your website is down but also provides statistics of your website’s uptime, downtime, visitor traffic and more. It provides a lot of information about your site and web server that helps you maintain a high uptime. Mon.itor.us monitors [...]
Web Tool ‘Calculates’ Biz Success
Entrepreneur: Starting a business is not for the risk averse. But in an effort to help entrepreneurs assess just how much risk is associated with launching or running their business, StartupNation.com, a website that provides business advice and networking for entrepreneurs, recently introduced an Odds of Success Calculator. The business valuation device calculates a business [...]
Halloween Stores: How Do They Work?
My wife mentioned earlier today that she received an email advertising Halloween costumes. Is it that time of the year already? Since we live in the middle of nowhere, we have to plan ahead for everything. When we lived closer to civilization, I was always amazed at all of the Halloween stores that would popup [...]
With the exception of advertising, Google offers most of it’s software and services for free. Does Being Free Cheapen Google’s Brand? Yes No View Results Photo by Google.
Hiring People Who Are Already Employed
photo credit: Piez Harvard Business recently wrote an article regarding the fact that employers are still hiring people who already have jobs rather than all of the hundreds who are out of work fighting to get by and pleading for a job! Most employers are doing this in the mind set that those who do not [...]
The Differences Between Marketing to Friends and Strangers
photo credit: kalandrakas The following guest post is by Aditya Mahesh, founder of AMBeat.com, a complete resource for entrepreneurs complete with advice articles, start-up profiles, interviews, news analysis, and more. Take a minute to think about the ways you recommend products to friends and family. You are brutally honest and want to make sure that [...]
photo credit: extranoise We have all heard all of the rumors and statements going around about all of the billion’s of dollars that is being offered to businesses around the country as part of the stimulus package. Most of us however don’t either know where to locate them or even what part of the funds [...]
Woman Hopes to Make a Killing With New Business
Kitsap Sun: You might say she’s stabbed, shot and strangled her way into a business she says is perfect for stay-at-home moms. Rae Walaska, 29, of Port Orchard started Murder & Mayhem: Murder Mystery Parties a few months ago and already has gone from whodunits in her home to some big-time public fundraisers. Not bad [...]
photo credit: Steve Keys One of the things that use to be prevalent everywhere in business years ago was the concept of the suggestion box. Today it is very rare to see these out in any type of business, rather we ask that our customers and employees send their suggestions in emails. The New York Times suggests [...]
photo credit: lecates There’s a short and interesting post on Digital Photography School about how to survive bad economic times as a photographer, but it could apply to almost any small business. There are three main points: Have The Right Attitude Don’t Wait For Business Think Outside The Box
Making Customer Service Personal
photo credit: powerbooktrance One of the things your customers hate more than not having personal recognitions is their personal identity being ignored. When you treat every customer as though they are exactly the same, it creates a sense of you don’t understand their needs, their wants, you are only interested in making a quick sale. [...]
Meeting Employees Personal Needs
photo credit: Torley For most small businesses, the owner is the key person in the leadership role. Some owners and managers of businesses are convinced that it is only the money that creates passionate performance, productivity, and connectedness in employees. I’ve heard it many times in one form or another: “They are well paid; I [...]
Etsy: Arts and Crafts are Big Business
Crains NY: As a high–school dropout who had gone on to attend half a dozen colleges before finally emerging from New York University with a major in the classics, Rob Kalin seemed to have few—if any—of the ingredients for entrepreneurial success. Instead, at the age of 25 he was just another aspiring furniture designer, working [...]
Must Have Qualities Of Franchise Marketing
photo credit: powerbooktrance Anyone contemplating taking on a franchise business should know all there is to know about that company, their customer base, revenue, expenses and most importantly their franchise marketing system. Below are some helpful hints on how you can spot a great franchise marketing system before buying your franchise, located on Entrepreneur.com. [...]
Moms Create Business Plan That's In The Bag
San Francisco Examiner: Peninsula residents Jan Mercer and Caryl Parker went with a simple business model: see a need and fill it. One year later, their small company, which designs and sells environmentally sustainable shopping bags, is thriving. Mixed Bag Designs — founded by the two stay-at-home moms in February 2008 — began simply as [...]
Running A Home Business & Earning Extra Income As A Single Mom
Elites TV: Single mom’s often are in a difficult predicament, as they have to earn an income but at the same time they have children who need to be cared for. The are many ways to run an online home based business and it’s not very difficult to do The biggest problem with most people [...]
Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention. The Father Is Unknown. BBQ Grill Beach Towel. Grill marks on your back are optional. Bottleclip. Wonder if it would work for a six-pack? Oh Snap! Cheese Board Set. Just tell your guests you have a LARGE rodent problem. Smoke in a Can. Nothing is more romantic than coughing [...]
Fortune Magazine: Leasing a TV may sound like the type of scheme cooked up by college students and others suffering from cash-strapped fever. But renting to own ordinary household items is expanding to more mainstream consumers. Just ask the folks at Aaron’s, the Atlanta-based company with $1.56 billion in sales that leases new and used [...]
Entrepreneur: You need money to start up; you need money to operate; and you need money to grow. Throw the dismal economy into the equation–when people are spending less and it’s taking longer for small businesses to get paid (according to the “Economic Pulse” survey)–and money is even harder to come by. Most important, you [...]
10 Best Places For Boomers To Start Bizs
Daily News: Contrary to the stereotype of 20-somethings starting Web-based businesses in their basements, it’s actually the baby boomers who best embody the entrepreneurial spirit. Over the past decade, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity was among people between the ages of 55 and 64, according to a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation. Luckily, [...]
Bumper Stickers Recruit Twitter Followers
Springwise: If a Twitter user tweets, but no one is following them, do they really tweet at all? Aiming to make such philosophical gymnastics less necessary, Tweet My Bumper helps Twitterers recruit new followers by targeting one of life’s few remaining captive audiences: drivers in traffic. Twitterers seeking followers need only visit Tweet My Bumper, [...]
Mom Makes A 'Killing' With New Business
Kitsap Sun: You might say she’s stabbed, shot and strangled her way into a business she says is perfect for stay-at-home moms. Rae Walaska, 29, of Port Orchard started Murder & Mayhem: Murder Mystery Parties a few months ago and already has gone from whodunits in her home to some big-time public fundraisers. Not bad [...]
SWCreations Inspires Others With Push Your Own Button Bracelets
Much like a photo, jewelry has a voice of its own. While it might not say something directly, it still represents a feeling, a thought, or event a special moment in time. All of which is very true for Stephanie White’s button bracelet collection, a design that was inspired by a negative time in her [...]
Barber Launches Shaving School
Springwise: Shaving knowledge and technique is not instinctive, all men need to learn the art and unfortunately many learn it badly”. A passionate statement from London-based grooming shop Geo F. Trumper, which now offers classes on how to shave properly. Customer demand led to the introduction of the one-to-one sessions, in which a barber shows [...]
Candace Nelson: Sweet Success with Sprinkles Cupcakes
Entrepreneur Success Stories: Sometimes success can be found only after changing career directions. Candace Nelson was a former investment banker who realized, after losing her job in the dot-com bust, that her life’s passion is baking. Candace then traded her suits to a baker’s uniform and found culinary success with her cupcakes. In 2005, Candace [...]
Fear No.4: Consuming Your Life
Entrepreneur: The idea of not having any time for yourself, neglecting your family and giving up your social life can be terrifying. “A lot of entrepreneurs think, ‘If I own my own business, then I have to eat, breathe and sleep this business,’” Long says. “There’s a lot of guilt where they think any downtime [...]
Mother/Daughter Scrapbooking & Business At Mom And Me
Examiner.com: Mom & Me opened their doors in 1997 on the corner of 3300 South and 2300 East and moved to their current location nearly 3 1/2 years ago. It began as an adventure by a mother and her three daughters. “At the time we opened, there weren’t many other scrapbook stores and those that [...]
