Business Opportunities Weblog

June 2, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Entrepreneur:

If you are proficient in both Macintosh and PC, you should offer training in both types of computers.

You could probably make a living helping seniors learn how to use the internet and e-mail to keep in touch with their loved ones, who are now commonly spread around the country.

Err on the side of caution in this business. People do not want to know all the details about what makes a computer work.

If you overload them with information from the beginning by explaining bits, bytes, and megapixels, they will stick to their paper and pencil forever.

Photo by davidlat.

In Computers, Microbusiness, Training | 1 Comment

June 2, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Reuters:

The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced a new emergency bridge-lending program geared toward helping struggling small businesses ride out the current recession.

Calling it another “tool to our toolbox” SBA head Karen Mills said the new American Recovery Capital (ARC) program will offer “viable” small businesses temporary six-month loans of up to $35,000.

“We expect these loans to be in high demand,” said Mills, who made the announcement as part of her keynote address at the National Small Business Week conference.

The interest-free loan must be used within six months and borrowers have up to six years to repay it. The only other stipulation is that it cannot be used to pay any previous SBA-backed loan the business may have outstanding.

The ARC program, effective June 15, is part of the larger Recovery Act that President Barack Obama legislated earlier this year. That bill earmarked $15.4 billion to purchase existing SBA-backed loans from banks to free up lenders to make more loans and stimulate the so-called “secondary” market that had stalled.

Photo by SBA.

In Government, Loans, Small Biz | 1 Comment

June 1, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 0 Comments

photo credit: juanpol

Many business owners who have a blog that supports their business finds that at times their blog is not exactly up to par or is found to be lacking excitement, information, better topics, traffic and more. CopyBlogger recently posted an article on two resources that are sure to dramatically turn your blog around.

31 Days To A Better Blog is a step by step work book written by Darren Rowse who definitely know’s his stuff when it comes to blogging. This work book is set at a low price but is surely bringing in some great benefits such as higher traffic volumes, creative new ideas and deeper reader engagement to name a few.

A free 24-page report that reveals how to use video to get top Google rankings and how to create video content that spreads through social media like wildfire. He also shares camera and software tips that you can put to use immediately.

In Advice, Blogging, Internet, Resource | 0 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 2 Comments

photo credit: pasotraspaso

Today so many people are looking for better and more promising companies to work for, they want to work for a comopany that not only has a good purpose in life but has a great CEO who takes care of their employees and customer’s as well. Below are a few good tips on how to be a better CEO located on Inc.com.

Begin by delegating more. When you enter an already existing company as a CEO is much easier to delegate right off the bat rather than someone who started the company and has a hard time letting go. Delegate to those who you know can do a better job and quicker job than you can at that moment.

Always make sure you are communicating well with your board. Your board is one of the most important aspects of your company, so if there is miss communication or lack of then there could be some serious problems in the future.

Zappos founder Tony Hsieh is a nice guy and an accomplished entrepreneur, but he’s not a natural backslapper. So, to become more sociable and put business partners and employees at ease, he told Inc. he would like to develop a better sense of humor. “I’ve been researching the science of humor, and I think it can be learned like any skill,” he said.

What can you add to becoming a better CEO?

In Advice, Communication, Employees, Ideas | 2 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 0 Comments

photo credit: Kanko*

When starting your own business it may seem overwhelming at how many different things you have to consider and take care of before your ready to open your doors. There is such a thing however as your sweet spot, this is the place and time where everything falls into place and motion as expected or sometimes even better than expected. BPlans.comrecently wrote an article on the steps to get to your sweet spot.

Of course your steps to startup start with your original plan for your business. The plan of what you want, where you want it to go and how far, the customer base you want to target and more.

Marketing strategy, just as an example, might make a huge difference. The company planning to buy Web traffic will naturally spend much more in its early months than the company planning to depend on viral word of mouth. It’s in the plan.

After you have been everywhere with your plan and you have made the choice to either find outside funding or not to have outside funding, now is the time where you have to make the decision on whether your ready to launch or if you need to go back and revise a few thing’s before launching.

In Entrepreneurs, One-Person, Small Biz, Startup | 0 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 0 Comments

photo credit: kspoddar

So many people often open up a new restaurant or some sort of eatery thinking there shouldn’t be too much to it, it’s food, everyone loves food and for the most part know’s how to cook food. The problem is that when it comes to food and the places people pick to eat, they are extremely picky.

Just because you know what makes great food, does not necessarily mean your business will be successful. There is much more to it then that such as advertising, marketing, accounting and more as suggested on Open Forum.

Don’t Hire Your Friends. Hiring friends can be fine – if they are the right candidates for the job. But they can also be the demise of the business if you aren’t careful.

Give your business some time before you start making big decisions regarding staff cuts and more. You may find yourself in a situation where business picks up and your restaurant is packed and you are not at all prepared for it due to cutting staff which will make you and your business look bad in the long run.

Do you have any tips to add to this?

In Advice, Decisions, Food, Ideas | 0 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 4 Comments

photo credit: manfrys

A new feature of Google was announced on May 29th, the Google Wave. Some people are excited for this new feature, but others however are terrified and with good reason according to Fast Company.

While Google says that one benefit is the “rich formatting”, this rich formatting means loss of punctuation, shorten sentences and signatures that contain important information such as address, phone numbers and more to name a few.

With live transmission as you type, participants on a wave can have faster conversations, see edits and interact with extensions in real-time.”That’s what Google says. Am I the only one who writes an email, then revises it for tone and clarity? It’s creepy enough that other people know when I’m typing on Gtalk. Now they can see what I’m thinking as I try out sentences?

With this new feature comes new apps which some may find a great tool and benefit, but this just add’s to the pile of more apps and communication tools that developers all around the world are already trying to handle. How many more companies do we need with their own platforms and new apps?

What are your thoughts on Googles new Wave?

In Google, Growth, Internet | 4 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 0 Comments

The Augusta Chronicle:

Kathy Voss can pay her mortgage with the money she makes working at home.

It’s the best of both worlds for the 41-year-old work-at-home mother: She can stay at home with her three children and supplement her family’s income by selling jewelry for Dallas-based Premiere Designs Inc.

“Especially during these recession times when it’s hard for ladies, we help them by giving them hope and offering them a solution to stay home or support their family,” Mrs. Voss said. “This is what a lot of women need right now, to be able to help with the finances.”

She was a fifth-grade teacher who decided to stay home when her first child was born.

She is among the more than 10 million women with children younger than 18 who are not in the American labor force, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Mrs. Voss sells fashion jewelry at home shows, earning a 50 percent commission on sales and 10 percent from consultants working under her leadership.

“I can pay my mortgage with the money that I get from Premiere Designs,” she said, though she doesn’t use it for this purpose.

Mrs. Voss uses the money for extra costs for her children, such as summer classes. Each week, she spends five to 10 hours on the business, in between home-schooling her children. She loves being able to set her own schedule.

“Not having a boss is a beautiful thing,” she said.

Logo from Premier Designs

In Direct Sales, Jewelry, Mompreneur, News, Success | 0 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 0 Comments

WCNC.com:

Running a business is tough. Being a mom is tough. Doing both at the same time is really tough!

But two mothers are doing it all in Charlotte.

From celebrity endorsements to exposure on CNN, Wendy James and Jane Hunter have made it big with their company Organica Deluxe.

It’s is an online boutique. Everything is eco-friendly from the gifts you buy to the way it’s shipped.

“To be beautiful, green and affordable is a really hard thing to do,” said Hunter.

Gifts range from $20 to $400. Many of them support other mom entrepreneurs.

“This is a woman who hand draws these. You send a photo and it’s done on environmentally friendly paper. The frame is eco-recycled materials,” Hunter said.

Their biggest seller by far is food.

“We work hard when we’re making a new recipe or coming up with a new product,” James said. “We work hard at it. We spend months developing something.”

It all comes together with the approval of taste-testers — their children.

Logo from Organica Deluxe

In Ecommerce, Food, Mompreneur, News | 0 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Jaclyn Wells | 2 Comments

photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar

In today’s world many people and businesses nationwide are switching over to eco-friendly products and services. But when venturing into this new sector some people are finding it difficult to market their new green ideas. Entrepreneur.com recently posted an article with some helpful tips on green marketing.

Prove your product to your customers. Customers want proof that your product or service is eco-friendly, it will serve a better purpose for the environment. People are naturally skeptical at green products, wether they are truly eco-friendly and worth the money to buy.

Get Your Pricing Right. While many green shoppers are willing to pay extra to do the right thing, the majority say price is very important in their purchase decisions. Consumers want quality products that are good for them and for the environment at a price they can afford.

Make sure you offer personal benefits to your customers. Your customers want to know that this new product will personally benefit them in some way such as better oral health, cleaner air for their kids to breath, improved overall health benefits and more.

In Benefits, Eco-friendly, Marketing | 2 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

Artist Jorge Colombo drew the image that graces the June 1st cover of The New Yorker magazine with Brushes, a $4.99 iPhone app. Virtually “finger-painting” an image like this onto a tiny iPhone touchscreen. Amazing!

Video credit: New Yorker.

In Creativity, iphone | 2 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 3 Comments

Rhonda Abrams At USA TODAY:

In this economy, when small-business owners ask me what to do to survive, I always advise, “Whatever you do, make sure you do whatever you can to keep your current customers.”

Whether you call it customer retention, account management, relationship management, or just staying in touch, developing a strategy so that you don’t lose the customers or clients you have is vital to the success of any business — especially now.

1. Contact your top customers or clients regularly. Make a list of your top customers, at least 10-25. Call them each at least quarterly. Take the best ones to lunch or dinner — even if that means you have to hop a plane.

2. Keep your name in front of all your customers. Advertise regularly. Network regularly. Send e-mail newsletters regularly. The key is doing this regularly.

3. Give your current customers good deals. We’re all used to come-on deals to attract new customers, but we then fail to offer similar discounts to current customers. Remember, your competitors are targeting your customers with deals.

4. Surprise them! Do something special and unexpected for some of your best customers. Send them a small gift. Add something extra to their order.

5. Keep track. Get a database, contact manager, digital address book. I’m always surprised by the number of businesses — especially small businesses — that do not have a good database of their past customers. Find a way to keep track of all your clients — past and present — so that you can easily and quickly contact them.

6. Communicate, communicate, communicate. All of us, myself included, take our customers for granted. As a result, we get so focused on doing our work, that we don’t take enough time out to meet with, talk to, and more importantly, listen to, our customers. Stay in touch. Ask them what they need and want. Be part of their lives and businesses.

Photo by jana_koll.

In Advice, Customer Service, Strategy | 3 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 5 Comments

Entrepreneur:

As a solar consultant, you can basically conduct a home inspection and give clients a report on their solar options for their particular home and site.

This can range from full-fledged general solar installations that generate electricity to simple solar walkway lighting.

You might want to start by working in a solar products company to become knowledgeable in the solar energy field.

However, to be a consultant, it is often best not to be affiliated with any one company or product and be able to recommend products and options across the field of solar energy.

Photo by LilGoldWmn.

In Small Biz, Solar | 5 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 3 Comments

The Wall Street Journal:

Take a look at your computer screen and the surface of your desk: A lot is going on.

Right now, I count 10 running programs with 13 windows on my iMac, plus seven notes or documents on my computer desk and innumerable paper piles, folders and books on my “main” desk, which serves primarily as overflow space.

My 13 computer windows include four for my Internet browser, itself showing tabs for 15 separate Web pages. The tasks in progress, in addition to writing this review (what was that deadline again?), include monitoring three email accounts, keeping up with my Facebook friends, figuring out how to wire money into one of my bank accounts, digging into several scientific articles about genes, checking the weather in the city I will be visiting next week and reading various blogs, some of which are actually work-related.

And this is at home. At the office, my efforts to juggle these tasks would be further burdened by meetings to attend, conference calls to join, classes to teach and co-workers to see. And there is still the telephone call or two — on one of my three phone lines (home, office, mobile).

A century ago, time and motion studies were conducted to understand precisely how various tasks of physical labor were carried out and how they could be done more efficiently.

The results were revealing: What a bricklayer did in 18 steps, it turned out, could be done in just five. Torkel Klingberg begins “The Overflowing Brain” with a sort of “time and attention” study: an eye-opening vignette of a day in the mental life of a typical corporate manager.

Mere minutes or seconds after beginning one task, she is interrupted by another; she spends the first 90 minutes of her day reading and sending email and devotes as much time thereafter to updating and re-ordering items on her to-do lists than to actually getting things done.

Continue Reading: “You Have Too Much Mail”

Photo by kveselyte.

In Advice, Email, Internet | 3 Comments

June 1, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Photo by Advanta.

In Polls | 0 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 4 Comments

Just like any parent, when you get pet parents together they are going to chat about what they love most, their pets! The topic might be the best shampoo or the best place to shop for their products, but if you get together a few Shure Pets consultants, the topic is likely to be about business.

Shure Pets gives pet lovers the opportunity to use a quality product and make a profit from it at the same time. Through their direct sales opportunity many individuals, like Sonya Lovine, have been able to work the hours that are most convenient for them and give their pets a party only they could enjoy.

Tell us a little about Shure Pets.

Shure Pets is the proud category innovator and nation’s leader in the distribution of pet products through independent sales representatives, known as Pet Consultants, and the hosting of at-home Pet Parties. By offering an exclusive product line, enjoyable business opportunities and a social network for pet lovers, Shure Pets’ direction reflects today’s nationwide passion for pets, their health and happiness. The vision of Shure Pets is simple. A pet products company which offers a wide variety of merchandise through a loyal family of Pet Consultants that is truly knowledgeable and passionate about animals. Each Pet Consultant is able to participate at a level in accordance to his/her personal circumstances. Shure Pets’ Consultants are given the opportunity to develop their own business and are also given the freedom to be their own boss.

Continue reading Pet Lovers Can Pamper Their Fuzzy Friends And Make Money Too

In Animals, Interviews | 4 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

We’ve all seen the iPhone App Store TV commercials that basically proclaim there’s an app for everything you could ever possibly want to do.

App For That, is a website that gives you a series of user submitted “App For That” jokes, which you can vote on, tweet out, email, or even submit your own.

Photo by App For That.

In Fun, Humor, iphone | 2 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 3 Comments

Philadelphia e-Commerce Examiner:

In eBay’s early days, it was a place where buyers and sellers of collectible items congregated to conduct business. Eventually it grew into the “Sell Everything” site that we see today. The changes that eBay has made over the last couple of years in addition with future changes might very well send collectors to “niche” or “specialty” auction sites to buy and sell items with others who have a common interest. Niche sites can bring collectors of a similar interest together and these collectors can form the basis for a strong community.

There are many different niche sites out there:

• Mommy Auctions. A place where young mothers can gather to exchange tips, socialize and of course, buy and sell new and gently used children’s clothing, toys and othe ritems.

• Chase The Chuck Wagon. Auction site for video game enthusiasts.

• Money Auctionz. Auction site for collectors of coins and other currency.

• eRock. Auction site for music and memorabilia buyers and sellers.

Photo by Mommy Auctions.

In Ebay & Online Auctions, Ecommerce, Niche | 3 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 0 Comments

PR.com:

For work-at-home mom, Preya Shivdat saving a buck or two is always on her mind. That’s why she started sharing her idea of “gift swapping” with a few friends and a new money saving Web site, TheGiftSwap.com.

“I usually have a reserve closet with items I find on sale or overflowing with toys that my kids receive for birthdays and holidays,” said Shivdat “I wanted to find a way to make use of the items without donating or throwing them out so I started swapping with friends when they had birthday parties to attend. This system has saved us hundreds of dollars every year.”

Shivdat continues to save money while still enjoying gift giving on a budget and without the embarrassment of re-gifting.

At TheGiftSwap.com members join for Free and swap new gifts with others that have an upcoming gift-giving event. The goal is for members to join the online “Swap Meet” with others in their local area. The message boards enable members to share their need for a new gift for an upcoming event, such as children’s birthday parties, bridal showers or even a housewarming.

Image from The Gift Swap

In Mompreneur, News | 0 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

Popular Science:

When Michael Callahan was 17, he lost his short-term memory when he hit his head in a skateboarding accident. “The neural pathways were all wrong,” he recalls.

Within weeks, he was back to normal, but the incident left him thinking, how could he help people who had permanently lost abilities that most of us take for granted?

Five years later, he came up with the Audeo, a tiny device that detects electrical activity between the brain and vocal cords and turns it into audible speech.

When we speak, three basic things happen: the lungs deliver air, the vocal cords vibrate to create sound, and the mouth moves.

The Audeo helps people for whom at least one of the three processes malfunctions due to ALS, traumatic brain injury or other problems — those whose brains and vocal cords are intact but whose impaired motor skills prevent them from moving their lungs and mouth.

Here’s how it works: Three pill-size electrodes on the throat pick up electrical signals generated between the brain and the vocal cords. A processor in the device then filters and amplifies the signals and sends them to an adjacent PC, where software decodes them and turns them into words spoken through the PC’s speakers.

Photo by Popular Science.

In Disabled, Health, Medical | 2 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 0 Comments

SeacoastOnline.com:

Today’s stereotypical working mother is not only working nearly the same number of hours as a man, she is spending the same amount of time with her children as stay-at-home mothers in the 1970s.

Roughly 60 percent of mothers, with children under 6, are working, and women are opening businesses at 2½ times greater rate than other privately owned companies. New Hampshire, alone, had 31,000 female majority-owned firms in 2006. These women are providing opportunities for many others, including their own children.

Linda Blum, a sociology professor at the University of New Hampshire, attributes this trend to rigid work environments.

“Mothers are opting out of the work place, because they aren’t finding family-friendly environments there,” Blum said. “Women still want to use their skills …; starting their own businesses is a way to have both (family and a profession).”

Mary Jo Brown is founder of Brown & Company and a member of the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women, as well as a single mother. She concurs that women are exercising the option of business ownership because it allows them to have it all.

“In my situation, I wouldn’t have been able to have my daughter if it weren’t for the flexibility and financial independence owning my own company provided,” Brown said. “It meant I was able to take time off, adjust my hours, spend time with Haley …; I bring my daughter to work when necessary and so do the people who work with me.”

Photo by faster panda kill kill

In Mompreneur, News | 0 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

Download Squad:

You’re sitting comfortably in your plush chair at the multiplex, when suddenly you feel that twinge. A quick glance down at your 136-ounce cola and you instantly realize that nature is calling, and it’s urgent.

You don’t have time to wait this time, but next time you can plan ahead for your restroom breaks with RunPee.com.

The site lists spots in the movie when it’s safe to disappear for a minute or two. Better still, it will scramble the spoiler if you only want to know when to duck out and how long you’ve got. If you want to know what you missed, just unscramble the text upon your return.

There are also loads of additional features on RunPee, like reminders and the Pee Times – a bit of reading material you can print and enjoy whilst one your break.

Photo by swapht.

In Advice, Internet, Niche | 2 Comments

May 29, 2009 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Marcel Proust was a French novelist, essayist and critic, best known as the author of ‘Remembrance of Things Past’. He spent most of his time in bed writing, in a room lined with cork to exclude noise.

Apparently 71 percent of those responding to our poll agreed with Proust. 36 percent said YES, they have worked in bed. 35 percent said they worked SOMETIMES and 29 percent said they NEVER worked there.

A company called Credant Technologies, which appears to specialize in something called endpoint data protection, suspected that the world was heading toward something untoward between the sheets. So it commissioned a survey to discover whether workaholia was causing melancholia.

It appears that 57 percent of those who said they worked in bed (more than a quarter of those surveyed) said they whipped out their devices between 2 and 6 hours a week. Eight percent said they spent more evening time on their devices than talking with their partners.

Photo by assbach.

In Polls | 0 Comments

May 28, 2009 by Dane Carlson | 5 Comments

photo by Angie Carlson

Last Sunday, I had a minor accident that as I attempted to remedy illustrated some basic failing that many small businesses suffer from. While weed whacking my yard, I shot a handful of small stones towards my house and broke my sliding glass door and another window. The outer pane of the windows shattered into a spiderweb of cracks, but the windows held and remained intact. I knew that since it was Sunday during Memorial Day weekend that there wasn’t really anything that could be done, so I waited until Tuesday morning to call anyone about it.

After a bit of research on the internet, I came up with an amount of what I thought it would probably cost to replace the windows: $1000. As long as it wasn’t too much more, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire the first company that could replace them.

I first called the local glass and window company. I talked to the owner and he said he’d come out later that morning to take measurements and give me an estimate.

Then I called the company that manufactured the windows. They’re in a decent sized city about an hour away, but I figured they’d know someone to recommend. I spoke with a customer service rep and he surprised me when he said that they could replace the windows. Luckily, they had a record of my windows, since they’d only built them about six months ago, so they didn’t need to measure or anything, and after a couple minutes of silence while the rep calculate a quote he announced the total. $403, he said, but that I’d probably be able to find someone cheaper locally. He gave me the model numbers of the windows so that I could get accurate quotes from other window places over the phone and I told him that I’d check around and get back with him later in the day.

I then called the other local glass repair company. They have a fancy website and rank well in Google for all of the appropriate search terms. I spoke with one of the two owners and told him of my predicament. I gave him the model numbers and he said that he’d call me back with a quote.

Finally, I called a regional company that I knew repaired windows throughout Central California. Over the phone, I gave the salesperson the measurements of the windows, because she’d never heard of the manufacturer, and she’d quickly given me a rough quote of $600, but said that a technician would need to come out to take “exact” measurements and would give me a accurate quote once they did. She said that someone could be up the next afternoon. I told her I’d think about it and call her back.

About 11 AM, the owner of the first local glass company I’d called showed up. He was very professional, knowledgeable and took some very careful measurements and really looked like he knew what he was doing. When I questioned him of how long it would take, he said that he’d need to order the windows and that it’d be at least a week and a half. As he was leaving, he said that it would be tomorrow before he could get me a quote.

I’m trying to shop locally as much as possible where practical and reasonably profitable, so I waited until the next morning for someone local to call with a quote. By noon neither of the local companies had called, so I dialed the window manufactured with one further question. When can you fix my windows, I asked. Friday, the rep said, so I hired them to fix my windows.

About 4:45 PM the guy who’d come out to measure my windows called me back with a quote. $688 and two weeks, he said. I said thanks, but no thanks. The second local company never called me back.

It Didn’t Have to Be This Way

I didn’t have to hire a company over and hour away when two local alternatives where available. How long did it really take to calculate a quote for me? Two different companies calculated prices for me over the phone. If the first local contractor would have spent even 20 minutes calculating a quote I probably would have hired him. He’s a nice guy that I’ve seen around town and will definitely run into again, but it seemed like timeliness was of the essence. I have two large broken windows and three kids — that’s not something that I want to hang around and think about all summer.

photo by Angie Carlson

In Execution, Local | 5 Comments

May 28, 2009 by Angela Shupe | 5 Comments

No matter how busy life might get, everyone needs to take a moment to relax. Synergy Beads bracelets are made as a virsual reminder to maintain your balance and interconnectedness as you move from day to day.

Tell us about Synergy Beads.

Synergy Beads is a new business that sells stylish unisex bracelets that infuse sustainability into the mind, body, spirit connection. Our bracelets focus on positive aspects of consciousness like gratitude, abundance, vision, etc. Our goal is to create bracelets that are hip, affordable, and eco-friendly and serve as a reminder of inner-peace and well being for our customers.

Continue reading Natural & Recycled Beaded Bracelets Remind The Wearer To Stay Balanced

In Interviews, Jewelry | 5 Comments