posted by Success on Jul 31

Company Liquidation need not be the end of your business

Where a company is struggling financially and unable to continue trading perhaps due to a downturn in business and the weight of its outstanding debts, the director or directors may decide the best course of action is to close the business. This process is known as a creditors voluntary liquidation. In essence, the company’s creditors agree to liquidate the assets of the business and take a share of them to minimise their losses.

An Insolvency Practitioner will be appointed to liquidate the company. One of the liquidator’s roles is to try and sell the assets of the company for the best price. Normally the liquidator will get a valuation and then offer the assets to the highest bidder. At this point, there is nothing to stop a director of the original business setting up a new company and making a bid for any or all of the assets which can then be used in the new enterprise. In this way a new company can be established by one or all of the original company directors and continue to trade without the weight of historic debt that brought the old company down.

I have recently worked with a company director who carried out this process. The original business was purchased through a limited company about 18 months ago. The business’ legacy debt was circa GBP 150,000 which should have been repaid at the rate of GBP 5k per month. Unfortunately due to the economic downturn, the turnover of the business dramatically reduced meaning that these payments were no longer viable. The company’s director decided that the best course of action was to liquidate the business.

When the liquidator was appointed, the director made an offer of circa GBP 10k for the stock held in the business. This offer was accepted by the liquidator and the stock was transferred to a new limited company which the director set up. This new business has started to trade successfully without the burden of the old company’s debt.

This solution worked extremely well for the director highlighted above. It is extremely important before taking this course of action that, company directors must ensure that they are not at risk of being accused of wrongful trading by the liquidator of the original business. One of the duties of a liquidator is to complete a review of all of the directors of a liquidated company to establish that they have not been guilty of wrongful trading or the theft of assets from the old business. If wrong doing was found, the directors involved could be banned from acting as directors of any other current or future business. They may also be held personally liable for some of the old company’s debts. As such, it would be prudent for any director intending to set up a new business and make a bid for the old company’s assets to ensure first that they would not be so accused.

One of the risks of attempting to buy assets from a liquidated company is the possibility that the liquidator will sell the desired assets to an alternative bidder. One way to reduce this risk is to consider a pre pack liquidation process (more commonly known as business phoenixing). This is where a deal to purchase a failing company’s assets is pre agreed with a liquidator before the business is actually put into liquidation. However, this process is generally only suitable for businesses with assets valued at more than GBP 15,000.

For a number of people, the process of liquidating one company and starting to trade through another seems a dodge to avoid paying debts and leave creditors high and dry. However, the process can only be undertaken where the original company is at risk of failure anyway and thus facing the prospect of closure. Given this, the creditors will lose out anyway with the additional prospect of job losses and no further trade with the company’s suppliers. This situation is not good for the economy. As such, I believe that where the fundamentals of a business are sound, it is important to consider the option of transferring assets to a new company therefore providing continuity of trade and the protection of jobs.

Derek Cooper is Managing Director of Cooper Matthews Limited (http://coopermatthews.com) and a member of the Turnaround Management Association UK.

Cooper Matthews specialise in Business Refinancing and Business Recovery Services Advice offering provide straight forward insolvency advice for businesses with financial problems. They have significant experience in working with small to medium sized businesses.

A quick guide to Pre-Packing or Phoenixing http://coopermatthews.com/phoenixing.html

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/company-liquidation-need-not-be-the-end-of-your-business-1086819.html

posted by Success on Jul 31

Affiliate marketing has many descriptions, yet all have the same meaning. Affiliate marketing is a huge business piece on the Internet. It is a cooperative effort between merchants and an affiliate’s website. For many years now, affiliate marketing has proved to be a cost-efficient, measurable method of delivering long-tern results. It has become famous for Internet sites who are trying to make some extra or additional income for their site. Every day, people get interested to affiliate marketing and want to make money out of it. But in many cases, these new affiliates do not fully understand the affiliate world and make costly mistakes. In other words, affiliate marketing has often been misunderstood.
 
One of the common misconceptions that are being associated about affiliate marketing is “selling”, though selling is an important activity of affiliate marketing and the central function of a business operation. Another is that affiliate marketing is commonly linked with “advertising”. While the importance of advertising in marketing a certain product is not to be underestimated, the fact of the matter is, advertising like selling, is merely a part of the many functions of marketing.

In affiliate marketing, an affiliate is compensated for every visitor, subscriber and/or customer provided through his efforts. The said compensation may be made based on a certain value for each visit. The most attractive aspect of affiliate marketing from the merchant’s viewpoint is that no payment is due to an affiliate until results are appreciated. <br><br>
Affiliate marketing is typically being run by affiliate networks and this affiliate networks are composed of two functional bodies, the group affiliates and the group merchants. Each has their special function and role when it comes to affiliate marketing. The affiliate network acts as a third party between the merchant and the associated affiliates. The network provides the technology to deliver the merchant’s campaigns and offers. The affiliate network also collects commission fees from the merchant and then pays the affiliates which are part of the program.

The merchant is any web site owner that wants or desires to take advantage of performance based marketing. The benefits to the merchant are many. First, the merchant maintains and operates the affiliate program. If it would be extracted, the merchant needs to do their part by researching interested affiliate websites to ensure that they are a good fit for that particular website. Finding a fit for their merchandise would be the key to more generated income. The merchant has access to markets and customers without him spending valuable time searching out. Banner ads on affiliate sites are not distracting to the site user. It might produce interest for that product and drive the consumer to the merchants’ website. It is also the merchant who decides how much he is willing to pay for each sale that results from a visitor sent from an affiliate.

The affiliate or the affiliate marketer also sees a lot of benefits. The affiliate is a web site owner that promotes one or more merchants and their affiliate programs. Affiliate marketing can generate a full-time income for the affiliate. But this is not an easy task to accomplish. The affiliate needs to have a better understanding with the merchant what the commission will be, expected payment method and time involved in the contract.  The affiliate has also the responsibility to stand for the merchandise their user based would be most interested in. For example, if the site has a user base of mainly stay-at-home mothers, then on-line job openings such as surveys would be a good match for them. This group would also appreciate direct links to children’s products and informational sites. Merchandisers often provide targeted, best-seller items and personal support to their affiliate. They often offer sales promotions that will benefit the merchandiser as well as the affiliate.

Affiliate marketing is a great situation for both the marketer and the affiliate. If they would work together, they can be an advantage to both. Plus the fact that it seems to make sense, it is easy and inexpensive way to start, and you can be up and running within a few days. But there is one thing to consider, it is how to get traffic and make your offer different than all others.

Since Joining the Maverick money Program and click bank code my affiliate commission has improved beyond words: Join The Maverick money program and Download The Clickbank Code Here

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/what-is-affiliate-marketing-1084031.html

posted by Success on Jul 31

To make money online many people jump right in before they are properly prepared. You know that to be a rocket scientist, a doctor, a brick layer, a construction worker, an office worker, a teacher there are prerequisites, things you must learn, before you can be successful, you don’t just jump right in unprepared.

The same applies to the Internet marketing industry even though there are unsavory people out there who’d have you believe it’s a “Walk in the Park” and requires no more than the belief that you can just do it.

And I’ll have to admit, it is a walk in the park compared to what you have to put up with in the working world punching a clock being a subordinate to someone who does not have your interests in mind, but there are still rules you have to follow and pitfalls you must avoid to actually make Internet marketing work for you.

Most people will not make a dime online and yet there are others who will make more in one month than most people make in a whole year. Why is that?

My answer begins with the age-old chicken or egg question, “what comes first the chicken or the egg”? Personally I vote for, well never mind, each argument you or I make comes back to the same old conclusion – I have no clue and I don’t think many of us do either.

But one thing I do have a clue about and know for sure is that to make money online you must first have Passion for the company products and/or service of any Internet business from which you expect to make money.

Passion in this sense simply means that you’ve researched and like the company and products or services. It is then that you translate that like (or Passion) into the education, excitement and work that usually accompany Passion.

I will have to say that many online entrepreneurs are so good at what they do that they ignore passion because they can sell anything. But I’m concerned about those of you who are not so knowledgeable at working an online business successfully.

Now, I’m not trying to make anyone believe that Passion is the only thing necessary. Because to be successful you must also have a good website, good marketing, widespread advertising, company support, effective keywords, and etc. Those things are often learned from the company you join – but sidestep Passion and you reduce your chances for success dramatically.

It therefore follows that, if you have no Passion for the company and the products and services provided by that company, again, you won’t attempt to do the work you are being taught.

Internet marketing work is typically not all that difficult or time consuming but it does take motivation caused by Passion to get you off and running with a sustained effort so that you won’t stumble.

You have a great resource in the Internet search engines to search about the Internet Marketing industry for business opportunities, USE IT!

Your research should uncover a company that you like and have confidence in. It should be solid, founded on great principles, and easy to understand with great products and services that are sell-able for which you can have Passion. If you don’t find it move on,
You can find the right opportunity containing the attributes identified above.

Comments like, well, that one sounds good and the compensation plan is excellent so I guess I’ll start that business – does not sound like a decision based on anything near Passion. And remember when you hear that an Internet “guru” does that, don’t be tempted, because as I said earlier they are experienced and can sell just about anything, without being Passionate about the company products and services.

Note: By the way it’s your goal to get to the point where you can sell about anything online. That end skill and goal is a worthy one indeed.

Remember, there are other steps you must make before you step into Internet Marketing but if you don’t first find the right company products and services to be passionate about, all of those other steps may just cause you a lot of frustration instead of bringing you great success.

Not being Passionate about a company and products and services that has market proof that it will sell is a pitfall you simply must avoid.

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If you want to make money online,
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Since Joining the Maverick Money Program and click bank code my affiliate commission has improved beyond words: Join The Maverick Money program and Download The Clickbank Code Here

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/how-to-make-money-from-passions-1084662.html

posted by Success on Jul 30

All the products that you want to sell online are ready.  You have already signed up with the Google Adsense program or with other affiliate marketing programs and you have already prepared the ad you want to post on your affiliate’s site.  Your mind is now set to being the next most successful online businessman.  But is there anything else that you might have forgotten to prepare?  Maybe none.  But how about your landing pages?  Are they all set for your business?

Landing pages are simply web pages where visitors are directed to whenever they click a result in a web search or whenever they click a web ad.  For affiliate marketing, landing pages would refer to the web page where you, as a merchant, would want your potential customer to be directed after clicking your ad on your affiliate’s website.  Landing pages are, at most times, nothing really different from other web pages in a particular website, especially if the said website is an e-commerce site.  Some online businessmen would even use the homepage of their websites as the landing page for their ads.  Are these businessmen making a big mistake?  Or should you follow their method in creating landing pages for their ads?

Well, you can always follow what most online retailers do, directing their potential customers to the homepages of their websites.  But if you want to achieve something more from your online business, and if you want to earn a lot of profits, you better create a special landing page for your web ads.  Why?  Here are a few reasons why you need to use landing pages for your web ads.  And take note, it would do you a lot better if you create a great landing page than a so-so one.

Reason no. 1: It is the only way you earn conversions in an affiliate marketing program.

There are a variety of affiliate marketing programs today, but most of these programs let the merchant pay the affiliate in a pay per click basis.  Basically, all you have to do is sign up with the program and submit your ad.  The program owner would then distribute your ad to various affiliates who would then place your ad on their websites.  Whenever your ad is clicked, a visitor would be directed to your landing page and you would have to pay the affiliate for his service.

As a merchant, you earn in an affiliate program through conversions—that is whenever a visitor that is directed to your site actually buys a product on your site.  Without these conversions, you actually earn nothing from the program.  Also, the more visitors that your affiliates have directed to your site, the larger would your expense be.  And the only way that you can recover from these expenses is through conversions.

Now, you sure won’t get any conversion if you have posted an ad on your affiliate’s site without an actual landing page for the potential customer to be redirected into.  It’s just like advertising a product without actually having a store to sell your product.  Your advertisement may be enticing enough to encourage people to purchase a product, but without the landing page, how will they know how to purchase the product

It is therefore important to have landing pages for your ads because it is the only way for you to earn something in an affiliate program.  Without landing pages, all you do is spend money paying your affiliates without actually getting anything in return.

Reason no. 2: Other web pages may just not be enough.

Many people make the mistake of making their website’s homepage as the landing page for their ads.  The same is true for those who make use of other pages like a “contact us” page or a product page.  Homepages are often designed to serve multiple users and contains a lot of links to other pages or to other websites.  The same is with the other two pages mentioned.  If you want to be successful in an affiliate program, we’re sure that you don’t want your landing page to cater to the needs of various people, most of which may not be really interested with your product.

When choosing a landing page, you must always have the customer directed into that page in mind.  Therefore, your landing page must be relevant to the keywords and the contents you placed on your ad.  It is also important that the landing page can induce your visitor to take action—that is to purchase your product or at least provide leads for potential customers.

Final Word

You probably entered into an affiliate marketing program with these things in mind: to save on advertising expenses and to gain more profit.  But if you get into an affiliate marketing program without actually having a landing page, you’ll end up paying too much without getting anything in return.  So if you still don’t have a landing page for your ads, you better start creating one now.  And don’t get us wrong; it isn’t enough for you to have just a landing page—it should be a great landing page!

Since Joining the Maverick money Program my affiliate commission has improved beyond words: Join The Maverick Money program

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/heres-why-you-need-to-use-landing-pages-1083975.html

posted by Success on Jul 29

Justin Etzin is currently CEO of Seychelles Capital based on the island of Mahe in The Seychelles. A provider of capital and management with long term restructuring and consolidation of out of favor industries as well as the focused management and revitalization of the corporate / leisure entertainment industry specializing in luxury brands. Seychelles Capital owns several luxury leisure brands including the conference and entertainment venues Altitude 360 and The River room.   The first of the franchises was based in London, England.  Launched in October 2008 by The Mayor of london, Boris Johnson plans were unveiled for Altitude 360 London to occupy over 15,000 Sqft of event space, which will allow 360 degree views from the Altitude 360 venue in Westminster as well as direct river views from The River Room London. The current UK government under The UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown launched British Tourism Week at Altitude 360 in 2008 which gave added credibility to the importance of this top London venue.  Seychelles Capital is currently wishing to expand its franchise operation in the far east with various sites being considered in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.

Justin Etzin is currently CEO of Seychelles Capital based on the island of Mahe in The Seychelles. A provider of capital and management with long term restructuring and consolidation of out of favor industries as well as the focused management and revitalization of the corporate / leisure entertainment industry specializing in luxury brands.

Seychelles Capital owns several luxury leisure brands including the conference and entertainment venues Altitude 360 and The River room.   The first of the franchises was based in London, England. 

Launched in October 2008 by The Mayor of london, Boris Johnson plans were unveiled for Altitude 360 London to occupy over 15,000 Sqft of event space, which will allow 360 degree views from the Altitude 360 venue in Westminster as well as direct river views from The River Room London.

The current UK government under The UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown launched British Tourism Week at Altitude 360 in 2008 which gave added credibility to the importance of this top London venue. 

Seychelles Capital is currently wishing to expand its franchise operation in the far east with various sites being considered in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/justin-etzin-an-international-businessman-specializing-in-luxury-brands-worldwide-1080617.html

posted by Success on Jul 29

I am personally interested in the stories of people starting up a company, why they did take the change, what did make them make the jump etc.

Today, I talked to Jacqui Rosshandler, (March 20, 1982), an Australian living in the USA.  Jacqui Rosshandler is the CEO and Co-Founder of Jacquean Products. She has bachelor degrees in Law and Performing Arts and decided to become her own boss on the first day of 2007.

Her product is eatwhatever, it is an incredible new breath freshener. Mints and gum merely mask stinky breath whereas eatwhatever eliminates it.

Website: www.eat-whatever.com

What was the reason you decided to startup your own company?
I was working as in-house counsel for an event and interior design company. I was loving it but working so hard and knew I’d never be able to really reap the rewards of all my hard work whilst working for someone else so I decided it was time to take control of my own destiny and start my own company.

What were the main obstacles you encountered launching your idea/company?
It was the first product I had ever sought to have made and I didn’t know the “language” to describe what I wanted. So, I would approach people and sound a little crazy and inexperienced. But, after a while, you start to learn the correct terms for things and you get to know others in the business and everything becomes easier.
It’s also a little scary to try and start making a new product when all your competitors are huge multi-nationals. Many people told me I was mad, so I had to block that out and believe in myself which is a very difficult thing to do when you start out.

My company makes a breath freshener that is extremely effective as well as being cute and fun to use. It’s all about freedom – the freedom to eat the things you love without hesitation and then go out and be confident that you smell amazing.

It’s a 2 step process to achieving kissable breath – first you swallow a vegan gel cap filled with organic oils then you suck on a sugar-free mint. The gel caps’ organic peppermint and parsley oils dissolve in the stomach providing you with fresh breath from within whilst the mint provides instant freshness in the mouth.
Eatwhatever is vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and filled with organic oils.

Image of the eatcwhatever product

What innovation your company is offering to the customers, what is the added value of your company?

What are, in your opinion, the success keys of your startup?
The product really works.
You don’t have to believe in it, it’s not spiritual, it’s not like a vitamin – you literally take it and within minutes you smell and feel fresh. If you drink champagne, you may do a little peppermint burp.
It’s truly amazing stuff.

What are the possibilities for your company with this crisis?, what are your motivators?
At the end of the day, everyone still needs fresh breath. They still need to go to interviews; they still need romance in their lives so sales in breath fresheners have been pretty steady this year. Also, when larger companies are cutting down on PR and marketing, it provides small businesses like mine the opportunity to market and advertise at a better price.
What would you like to see the government will do to push innovation and young entrepreneurs?
I keep reading about all of these SBA loans that the government has created but then when I approach the banks (who are supposed to provide these loans) they hardly ever participate in the programs. It’s very disappointing. I’d like to see the government insist that the banks (who they bailed out!), actually provide these loans to small businesses that need them.

How do you see/handle expansion to other countries or do you stay local?
I have barely expanded outside of New York City so I have a lot of area to cover in the United States, particularly in California where I think they will love eatwhatever.
Having said that, I have been approached by people from India and Southern Africa to Canada and the UK to sell and distribute eatwhatever so hopefully the product will be available all over the world sometime soon.

Contact Information
To contact Jacqui Rosshandler, to give feedback or ask question, please visit the blog: http://frederikvanlierde.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/jacqui-rosshandler-jacquean-products-eatwhatever/

Owner of Blue Oceans group, a private investment company. Frederik is interested in people starting up business.

With his experience and network, he tries to help or invest them as much as possible:
Website: http://www.BlueOceansGroup.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/interview-with-jacqui-rosshandler-eatwhatever-1077241.html

posted by Success on Jul 28

Major Responsibilities

· Establish, implement and monitor accounting standards across all business lines, products & services

· Ensure accounting policy compliance

· Maintain and update the Company’s Financial Accounting Policy Manual

· Monitor and assess the impact of emerging accounting developments & their potential impact on the company

· Manage periodic, quarterly and annual SEC and Bank regulatory filings

· Oversee / manage the development of SEC and bank regulatory compliant disclosures

· Follow activities of accounting standard-setting groups, FASB, SEC, EITF, AICPA, etc. to ensure the Company is proactively understanding impact of new guidance

· Prepare accounting plan for changes to the Company’s accounting policies / practices

· Assist with the disclosure control process and help facilitate the Disclosure Committee process with the Chief Accounting Officer

· Help assess SOX deficiencies for the Company and facilitate presentations to the SOX committee on the same

· Provide leadership role on implementation and conversion to IFRS

· Act as one of the principal liaisons for the Finance team with external auditors

· Assist with the maintenance and updating of Sarbanes-Oxley 404 monitoring processes and procedures

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

· Lead accounting policy development and management for corporate accounting topics, which may include but are not limited to employee compensation and benefits (including stock-based compensation), SFAS 5 contingencies, foreign exchange, lease accounting, derivative accounting, FAS 140, FAS 141, etc., reporting and presentation interpretations (such as EPS, cash flows, segments and other disclosure matters) and other corporate accounting topics as relevant

· Develop accounting policy guidance for transactions and activities of the Bank involving active participation with professionals in various disciplines (including Business Unit Controllers / CFO and corporate accounting personnel, front office and oversight functions, reporting functions, HR, legal and other functions, as appropriate) to understand the company’s transactions/activities and provide timely, appropriate policy guidance on the appropriate accounting treatment

· Work with management and the Accounting department personnel on an ongoing basis to provide practical implementation advice related to accounting policies

· Analyze emerging accounting pronouncements for policy implications and proactively communicate changes with executive management, Audit Committee and team members

· Ensure new transactions are properly recorded by the Bank

· Consult with business group and corporate management on accounting issues related to changes in accounting methodologies and other corporate accounting matters, seeking clarity and consistency in delivery of advice

· Coordinate implementation efforts for new accounting standards

· Maintain current knowledge of SEC rules and regulations, including disclosure requirements and GAAP/IFRS reporting requirements

Requirements

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities

· Management of a five person team

· Responsible for recommending hire/fire/salary actions of the reporting team.

· Acts as advisor to subordinate(s) to meet schedules and/or resolve technical problems

· Develops and administers schedules and performance requirements; may have budget responsibilities

· Coach/mentor employees to maximize professional development as well as teamwork and complete performance evaluations

Education/Experience Requirements

· Finance and/or accounting degree; CPA preferred

· 10 plus years accounting experience in a similar environment, with comprehensive knowledge of SEC / bank regulatory rules, regulations, disclosures and GAAP technical accounting requirements

· Excellent analytical, project management, interpersonal, organizational, planning, PC, and written/verbal communication skills

· Strong managerial skills

· Ability to multi-task and meet critical deadlines

· Computer literacy; proficient with use of Excel, Word

· Minimum 4 years of big four public accounting experience; audit manager big four public accounting firm preferred

· Financial services industry experience preferred

· Previous management experience of at least a 4 person team

Contact:
Liberty Opportunity Group
http://www.libertyopportunitygroup.com
gary@libertyopportunitygroup.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/accounting-policy-director-jobs-1073451.html

posted by Success on Jul 28

Burlington, NC  27, July, 2009 – Just imagine, a family finds the house of their dreams, takes out a mortgage, and then one of the household’s breadwinners dies.  How can the family afford the mortgage payments?

Mortgage protection is life insurance that provides families the chance to pay off the mortgage and cover some final expenses in the event of the insured’s death.  It’s an investment for peace of mind that the family will never lose their home, even if the unthinkable should occur.

NAA® presents the opportunity to help those families while earning an income.   NAA® also offers the most competitive, high value products from 12 nationally recognized insurance and annuity carriers, an abundance of in-house generated and qualified leads in untapped markets, the best sales system with a 95% closing ratio, a university-style training program, and knowledgeable support staff.  National Agents Alliance® provides mortgage protection insurance agents a goldmine of opportunity to develop serious income potential in both up-front commissions in addition to residual income.

Jon Cote, an insurance agent for National Agents Alliance® of South Norwalk, CT, says “The system + the products + the training + the motivation + the coaching + the Mindset = protecting families (many families) and producing a financially stable future for my own.”

National Agents Alliance® insurance agents across the country provide opportunity meetings each week.   During the opportunity meeting, the agent will go over in detail NAA®, the responsibilities of agents, and the rewards.  Visit http://www.naahotspots.com for more information on opportunity meetings all over the United States.

About National Agents Alliance®:
NAA® is an insurance marketing organization that supports independent mortgage protection insurance agents in all 50 states. In 2008, the company provided more than $13.3 billion in mortgage protection insurance to families throughout the U.S. The company specializes in term and mortgage protection life insurance products, but also provides a full array of insurance-based financial services. Headquartered in Burlington, NC, the company employs approximately 130 people and serves more than 9,000 insurance agents. For more information visit, www.naaleads.com.

Our mission is to provide the best financial products with the kind of in-home, professional service that is second to none. Our operating credo is: “Your clients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” We take a personal interest in each of our clients. We feel that knowing our clients’ wants, needs, and desires is the foundation to recommending the best financial strategies that will ultimately provide exactly what the client wants and needs.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/national-agents-alliance-expanding-to-meet-the-demand-of-families-1073790.html

posted by Success on Jul 27

Hello entrepreneurials!

Today’s little tidbit is designed to help your mental health, and shape how you think about your business and entrepreneurial venture towards a more positive angle.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the proverbial glass: It’s the same glass, and when you look at it, is it half full or half empty?

Okay, so it’s a cliche and I too have heard it for years. So often, in fact, that I’ve stopped listening to it.

But recently I’ve had cause to revisit that phrase. And because I’ve had to re-hear it, so too do you my entrepreneurial dear!

My grandmother, who shall simply be referred to as “Nana” for the purposes of this article, recently suffered a STROKE. The term, stroke, immediately conjures up images of life-long debilitation, and I think of people who have lost significant functionality of speech or bodily mastery of half of their body.

Nana went to the hospital and spent three days in the hallways of emergency while the hospital tried to find a room for her. On the first day, she couldn’t speak. She had lost her ability. Prone to drama and unable to verbally impart her suffering to the world, this caused her HUGE distress. But by the second day, she could speak again (though when over-tired her language skills would slip, she would panic and the stress would further erode her language skills, and then she would FREAK). By the second day, she was wondering through the emergency halls and checking out everyone else’s distress. By the third day, she was talking up a storm. And walking. And chewing gum .

In other words, Nana had fully recovered from a stroke after only three days. The hospital eventually found her a real bed, kept her for two more days for observation, and then sent her back home, where she lives independently.

This was three months ago now.

Were her glass half full, she’d look at her experience and count her blessing. Not many 85 year old women get off so easily after a stoke! Many are wheelchair bound for the remainder of their lives, some are locked into their own bodies having lost the capacity to communicate through words, some have compound speech and muscular issues.

Nana is up and running, fit as a weasel. You’d never look at this woman and see any signs of a stroke.

But Nana, dear negative-bound Nana, is committed to reliving only misery. She remembers only her suffering. The inconsistant care (in emerg, the nurses rotate frequently), the roughness of one nurse, the panic of not being able to speak, the fear of that feeling returning, and on it goes.

The result is this: when she gets locked into her past experiential misery (and, yes, it’s true, it all DID happen) she spirals into the future possibility of the return of that pain.

The glass half empty is where you focus on the upper part of the glass, the content that has gone and will never re-appear in it’s original form. And you cling to holding on what is left. The scarcity mentality sets in. I can never consume this because LOOK WHAT HAPPENS it all disppears and my life depends on me hanging on to what is left. Wo! is me. In Nana’s case, life now begins and ends with her miserable hospital experience. Any little headache turns into weeping sobs. Any mention of hospital turns into a repetition of what was.

Many of you may know someone who has suffered a stroke, and may be amazed at Nana’s incedible outcome. She’s gotten away with suffering stroke, and being able to walk away in three days and lived to talk about it.

So the glass half full is where you focus on the wealth of what is left. You can still look at the upper part and savour the flavour of what was. And then you look at the remain part, and anticipate what joy it will bring you. The spiral here is a positive one. And as ANYONE who has ever drank a glass of anything knows (pay attention here!), that glass can always be refilled again.

• Abundance instead of scarcity.
• Joy instead of sorrow.
• Anticipation instead of fear.

And the only thing that is different, the ONLY thing, is how you think about it.

What you carry with you in the present is what your future will bring.

To your abundant world,

Britt Santowski

Founder of I’m Allowed.com (http://www.imallowed.com : ”Helping people Start Again”) and owner of the Chickrag.com blog (http://www.chickrag.com ), Britt has a dark and stormy work history that includes motorcycle instruction, cartooning, counseling (unrelated to the previous two), and civil service (information architect … completely unrelated to anything else, but hey, it was for the money!) Three years ago, she was laid off for the third time. And then, finally, she figured this little thing out about herself: she makes a LOUSY employee! Since then, she’s been working as a contractor and a coach to other new entrepreneurs.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/the-proverbial-entrepreneurial-glass-1070555.html

posted by Success on Jul 27

Have you ever wondered to speed up your path to success?

One of the smartest things you can do is to learn from someone else, someone who has already accomplished what it is that you are setting out to do. You MUST learn learn learn from someone who has traveled the road upon which you wish to go.

Thank god I practice what I preach (I mean teach!). I inundate myself with books and audio recordings (my car is traveling PDU — personal development university), and I take courses constantly. The list of what I have learned from who (whom?) is rather extensive, and if you’re into reading these dull lists, see my About Britt page, and check out my Books page — which is a list of books that I have personally read and endorse.

One of the most life-changing courses I ever took (and the course BTW that put me on my current path), is a local course taught here by an organization called Wealth by Design. They have a moneymatters bootcamp, and it offered to change our MENTAL relationship with money. My husband took the first-ever course, and I took the second. From there, armed with an alternative Mindset, we catapulted into a new life.

Where we will land is still up in the air (I’m work with the analogy here), but it will be close to our destination. Funnily enough, I was at the Wealth by Design Expo just this Saturday, and one of their speaker’s made reference to mid-air adjustments. We are doing those too! Grin.

Life on our new path has been FAR from perfect. Failures abound. But having said that, the FIRST thing a pre-toddler does when she sets out to walk for the first time, she falls; the second thing she does is … falls; the third thing she does is … you guessed it … falls. Anyone watching an infant learning to walk knows that black and blue is their new and temporary natural skin tone.

Anything that you do for the first, second, third time is destined to fail (Colonel Sanders failed 1009 times in trying to sell his recipe; Edison failed anywhere from 200 – 2000 times with his lightbulb — depends who you read; while most of us give up on the first, second, if not third failure!).

Anyways, I’m not hear today to harp about failure (though it is my favorite topic!). I’m hear today to talk about learning, and how learning can shape your destiny. How it can CHANGE your destiny.

Once you have identified your passion and your niche, it’s time to get busy building buddies aka mentorship relations.

My next “speed injection” will be from Patrick Snow, author of Create Your Own Destiny.

I say “speed injection” as I have taken what Isaac Newton said to heart: “If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.” I will learn from Patrick, who is only three degrees away Napoleon Hill, and four away from Andrew Carnegie. from That, my friends, is the power of mentoring! Find someone who has achieved what you want, and then learn from them.

Over the next few months, watch me grow new wings, flutter, fall, and get back up again. Rince and Repeat a few times. And then succeed. And flourish. And explode into the world.

The question you must ask yourself is: Do you want to climb the ladder to success, rung by rung, or do YOU want to catapult to the top, and reach new peaks and heights, more than you ever imagined?

I’ll take the latter, not the ladder!

So, shall I see YOU at the top too? Who can you find to mentor with? Better yet, who in your MIND would you like to mentor with? Set your sights high!

To your trip to the top,

Britt Santowski

Founder of I’m Allowed.com (http://www.imallowed.com : ”Helping people Start Again”) and owner of the Chickrag.com blog (http://www.chickrag.com ), Britt has a dark and stormy work history that includes motorcycle instruction, cartooning, counseling (unrelated to the previous two), and civil service (information architect … completely unrelated to anything else, but hey, it was for the money!) Three years ago, she was laid off for the third time. And then, finally, she figured this little thing out about herself: she makes a LOUSY employee! Since then, she’s been working as a contractor and a coach to other new entrepreneurs.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/catpult-to-the-top-1071543.html

posted by Success on Jul 27

The Daily Schedule of a successful Internet Marketer

I’m writing this article for anyone who may be curious as to what exactly a successful internet marketer does on a daily basis. This will vary from person to person of course, depending on preferred marketing methods and with which company an individual is working. However, at least a few of the marketing methods I use serve to generate leads, as well as to establish myeself as a real person with a wealth of internet marketing knowledge (credibility goes a long way in attracting leads). The tasks I complete on a daily basis are as follows:

Write and Submit an Article: 1 hour 30 minutes

I personally take about an hour on average to write an article. I post my article on my blog and submit it to eight different free article hosting sites, which takes about another half hour. I probably submit my articles to more sites than most people, but it’s free traffic, and to me it’s worth the time. Articles are one amazing way to establish yourself as a marketing guru as well as to generate free leads. If you’re a newbie marketer, set yourself the goal of writing one or two new articles a day. If you can write 60 articles a month you’ll be producing tons of leads in no time.

Twitter: 40 minutes

It takes me about 25 minutes daily to follow a significant amount of new people, unfollow everyone who isn’t following me back, reply to my direct messages, and manage my daily tweets. It may seem like a waste of time in the beginning, but the potential with Twitter is unlimited, i.e. you can have an unlimited amount of people following you and hearing your message… it just takes time to build your following. Accumulate several thousand followers, and that’s several thousand people who will be shown what you have to say.

Make a video: 20 minutes

An actual video may only be a few minutes long, but I’ll first need to plan what I’m going to say, as well as possibly do a few takes depending on how well it goes the first time. Videos are a quick and easy method to generate leads, and will build your credibility. If you’re a newbie, follow your articles by making one or two new videos a day.

Manage My Google AdWords Account: 30 minutes

The 30 minutes I take to manage my account is generally spent analyzing data and pausing ineffective keywords and/or ads, as well as split-testing new ads. Any top internet marketer is going to be advertizing on Google because it’s the easiest and fastest way to produce leads. That being said, to advertize on AdWords, you need a fairly extensive knowledge on the subject, otherwise you’ll get killed, i.e. you’ll lose all your money. If you’re a beginner and know nothing about advertizing on Google, I’d recommend Perry Marshall’s Definitive Guide to Google AdWords as a start.

Manage My ListJoe Account: 15 minutes

I’m a free member of listjoe (still in testing phase before I decide to buy anything), and as such I need to work for my points (if anyone doesn’t know what I’m talking about, see my article Ten Free Ways To Produce Leads and scroll down to listjoe). As I’m not actually looking for a new business opportunity, I don’t actually spend time reading any of the ads I click on, unless they really catch my eye. So all in all it takes me about 10 minutes to scroll through my e-mail and click the 40 or so listjoe e-mails I get a day. On a day that I actually send out my own listjoe e-mail, I will spend another 10 – 30 minutes writing an e-mail message.

Time on the Phone: 1 hour

This is not time spent “selling” people, because that’s something that I don’t have to do in my business. This is time spent simply welcoming new members on my team, or time spent helping current members with their marketing.

Other Random tasks: 30 minutes

This could be time spent on another marketing method, responding to e-mails, editing my webpages, or some other random task. I do sometimes use other marketing methods, however the above are the methods I use on a consistent daily basis.

The above is of course not THE schedule of any internet marketer. Everyone has preferences as to how they market and take different times to complete different tasks. This is a system that works for me, and should work for anyone who dedicates the required time to each task, considering they produce quality content.

As to where are when I complete the above… anytime I want, and from the comfort of my home or one of the many local coffee shops .

Matt Mossop is a succesful internet marketer and home based business owner. To learn more about Matt and how he can help you, visit MattMossop.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/the-daily-schedule-of-a-successful-internet-marketer-1070679.html

posted by Success on Jul 26

In todayís world time is very important, if not everything.   Time to prepare, time to market, time to close, time to roll out, and many other time related events can determine in great part whether a franchise venture is successful or yesterdays news.  Franchises have been burdened, or perhaps mandated is a better choice of words, to comply with Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (ìUFOCî) law for 25+ years.  During this 25+ year period the UFOC has changed dramatically, and the legal bodies controlling its function and purpose have also changed, but one thing has remained constant over these years, and that is UFOCís are expensive.

They are very expensive to create, super expensive to produce and distribute, and unbelievably costly to store and audit.  UFOCís are one of the single greatest expenses new franchises face, and for the first time there is a cheaper and more effective way to do business.  It is legal, it is safe, it is secure, it is encouraged and it will make an existing franchise more efficient and lower the barrier to entry for new franchisers.  This revolutionary technology has only been around for 135 years, so it is about time the legislators let franchisers take advantage of the savings.  What is this new technology you ask?  It is electronic signature capturing, and New Hampshire was the first court system to rule on the validity of electronic signatures in 1869, it was in relation to the telegraph and signing for invoices for goods shipped by railway cars, but it was and is legal, so why not use it in other forms of business?

In the 1980ís businesses and courts started to ask this same question, and voil‡ there was the fax machine.  The fax machine got the proverbial electronic signature ball rolling again in business, but the Internet will take it to its rightful level of use in business.  Practically everyone has access to the Internet now.  Public libraries, schools, businesses and 100ís of millions of homes have Internet connectivity available to them on demand.  The fax machine was certainly prevalent, but it could never have the wide spread use and functionality that the Internet offers, and therefore the Internet is the best logical way to spread the use of electronic signatures.

Franchises may send their UFOC electronically to potential franchisees.  They may do this by building internal delivery systems, or they may use external delivery services.  The delivery method will depend on the size and nature of the franchise, but the purpose will be the same, cut costs and reduce time to close business.  Any franchise that is not actively looking for an electronic UFOC delivery service is going to be left behind.  Electronic delivery will shorten sales cycles by allowing franchises to start the 10 day waiting period immediately, and open up additional markets by reducing the cost of entry.  

Franchisers that embrace electronic UFOC delivery will save money and time in multiple ways.  Take a look at the following chart.

Costs Associated with a 150 Page Paper UFOCís

(1) 150 + Ink + Paper + Wear and Tear on printer = $3
(2) Binding = $1
(3) Outbound Overnight Shipping = $20
(4) Inbound Overnight Shipping = $20
(5) 150 Pages 1 Year Storage Using Government Estimate = $19
(6) Labor @ 2 Hours for Total Process ñ Sending and Receiving = $40
(7) 2 Days Opportunity Time for Best Delivery Option = $Unknown

Total Cost of Using Paper = ($103.00)

Costs Associated With Paperless UFOC Using Electronic Signatures

Labor @ 15 Minutes for Total Process = $5
Sending File Electronically = $5
Delivery Is Immediate = No Lost Opportunity Costs

Total Cost of a Paperless Transaction = ($10)

Total Savings Using Electronic Signatures vs. Paper = $93.00 per UFOC

The FTC has issued several Informal Staff Opinion Letters to electronic signature companies acknowledging that these services comply with the current FTC rules.  <a target=”_blank” href=”http://privasign.com”>PrivaSign.com</a>, located at <a target=”_blank” href=”http://privasign.com/laws-cfr-ftc.asp”>http://privasign.com/laws-cfr-ftc.asp</a> is one of the companies that received such an opinion letter, and additional companies may be found at the <a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.ftc.gov”>http://www.ftc.gov</a> website.  By utilizing an electronic signature and UFOC delivery service, like PrivaSign, franchisers will save hundreds and potentially even thousands of dollars a month delivering their UFOCís, and capturing new business.   

Franchisers who are slow to adapt new electronic signature methods will undoubtedly lose business to the faster and more aggressive franchises.  Speed and timely delivery of materials will allow technology savvy franchisers to approach and win more business.  In todayís franchise world prospects generally look at multiple franchisers before selecting which one is right for them.  Therefore the franchiser who has the fastest response time, and the first chance to earn a potential franchisees business is more than likely going to win.  

Electronic UFOC distribution combined with an efficient electronic signature capture service is the right choice for virtually every franchiser.  Explore the market and try out different providers to discover which one is right for you. The cost savings, the time savings and the efficiency gained by using electronic signature technologies is worth the effort.  

By:

Jason McKay

Get free articles and content at ArticlesFly.com. Also, visit UKArticles.com the UK article directory or the LinksCiti.com web directory.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/why-every-franchise-should-use-electronic-ufoc-distribution-1069721.html

posted by Success on Jul 26

The current recession has many people beginning to wonder if they will have enough money to retire. Situations differ, some people are already retired and with the sudden rise in prices they may be finding it difficult to make ends meet. Others are finding it difficult to pay the bills and have enough left over to save for retirement.

Now with the Internet it has become common place for ordinary people to start a home based business.
People are finding ways to earn substantial incomes from the comfort of their homes.

In the past starting a home based business required a lot of start up capital and substantial knowledge of the business before you could begin to think about being successful. The Internet home business has changed all of that with little funds needed to begin and plenty of free training available.

The primary reason why home businesses are successful today lies in the fact that the owners have learned how to use the Internet to their advantage. They know that they can find products to sell rather quickly in fields such as affiliate marketing.

Unfortunately as more and more people begin to realize the full potential of a home based business the amount of scams increase as well. In order to avoid bring taken advantage of due diligence should definitely be practiced. However, for the most part there are literally millions of ways to start a Internet home business and make extra money for retirement.

There are two main reasons that starting a Internet home business has become so popular for people at or near retirement age. They can work as many hours as they want. From spending eight hours a day to only a few hours a week the home based business allows the owner the freedom to choose their own hours. Also, a website is open 24 hours a day. This provides marketing and sales opportunities that a normal business cannot offer.

As with any new job training is needed. This is another area that those seeking supplemental retirement income can hold the advantage over those seeking to make money instantly. The Internet offers plenty of free advice in the form blogs, videos, forums and various other methods. Every day something new can be learned and then implemented. It does take time to learn to make money for yourself on the Internet. For those who have the time and are willing to spend it increasing their knowledge of the Internet their future retirement income will also grow.

If you are willing to treat your Internet home business as an investment in your retirement savings you can certainly start to secure your future.  When you finally are able to retire from your current job you will have another source of income. You may even earn as much money or even more than you would if you were getting up early every morning and going to a full time job.

John McRae works from home reviewing affiliate marketing programs at Your Work From Home Help Center and provides a weekly news letter Earn Extra Income

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/secure-your-retirement-future-now-with-a-home-based-business-1068321.html

posted by Success on Jul 24

I’ve heard people suggest home staging is actually a deceitful practice because it is meant to disguise real problems, but this is not the case. Home staging is about letting a home’s best features shine through, not hiding serious problems that need to be addressed.

The entrance of this home says “fixer-upper” because of all the junk on the porch, overgrown hedge and peeling paint. But it’s actually a sound property that just needs some care to change the first impression from “fixer upper” to “welcome home.”

However, there are instances where home staging is sought after as a band-aid solution for much larger issues.

With certain properties it makes more sense for the owners to invest in repairs before staging and “home staging with integrity” means that the stager will point this out.

When a home is a true fixer-upper and has a long list of structural issues and obvious defects, no amount of paint or new furniture will disguise the problems.

If you’re asked to stage such a home, suggest that the owners fix what’s wrong before having it staged because any problems will be revealed in the home inspection anyway.

There’s a big difference between patching up cracked plaster and repainting after a leaky roof has been fixed, and doing the same to hide the fact that it’s leaking.

The roof issues will be uncovered in a home inspection so the home seller will be no further ahead, and may in fact watch their deal fall apart when it could have gone through had they addressed the issue in the first place.

As a stager, you should emphasize the need to fix the leak and why, and suggest once that’s done that the wall be repaired and painted. You’ll of course be picking the color, but that does not remove the responsibility of pointing out the steps that need to happen before any paint goes on the wall.

I once refused to stage a dilapidated house that had sat on the market for months without an offer. Instead of calling me, the vendor really should have called a contractor first.

I advised the client to either drop his price significantly and sell the home as a ‘tear down’ for land value, or to take it off the market during the summer, repair all the problems and then call me to stage it for the fall real estate market.

As a professional stager, you don’t want your home staging business associated with problem properties masquerading in nice paint and furniture.

There are plenty of solid houses crying out for cosmetic changes that can make all the difference in a real estate sale. Let your talents as a home stager shine on these. Don’t waste your time or reputation staging obvious tear downs, instead keep marketing your business and more clients will follow!

If you’re looking for some new ways to market your home staging business, order The Staging Diva®’s special report: “14 Marketing Ideas to Rev Up Your Home Staging Business”. Each of the ideas in the report can be implemented in your business immediately.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/home-staging-is-not-meant-to-cover-real-flaws-1066372.html

posted by Success on Jul 24

STOP THE PRESS! This just in …

Humpty Dumpty gives exclusive interview to the Wall Street Journal about the importance of earnest and accurate communications for entrepreneurs.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty says, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”

Okay, well maybe he didn’t really say it. Fact of the matter is this (close your ears, children!): Humpty Dumpty is a fictional creation. It was that real character, Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland, who forced those words into the hot little lips of that immovable and soon to be broken character, Humpty Dumpty.

Given that those words, then, are fictional and didn’t really come from the mouth of anyone truly significant, do they still matter?

Of course you know the obvious answer here (my readership, women — and possibly some men — from New Zealand through India to US and Canada are as smart as a whip!): Of course they matter, for there is (truly) no line between fact and fiction.

Refer to my earlier article on Closed Minds Live Quiet Lives (see the sixth paragraph) to see how fuzzy and blurry the line really is!

My father, who prides himself on his philosophical mind and has read (and actually understands) Nietzsche, would have a great debate with Humpty Dumpty. Well, okay, maybe not, as my father would probably refute the existence of Humpty Dumpty.

But let’s pretend here for a second! Let’s pretend the two entered into a great debate.

When I was growing up, my father used to harp (my word selection, not his) on the double negative. “If a man says ‘I ain’t got no apples’ he really does have apples,” my father would argue. His logic would confound my eleven-year old brain, because the laws of mathematics supported him. I had just learned that if you add -1 with -1, you will actually get +2. I didn’t (and still don’t) get how you could add one absense with another, and not just get something that exists, but something that exists twice. In fact, I’ve got a headache now, just thinking about it.

But, hey, it was a law. And the teacher would grade you based on your ability to memorize (not understand) the laws.

So there it was, my father was right.

Yet, I wanted to scream back at him: “Hey, if buddy says he ain’t got no apples, then he AIN’T GOT NO APPLES!” You could tie buddy up and hang him upside down and shake him till his wallet fell out of his pocket, but nary will ONE APPLE fall from the folds of his clothes or anywhere else.

But I didn’t, because the teachers were on my father’s side, and collectively they must have been more right than buddy with the bad grammar.

Now, thanks to the eternal words of my good friend Humpty, as quoted in the Wall Street Journal (oh wait, I made that part up), I now now that I WAS right. Because when buddy uses a phrase, it means precisely what he means it to mean. Nothing more and nothing less.

And, my friends, as much as I like to believe I’m right (along side with buddy), there is also the confounding truth that we live in a dual world. There is another law, the Law of Cause and Effect, that says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. (Bear with me, folks, this does get dizzying!).

So as much as buddy is right, so is my father (and dammit all those fussy teachers too). For when my fathers HEARS a statement, that will means exactly what he chooses it to mean – neither more nor less.

And this duality, this existence of simultaneous truths, is what makes human communications so incredibly complex.

Between what I say and what you hear, in the invisible vapours of the air and in between my relationship with your words and my triggers, and your relationship with the same, the words transmute themselves. The intended meaning of whatever words were spoken are set free to the universe, and the receiver HEARS only what they intend to hear.

Understanding this will help you shift into the needs of your customers. It will make you a better business person and a better sales person. It will also make you a better partner, a better wife (or husband), a better mother (or father), and a better community member.

Humpty Dumpty is a sage old soul, and you need to both absorb what he says and DISCARD it. And then, and only then my friend, will you “get it.”

To your perpetual success,

Britt Santowski

Founder of I’m Allowed.com (http://www.imallowed.com : ”Helping people Start Again”) and owner of the Chickrag.com blog (http://www.chickrag.com ), Britt has a dark and stormy work history that includes motorcycle instruction, cartooning, counseling (unrelated to the previous two), and civil service (information architect … completely unrelated to anything else, but hey, it was for the money!) Three years ago, she was laid off for the third time. And then, finally, she figured this little thing out about herself: she makes a LOUSY employee! Since then, she’s been working as a contractor and a coach to other new entrepreneurs.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/entrepreneurial-advice-from-the-hot-lips-of-humpty-dumpty-1064756.html