Do you remember when you first heard of Ebay. Online auction place. Who thought back then it would end up being so big and so many people would be using this auction site. Most of us are aware that you can auction off just about anything on Ebay. People are making serious money selling products online at Ebay. It is also a great resource to find those hard to find items.
Have you checked into the many possibilities on the web to making some serious cash? There are so many ways to work from home and run your own business. You can buy products wholesale and setup your own internet store. If you do not want to stock items you can find companies that will drop ship your products for you. There are even programs you can buy online that are a complete system that shows you how to do this. Did you ever think you could get your own business up and running for roughly under $100 dollars?
You can make money selling ebooks, writing articles for websites, creating websites...
There are so many ways to make money on the internet today. It just takes a little research and then time on your part to really learn the best ways to promote your idea and become knowledgeable about all the different ways to advertise online.
Do you have what it takes to become an aspiring entrepreneur to start and manage a home based Internet Business? Do you have the Entrepreneur Bug?
Seems with the growth of the World Wide Web more people are becoming entrepreneurs. Just what is an Entrepreneur? There are many definitions the most simple is a person who owns, operates, and takes the risk of starting a business venture. An entrepreneur can also be known as an inventor.
Do you need to invent a product to be an ruthless entrepreneur? Absolutely not, just take an already existing product or idea and create a business and profit from it. Organize a business venture and assume the risks for it. Come up with your own niche to get clients, close deals and start making some serious money. What ever you decide to get involved with you should make sure you really know your product inside and out. What are you waiting for? Start brainstorming today and make your dream of being independently wealthy a reality.
Showing posts with label entrepreneur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entrepreneur. Show all posts
February 9, 2010
January 31, 2010
Making It Through The Ups And Downs Of Home Based Business
I’ve been jobless for quite some time now! Am I worried about it? No way. I have decided to take my own destiny in my hands and join the many entrepreneurs in self employment. Not just self-employment, but home based business.
What is the difference between self employment and home based business? Just this – if you take a break and go skiing for a week and you make no money, you’re self employed and own your own job. If you make money while skiing, you have a business.
I like to make money while skiing, and you can see my family skiing on my website. But this article is about ups and downs. Yes, I have experienced them! I’m still on top of it, and making money – here’s why: multiple sources of income.
The same way that mutual funds invest in a lot of businesses, you have a greater likelihood of making it through the ups and downs in home business if you have several streams of income. The most common ones are network marketing, real estate, stocks and other investments, and franchises.
I have experience in several streams and am happy to share my successes because I believe that as I give to others it comes back to me and we all win. Recently there was a slow period in networking and direct sales. I and several colleagues experienced a reduced volume of interested people.
The ship did not sink because I have other streams of income. I also do real estate investing and highly recommend it for those that like to see actual physical fruits of their labor. I also have gotten on board the latest vehicle of paid surfing.
Paid surfing allows you to make double digit returns on your money by just surfing a few pages for 10-30 minutes a day. Believe it or not, you don’t even have to be there or buy anything! You make money by just having your computer show several marketing pages for a few minutes. This is way cool!
Many of these programs have strict guidelines and you have to be careful to follow them, but if you check out my other article “Get Paid to Surf – The Next Big Thing”, I explain how they work.
Anyone who is serious about making a go of home based business should check out this stream of income. There is a lot more information in my home page listed below. Now I’m off to ski!
What is the difference between self employment and home based business? Just this – if you take a break and go skiing for a week and you make no money, you’re self employed and own your own job. If you make money while skiing, you have a business.
I like to make money while skiing, and you can see my family skiing on my website. But this article is about ups and downs. Yes, I have experienced them! I’m still on top of it, and making money – here’s why: multiple sources of income.
The same way that mutual funds invest in a lot of businesses, you have a greater likelihood of making it through the ups and downs in home business if you have several streams of income. The most common ones are network marketing, real estate, stocks and other investments, and franchises.
I have experience in several streams and am happy to share my successes because I believe that as I give to others it comes back to me and we all win. Recently there was a slow period in networking and direct sales. I and several colleagues experienced a reduced volume of interested people.
The ship did not sink because I have other streams of income. I also do real estate investing and highly recommend it for those that like to see actual physical fruits of their labor. I also have gotten on board the latest vehicle of paid surfing.
Paid surfing allows you to make double digit returns on your money by just surfing a few pages for 10-30 minutes a day. Believe it or not, you don’t even have to be there or buy anything! You make money by just having your computer show several marketing pages for a few minutes. This is way cool!
Many of these programs have strict guidelines and you have to be careful to follow them, but if you check out my other article “Get Paid to Surf – The Next Big Thing”, I explain how they work.
Anyone who is serious about making a go of home based business should check out this stream of income. There is a lot more information in my home page listed below. Now I’m off to ski!
January 30, 2010
Getting Your Home Business Enterprise off to a Good Start
When you have taken the first step to strike out on your own with a home based business, it is particularly important that you set a high standard for yourself by setting realistic goals and a solid a plan to work with. It is alright to start your home business on a part-time basis, and is often actually preferable. But while it is o.k. to do it part time in the beginning, you can't do it in your spare time. You have to work a set number of hours each week if you wish to fulfill your goals. I suggest you have a clear set of standards and protocals set up to guide you through every situation. That is what the successful corporations do and you would do well to follow their proven example. Even though your home business will start out small, you should treat it like a big business. That means detailed planning, properly entity selection and so on. This will give your business room to grow. Think of it as a tree that must be watered until mature. But once mature it may bear fruit for many years and require far less effort to maintain.
If you have made the jump to entrepreneur, you probably know that you are a little different from most other people. This is because there are certain clearcut differences between employees, the self employed and individuals who are business home owners.
Those who are employees usually seek security. They often feel that they must have a paycheck and believe that being their own boss, investing in their own home-based business is just too risky.
You could even say that they are addicted to getting a paycheck.
People who are self employed, like plumbers or doctors fall into another category completely. They are usually perfectionists who think that they and only they can 'get the job done right'. But when such a person goes on vacation, so does his income. But as a home business owner, you know that you are cut from a slightly different cloth. Other people may openly wonder how you can operate without the mental safety net of a paycheck. But you secretly know that no job is completely safe anyway.
If you have made the jump to entrepreneur, you probably know that you are a little different from most other people. This is because there are certain clearcut differences between employees, the self employed and individuals who are business home owners.
Those who are employees usually seek security. They often feel that they must have a paycheck and believe that being their own boss, investing in their own home-based business is just too risky.
You could even say that they are addicted to getting a paycheck.
People who are self employed, like plumbers or doctors fall into another category completely. They are usually perfectionists who think that they and only they can 'get the job done right'. But when such a person goes on vacation, so does his income. But as a home business owner, you know that you are cut from a slightly different cloth. Other people may openly wonder how you can operate without the mental safety net of a paycheck. But you secretly know that no job is completely safe anyway.
January 26, 2010
Characteristics Of A Successful Entrepreneur
Studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs possess these characteristics:
1. Self-confidence
This is that magical power of having confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities.
2. Achievement Oriented
Results are gained by focused and sustained effort. They concentrate on achieving a specific goal, not just accomplishing a string of unrelated tasks.
3. Risk Taker
They realize that there is a chance of loss inherent in achieving their goals, yet they have the confidence necessary to take calculated risks to achieve their goals.
Entrepreneurs are people who will make decisions, take action, and think that they can control their own destinies. They are often motivated by a spirit of independence which leads them to believe that their success depends on raw effort and hard work, not luck.
So which of these three main characteristics is the most important? Believe it or not, it has to be self-confidence. Without self-confidence, nothing else is possible. If you don't believe in your abilities, then the first challenge that arises may knock you off the path to achieving your goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind for maintaining a higher level of self-confidence.
Positive Thinking
Well, it all starts with a positive attitude, doesn't it? Believing that something good will happen is the first step. Negative thinking simply is not allowed. You must truly believe that there are no circumstances strong enough to deter you from reaching your goals. Remember too, that positive thinking can be contagious. When positive thinking spreads, it can open doors to new ideas, customers, friends, etc.
Persistent Action
Now all of the positive thinking and believing in the world is useless if it is not applied towards a goal. You have to take action, no excuses are allowed. This action must also be persistent. Trying once and then giving up is not going to be enough. Keep at it one step at a time. If you can't get by a certain step, then find a creative way to try again or just go around it.
At the beginning of this article we identified a few traits that are common among successful entrepreneurs. You should be able to look ahead and see yourself where you want to be. Now just maintain a strong belief in yourself and your skills, stick with it, and don't give up. If you can do that, you're already half way there!
1. Self-confidence
This is that magical power of having confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities.
2. Achievement Oriented
Results are gained by focused and sustained effort. They concentrate on achieving a specific goal, not just accomplishing a string of unrelated tasks.
3. Risk Taker
They realize that there is a chance of loss inherent in achieving their goals, yet they have the confidence necessary to take calculated risks to achieve their goals.
Entrepreneurs are people who will make decisions, take action, and think that they can control their own destinies. They are often motivated by a spirit of independence which leads them to believe that their success depends on raw effort and hard work, not luck.
So which of these three main characteristics is the most important? Believe it or not, it has to be self-confidence. Without self-confidence, nothing else is possible. If you don't believe in your abilities, then the first challenge that arises may knock you off the path to achieving your goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind for maintaining a higher level of self-confidence.
Positive Thinking
Well, it all starts with a positive attitude, doesn't it? Believing that something good will happen is the first step. Negative thinking simply is not allowed. You must truly believe that there are no circumstances strong enough to deter you from reaching your goals. Remember too, that positive thinking can be contagious. When positive thinking spreads, it can open doors to new ideas, customers, friends, etc.
Persistent Action
Now all of the positive thinking and believing in the world is useless if it is not applied towards a goal. You have to take action, no excuses are allowed. This action must also be persistent. Trying once and then giving up is not going to be enough. Keep at it one step at a time. If you can't get by a certain step, then find a creative way to try again or just go around it.
At the beginning of this article we identified a few traits that are common among successful entrepreneurs. You should be able to look ahead and see yourself where you want to be. Now just maintain a strong belief in yourself and your skills, stick with it, and don't give up. If you can do that, you're already half way there!
January 19, 2010
Making Gold from Scrap
Nucor's business is not new and sexy. In fact it is as rust belt as it comes: melt down scrap steel to make new steel. What's amazing about Nucor is not the business they are in but their results.
How does 387% return to shareholders over the past five years sound? That's better than Amazon, Starbucks and eBay. Since the 1980's it has grown into the largest steel company in the U.S. In 2005 it did $12.7 billion in sales, up from $4.6 billion in 2000. Income was $1.3 billion up from $311 million in 2000.
Their secret? This radical insight from their legendary leader F. Kenneth Iverson: employees, even hourly clock-punchers, will make an extraordinary effort if you reward them richly, treat them with respect, and give them real power. Sounds like something we in the service industry might be able to learn from.
From a recent article by BusinessWeek:
"At Nucor the art of motivation is about an unblinking focus on the people on the front line of the business. It's about talking to them, listening to them, taking a risk on their ideas, and accepting the occasional failure."
Lot's of people talk about empowering employees and paying for performance, at Nucor it's not just talk. Base hourly pay at Nucor is around $10 an hour compared to other companies that average $16 to $21. But a bonus tied to the production of defect-free steel made by the worker's shift can triple the average to $30 at Nucor. Bad work is also penalized. If a bad batch is caught before it leaves the plant the shift loses the bonus on that batch. If the defect doesn't get caught till it gets to the customer, they lose three times that amount.
Thinking this plan will only work with certain employees? Nucor has applied it at several acquired sites with tremendous success. They don't force new employees to switch immediately to their new pay system, they just start posting what the employee would have made. It doesn't take long for employees to demand the switch even as production at the facilities goes up.
That's just one side of how Nucor runs its business. They also listen and take risks on employee suggestions, this is not a command and control kind of place. This is a place where people are passionately working together, being rewarded for their successes and feeling the responsibilities of failure. Natural consequences.
Managers are in the same compensation boat. The shift, plant, or company does well and they get bonuses to compensate for their lower than industry standard salary. If things don't go well then they feel the pinch.
It all makes sense and this company is certainly has the Midas touch.
How does 387% return to shareholders over the past five years sound? That's better than Amazon, Starbucks and eBay. Since the 1980's it has grown into the largest steel company in the U.S. In 2005 it did $12.7 billion in sales, up from $4.6 billion in 2000. Income was $1.3 billion up from $311 million in 2000.
Their secret? This radical insight from their legendary leader F. Kenneth Iverson: employees, even hourly clock-punchers, will make an extraordinary effort if you reward them richly, treat them with respect, and give them real power. Sounds like something we in the service industry might be able to learn from.
From a recent article by BusinessWeek:
"At Nucor the art of motivation is about an unblinking focus on the people on the front line of the business. It's about talking to them, listening to them, taking a risk on their ideas, and accepting the occasional failure."
Lot's of people talk about empowering employees and paying for performance, at Nucor it's not just talk. Base hourly pay at Nucor is around $10 an hour compared to other companies that average $16 to $21. But a bonus tied to the production of defect-free steel made by the worker's shift can triple the average to $30 at Nucor. Bad work is also penalized. If a bad batch is caught before it leaves the plant the shift loses the bonus on that batch. If the defect doesn't get caught till it gets to the customer, they lose three times that amount.
Thinking this plan will only work with certain employees? Nucor has applied it at several acquired sites with tremendous success. They don't force new employees to switch immediately to their new pay system, they just start posting what the employee would have made. It doesn't take long for employees to demand the switch even as production at the facilities goes up.
That's just one side of how Nucor runs its business. They also listen and take risks on employee suggestions, this is not a command and control kind of place. This is a place where people are passionately working together, being rewarded for their successes and feeling the responsibilities of failure. Natural consequences.
Managers are in the same compensation boat. The shift, plant, or company does well and they get bonuses to compensate for their lower than industry standard salary. If things don't go well then they feel the pinch.
It all makes sense and this company is certainly has the Midas touch.
January 18, 2010
Every Entrepreneur's Worst Nightmare
Gone: Customers, sales, profits. Following is a simple little tale about how it happens.
"Jones was a typical entrepreneur who worked long hours and wore many hats.
"The problem was that all the hats screamed for attention. Jones solved the problem by wearing the hat that screamed the loudest.
"Unfortunately, this was only a temporary solution since all the hats kept screaming until they were worn.
"There was, however, one hat that never screamed. It never complained, whined or whimpered, even though it was lonely. It knew it was important, whether or not it was worn. That hat was right.
"One day the customers quit coming. The other hats became quiet; they no longer were needed. It was then that Jones noticed the hat named Marketing and how little it had been worn.
"'Why didn't I wear the Marketing hat?' thought Jones.
"For one thing, Marketing hadn't screamed for attention like the other hats. The other reason was that Jones was afraid the Marketing hat was too expensive to wear and would drain profits.
"But now there were no profits; the customers were gone.
"Jones put on the Marketing hat. It was time to get the old customers back, and to get new customers, too. It was time to wear the Marketing hat regularly.
"Even the other hats perked up."
(c) 2005 Neil Sagebiel
"Jones was a typical entrepreneur who worked long hours and wore many hats.
"The problem was that all the hats screamed for attention. Jones solved the problem by wearing the hat that screamed the loudest.
"Unfortunately, this was only a temporary solution since all the hats kept screaming until they were worn.
"There was, however, one hat that never screamed. It never complained, whined or whimpered, even though it was lonely. It knew it was important, whether or not it was worn. That hat was right.
"One day the customers quit coming. The other hats became quiet; they no longer were needed. It was then that Jones noticed the hat named Marketing and how little it had been worn.
"'Why didn't I wear the Marketing hat?' thought Jones.
"For one thing, Marketing hadn't screamed for attention like the other hats. The other reason was that Jones was afraid the Marketing hat was too expensive to wear and would drain profits.
"But now there were no profits; the customers were gone.
"Jones put on the Marketing hat. It was time to get the old customers back, and to get new customers, too. It was time to wear the Marketing hat regularly.
"Even the other hats perked up."
(c) 2005 Neil Sagebiel
Catch the Spirit of the Entrepreneur
Grabbing opportunities with open arms is often easier to talk about than to actually do. Most people find themselves dreaming about being rich but never actually doing anything about it. A combination of procrastination and 'what if' syndrome can cripple your creative spirit and might mean your idea will never become a reality.
Socrates said "Action equals knowledge'. He was one of the greatest philosophers of our time. What he meant was that it is through action that we achieve results.
For example, you could think about learning Spanish for months, imagining the holidays you will take and the people you will communicate with. You can dream forever but accomplish nothing unless you actually make the effort to start taking lessons.
Much like the martial arts approach - the idea is to take action immediately and avoid over analyzing the situation.
Do you want to start your own business but are afraid of what kinds of things can go wrong? What if your initial investment doesn't pay off? There are millions of things that could go wrong but likewise there are many things that can go right! Fear can be paralyzing. When thinking about starting a business particularly if you keep waiting for the right time. There will never be a perfect time. It's now or never when it comes to starting your own business.
Overcoming your fear is a step by step process.
- Do you have a clear idea of what kind of business you want to start? A clear plan will help keep your worries at bay.
- Do you have access to the resources you will need? This includes the necessary start up cash as well as anything else you will need.
- Do you have access to clients or do you know enough about marketing basics to ensure you will have enough interest in what you are offering?
Just like anything - taking action is the most important part. Make an itemized list of what you feel needs to be done in order for you to start that business you always dreamed of.
Prioritizing your list will help too. Don't wait for all your ducks to be in a proverbial row before you begin but make sure you have all the basics covered. Don't wait for that 'perfect someday'. Make an imperfect start.
Don't over think everything. Sometimes the best approach is to just jump into the deep end.
Don't wait to start discovering your own entrepreneurial spirit. Take action today!
Socrates said "Action equals knowledge'. He was one of the greatest philosophers of our time. What he meant was that it is through action that we achieve results.
For example, you could think about learning Spanish for months, imagining the holidays you will take and the people you will communicate with. You can dream forever but accomplish nothing unless you actually make the effort to start taking lessons.
Much like the martial arts approach - the idea is to take action immediately and avoid over analyzing the situation.
Do you want to start your own business but are afraid of what kinds of things can go wrong? What if your initial investment doesn't pay off? There are millions of things that could go wrong but likewise there are many things that can go right! Fear can be paralyzing. When thinking about starting a business particularly if you keep waiting for the right time. There will never be a perfect time. It's now or never when it comes to starting your own business.
Overcoming your fear is a step by step process.
- Do you have a clear idea of what kind of business you want to start? A clear plan will help keep your worries at bay.
- Do you have access to the resources you will need? This includes the necessary start up cash as well as anything else you will need.
- Do you have access to clients or do you know enough about marketing basics to ensure you will have enough interest in what you are offering?
Just like anything - taking action is the most important part. Make an itemized list of what you feel needs to be done in order for you to start that business you always dreamed of.
Prioritizing your list will help too. Don't wait for all your ducks to be in a proverbial row before you begin but make sure you have all the basics covered. Don't wait for that 'perfect someday'. Make an imperfect start.
Don't over think everything. Sometimes the best approach is to just jump into the deep end.
Don't wait to start discovering your own entrepreneurial spirit. Take action today!
January 13, 2010
Are You Ready to Outsource Your Bookkeeping?
Do you run your own small business and try to do it all yourself? Why? Shouldn’t you spend your time doing what you do best- whether it is selling and marketing, customer service or making decisions on how to grow your business?
An entrepreneur tries to juggle many balls each day, but sooner or later one of them is going to be dropped. A smart business owner will realize that he/she can’t do everything because there are only 24 hours in a day. Unless you are extremely organized and enjoy working with numbers, then maybe you need to outsource this job. Too many business owners spend their time doing what they are not very good at simply because they don’t know how to go about finding someone to do that job for them.
Where do you start? Ask your accountant for referrals. Obviously you don’t need a full-time person to do your books, so your best bet is to look for someone who wants to moonlight at a part-time job. There are also bookkeepers with their own small business who are looking for clients. If you don’t have any other employees, this situation will work best for you because you can pay them as a subcontractor instead of an employee on payroll. However, you will need to give them a Form 1099 at year end for tax purposes. But, since they are accounting experts, they can help you with that task too.
You should interview your prospective bookkeeper just as you would if you were hiring him/her as an employee. Ask for a resume and references, and check them out. Since this person will be handling your confidential records, you want someone who is trustworthy.
Depending on your location, you should expect to pay between $15 and $50 an hour for a bookkeeper. Don’t necessarily hire the one who offers the lowest rate- remember you get what you pay for. The more experienced person will cost you more, but will provide valuable input and suggestions to streamline your business that will wind up saving you money in the long run.
Since this person will be working closely with you in your business, you should feel comfortable with him or her. If you have any reservations about this person, go on to the next candidate.
While the selection process may take a while, it will be worth it later. Take your time to find the perfect bookkeeper, and in a few months you’ll wonder how you ever managed to run your business before you hired one.
An entrepreneur tries to juggle many balls each day, but sooner or later one of them is going to be dropped. A smart business owner will realize that he/she can’t do everything because there are only 24 hours in a day. Unless you are extremely organized and enjoy working with numbers, then maybe you need to outsource this job. Too many business owners spend their time doing what they are not very good at simply because they don’t know how to go about finding someone to do that job for them.
Where do you start? Ask your accountant for referrals. Obviously you don’t need a full-time person to do your books, so your best bet is to look for someone who wants to moonlight at a part-time job. There are also bookkeepers with their own small business who are looking for clients. If you don’t have any other employees, this situation will work best for you because you can pay them as a subcontractor instead of an employee on payroll. However, you will need to give them a Form 1099 at year end for tax purposes. But, since they are accounting experts, they can help you with that task too.
You should interview your prospective bookkeeper just as you would if you were hiring him/her as an employee. Ask for a resume and references, and check them out. Since this person will be handling your confidential records, you want someone who is trustworthy.
Depending on your location, you should expect to pay between $15 and $50 an hour for a bookkeeper. Don’t necessarily hire the one who offers the lowest rate- remember you get what you pay for. The more experienced person will cost you more, but will provide valuable input and suggestions to streamline your business that will wind up saving you money in the long run.
Since this person will be working closely with you in your business, you should feel comfortable with him or her. If you have any reservations about this person, go on to the next candidate.
While the selection process may take a while, it will be worth it later. Take your time to find the perfect bookkeeper, and in a few months you’ll wonder how you ever managed to run your business before you hired one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
