Archive for August 2009
Web Mompreneur Celebrates 2 Years Of Selling Handmande Judaica Online
PR Web: Risa Borsykowsky of Albertson, NY is celebrating the 2nd anniversary of her website, www.JewishGiftPlace.com. Risa, a website designer for almost 10 years, launched her own retail web business after designing dozens of websites for clients across the country. Excited by her success in helping her clients rank well in Google and Yahoo, Risa [...]
Bigger Isn't Always Better, And These Mom's Know It
Examiner.com: Although she has lived in the United States for nearly 15 years, Orlando resident Ceci Livingston couldn’t help but notice the difference between the product offerings for babies and toddlers in the US versus her native Sweden. “In Sweden we were used to clean lines and functional products. Less is more, so to speak. [...]
Inventor Scales Building Using Homemade Vacuum Gloves
Popular Science: Nothing puts the DIY in climbing a building like a homemade pair of suction gloves. Inventor Jem Stansfield used his vacuum-powered device to clamber up the 120-foot aluminum wall of the White City building in London last week. Each glove consists of wooden panels edged with latex and attached via tubing to its [...]
photo credit: Veyis Polat Here’s another camel business idea: This time, they’re being used for meat in Australia. Business owners and environmentalists in Australia are promoting camels as a source of meat to battle an explosion of the country’s camel population. The Daily Telegraph said Tuesday that environmentalists support the stance of business owners like [...]
Curing Negativity In The Work Place
photo credit: recursion_see_recursion It is no surprise to any of us that negative attitudes, whether in business or personal life, can be a real issue. They spread like wild fire causing the people around us to become negative as a direct result of our attitude. Sadly, negative attitudes have been proven to be believed by [...]
The Denver Post: Maureen Russell has three gigs. Hillary Skye works four. And George Peele? He juggles at least five. All of these Front Rangers are fully engaged with an economy that has become stingy with full-time jobs. To make ends meet, they balance part-time gigs. Economists and others who wrestle with employment issues have [...]
Chicago Tribune: Not content with conquering the world of human fashion, the folks who brought us the Snuggie (“The Blanket with Sleeves!”) are now taking aim at man’s best friend. The Snuggie for Dogs — available in two colors and four sizes — has just hit the market. And it promises to do for Little [...]
photo credit: Marcus Vegas When first starting your own business many people tend to go a little bit mind crazy in terms of worrying about competing strongly with their competitors, offering everything under the sun to their clients, having off the charts profits 3 months into their start-up. The problem with this is more times [...]
The Wall Street Journal: Kate Washburn didn’t know what to make of the email a friend sent to her office with the abbreviation “NSFW” written at the bottom. Then she clicked through the attached sideshow, titled “Awkward Family Photos.” It included shots of a family in furry “nude” suits and of another family alongside a [...]
Summer Sanity Tips For Work From Home Moms
photo credit: jaeWALK During summer vacation all of us stay at home moms can appreciate the higher level of stress that most of us tend to experience. Your juggling your kids, play time, work, house cleaning, errands, play dates and more. Here are some tips to help keep your sanity during the kids summer [...]
Houston Chronicle: If a thief steals a car, authorities usually return it to the rightful owner if they find it. But if a prime piece of online real estate — a domain name — is stolen, it may not be as simple to get back. Just ask Marc Ostrofsky. The Houston dot-com figure, known for [...]
Social Media Sites For Small Businesses
photo credit: Damien Basile Today you can never have too many social network connections. What you may not find on one site, you may find on another site that will boost your traffic and connections. In business it is always a good idea to have numerous options in terms of social connections. Below is a [...]
Part-Time Blogging Leads To Income For Mom
Chicago Sun-Times: Lisa Martin, a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan and Wisconsinite whose fate is to live in Oak Lawn, is gaining a following and part-time income as a mom blogger by offering hints on saving money, finding useful household products and dealing with tough family situations. “I started blogging as a way to keep [...]
Campbell River Mirror: Leslie Hanes thanks her kids for her nomination as Mom Entrepreneur of the Year. After all, if it wasn’t for her two daughters asking “we need this” or “we need that” for their equestrian events, Hanes may have never started her fast-growing business, Discovery Trekking Outfitters. “They kept asking me to make [...]
Management-Issues.com: USC Marshall School of Business professor Christine Porath and co-author Christine Pearson, a professor of management at Thunderbird School of Global Management, discovered just how much bad manners can impact the bottom line while researching a new book, The Cost of Bad Behavior: How Incivility is Damaging Your Business and What to Do About [...]
Just Between Friends Offers The Ultimate Consignment Shopping Experience
It is not always easy for a company to do better as the economy gets worse, but Just Between Friends is definitely doing well. It might be the opportunity for mom’s to clear out their closets or the fact people are looking to buy quality used items, but either way business is good for JBF [...]
TheStreet: The image of a serene sunbather on a tropical beach with cocktail in hand doesn’t scream out “small business owner,” and it probably never will. It’s tough enough running any business but owners of small shops with just one or a few employees have their own special challenges – like taking a vacation. Paige [...]
Are You Targeting The Right Customer?
photo credit: uriba Now that it is summer, many business owners are doing their usual summer promotions and sales. But the the big question today is whether or not your targeting the RIGHT customer for your summer promotions and sales? It obviously doesn’t help to run the promotion unless your marketing towards the right people, [...]
The Herald Bulletin: Putting a new spin on the popular Community Supported Agriculture farms, Matt and Sherry Gunter began their own version last spring. Targeting the gourmet food market, they offer many exotic and unusual vegetables and fruits. “We are truly trying to fill the gourmet niche,” said Matt. “You aren’t going to find most [...]
photo credit: 4_EveR_YounG Going hard and deep into one network, like LinkedIn, is the only way to gain the momentum delivered by consistent work and engagement. When it comes to setting up your profile on LinkedIn make sure you take full advantage of this feature and get the most out of it that you can. [...]
The Fayetteville Observer: A year ago at Topsail Beach, Julia Sherron had a Good Idea. Watching her two sons drink from cans insulated with foam coozies, she wondered why there wasn’t a similar product for the wine glass she was holding. “I had my wine glass, and the glass was just dripping,” said Sherron. “I [...]
Are We Slowly Turning Into Hermits?
photo credit: kretyen I recently came across an article posted on Fast Company regarding cutting out the waiting in line at fast food chains. Wow. Now i do agree that sometimes fast food chains are not always exactly FAST but still, cutting out the waiting period at McDonald’s just seems silly to me. This method is [...]
For Kids’ Sake: Designing A Healthier Snack Cart
WorldChanging.com: Children growing up in the crowded slums of Jakarta ease their hunger pangs by frequenting the food carts lining the streets and alleys of this mega-city. Snacks are so cheap that even poor mothers can afford to send their kids off to school with enough rupiah to buy a bag of chips or sweet [...]
photo credit: NNECAPA We hear all kinds of tales and stories regarding everything in life, and it is no different when it comes to owning a business or buying a franchise, you will hear all kinds of tales and myths regarding this issue. I have compiled a list of myths below related to owning a [...]
5 Steps To Building A Successful Niche Biz
Entrepreneur: From aquatic sporting goods for dogs to Michelle Obama-inspired fashion websites, niche products and services have the potential to generate big bucks if they capture the hearts, minds and wallets of a dedicated consumer base. Are you ready to become the big fish in a small pond? Is your passion unique enough to turn [...]
Appleton Post-Crescent: Q: You’re an entrepreneur at the helm of a growing jewelry business and a mom of a growing family. How do you juggle the two? A: I ask myself that all the time. I ask other women all the time. We all come up with the same answer: We do the best we [...]
Ex-Single Mom And Author Offers Inspiration To Single Moms
examiner.com: Henderson resident, author, life coach and business woman Honorée Corpron has been there. As a former single mom, she knows what it is like to feel alone and go through the emotional and financial struggles that only single parenting can bring. In her book, The Successful Single Mom, she explains how to move on [...]
Mom’s OnTray Helps Ease Shopping Woes
It holds coupons for the deal conscious shopper. It holds snacks for the mom shopping with her kids. It is the OnTray. This is not our first look at Laura Hamrick, the founder of this innovative shopping tool. Lisa Di Clemente first interviewed Laura about her invention and business for us in December of 2007. [...]
99 Ways To Make Money Using Twitter
The challenge in writing and researching a Twitter business book is to look at all the strategies, methods, and ways of making money on Twitter, and to bring them together into a book that is current, yet filled with case studies that will not go out of date.
Shark Tank: New TV Show for Entrepreneurs
I’ve been looking forward to Shark Tank summer. It is an American version of the venture capitalist television program Dragons’ Den. The show follows ambitious entrepreneurs as they attempt to sway successful tycoons to invest in their businesses. Here’s a sneak peak, and their press release is after the jump. “Shark Tank,” an exciting new [...]
Struggling Entrepreneur Podcast: European Bistro
The newest episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast is out: In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we examine how a Restaurant entrepreneur with a niche target market of European cuisine has discovered and implemented some unique items and incentives to deliver superior customer service and a rich customer experience–and this, at the same time [...]
Must Read Small Business Blogs
I recently came across an article posted on The Franchise King regarding the top small business blogs that every small business owner should be reading. Lots of good blogs on his list, including this one.
Locating Twitter Professionals By Profession
photo credit: szlea When we think about Twitter we think about the tens of thousands of people currently using Twitter. This can give most business owners a headache when thinking about how they can get in touch with business professionals on Twitter that have similar interests. I recently read an article on Duct Tape Marketing [...]
Springwise: Offering an alternative to traditional cardboard boxes for moving, Frogbox, a Canadian contender that currently serves the Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., areas. Frogboxes are green, industrial-strength plastic containers that are available in standard and wardrobe sizes. Consumers simply order the boxes they need, and Frogbox drops them off at their home using its biodiesel [...]
photo credit: shaymus022 If you are in the process of opening a new business or even just in the early stage of thinking about your own start-up, then I’m sure by now you have at least realized all the many aspects that you have to consider, one being your competitors and potential competitors. I [...]
College Grads Get Comfy With Invention
Nashua Telegraph: Most guys hanging around a college dorm room playing video games are more likely to come up with pizza toppings than an award-winning invention. But those guys aren’t Andy Goetting and Tyler Price. What started as a late-night, “wouldn’t-it-be-cool” musing has turned into a potentially lucrative business venture for the recent college grads [...]
Embracing Slowness: The Anti-Energy Drink
Springwise: Out to help those looking for a quick relaxation fix, a new drink from Canada offers ‘an acupuncture session’ in every can. An antidote to energy drinks like Red Bull, Slow Cow was developed to help people de-stress. Under the premise that caffeine-packed drinks tend to increase anxiety, Slow Cow contains theanine, chamomile, valerian, [...]
photo credit: chaps1 In business today it is sometimes tough balancing the many sectors of our companies. Often times too much attention is paid to a few sectors that we consider important while the others are neglected. The problem with this is that ALL sectors of our companies are important, especially that of advertising. [...]
Keeping Your Home Biz Humming This Summer
LA Working Moms Examiner: Has this ever happened to you? You’ve started a business at home or are building your business. You are getting on a roll and things are beginning to click. New marketing opportunities are showing up and clients and customers are finding you. And then, when summer starts and the kids are [...]
Concierge Service For Moms, Started By Moms
San Jose Mercury News: One was an attorney, the other an engineer. With high-pressure careers, young children and busy households to manage, both were tired of running full speed on the Silicon Valley treadmill. “We were leading hectic, corporate lives,” said Carmela Guizar-Sanchez, the engineer. “I had a second job just managing the housekeeper, gardener, [...]
Reusable Lunch Kits Make It Easy To Go Green
PR Web: Just in time for the back-to-school season, citizenpip introduces eco-friendly, practical, and safe reusable lunch kits that make it easy to pack a waste-free lunch. Inspired by the belief that making small changes in your daily habits can make a significant impact, citizenpip offers an easy alternative to the disposable lunch so that [...]
This sounds neat. I was at this park about seven years ago. We should go back and take the children. The three African elephants at the Wildlife Safari [in Winston, Oregon], have a job at the new “Elephant Car Wash”. For $20, visitors can have an up-close-and-personal encounter with the elephants as they wash down [...]
What To Do During Boring Business Meetings
photo credit: Adam Tinworth While yes business meetings are vital to the companies success and help to keep everyone on track and in perspective, some speakers of these meetings tend to drag it out longer then it really needs to be. This causes loss of valuable time which ultimately costs you money. So below [...]
Beer Summit’s Buzz Might Boost Brew Sales
USA TODAY: A beer summit at the White House might be just what premium brewers needed to lift sales for the rest of the summer. Sales for the $90 billion beer business are soft so far this summer — traditionally the time when most beer is sold. Analysts split the blame between the weak economy [...]
A Look At Scentsy Through The Eyes Of A Consultant
What is a candle that has no wick? It is probably a Scentsy candle! Unlike the traditional candle, wickless candles don’t need a flame to burn the wax and they are smoke-free. It has been one and a half years since Sherri Burton joined as a consultant with Scentsy. Since then she has seen nothing [...]
Why Marketing is Too Important to be Left to the Marketing Department
At last year’s Business of Software conference, Seth Godin gave a great talk about “Why marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department”. Don’t worry, it’s not really about software.
Scrapbooking, For The RFID Age
Fast Company: Amina Nazari is a product designer by training, so it makes sense that she was mystified by the things that people don’t need, but nonetheless hang onto because of their sentimental value. Sure, we might attach a story to an heirloom–but what about all the stories of its previous owners, which have been [...]
Triangle Business Journal: This may come as a surprise to folks in Raleigh, Durham and especially for companies in Research Triangle Park, but Chapel Hill has eclipsed its larger rivals by becoming one of the best startup cities in the nation. At least that’s what the August issue of Entrepreneur magazine reports. The magazine lists [...]
10 Best (and Real) Work-at-Home Jobs
Yahoo Finance: Consider these jobs — some rather traditional and others unexpected — for interesting at-home work and good (if competitive) prospects. 1. Virtual Assistant This is a field with much potential, in part because the title description covers many things. “You can fit your offerings to what you know how to do,” says Foster. [...]
Google Tools For Your Business
photo credit: massless When starting a web business it is important to have all the resources you can get, it is important that you use these resources to their fullest, it will make your job a lot easier. Even if you already have an existing web business you should take a look at this list [...]
