What Makes Up a Successful Entrepreneur?

Posted by Stephen Fisher

Over the last few months I have been participating in a survey of successful entreprenurs and Professor Vivek Wadwa of Harvard Law School has been gathering data for a bunch of research reports on “What Makes Up a Successful Entrepreneur”. It has gotten some great coverage and this slideshow in BusinessWeek: The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur is a great example. It has some awesome charts so if you are a data junkie with a weakness for pretty graphs, you are gonna love this slide show.

Read his article here
http://growsmartbusiness.com/2009/12/what-makes-up-a-successful-entrepreneur/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sbsi+%28The+Small+Business+Success+Index+%28SBSI%29%29&utm_content=Netvibes

Martha Stewart’s 10 Rules for Starting a Business

by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

A reader asked for info on starting a business – she wants to be a female entrepreneur! Well, who better to learn from than successful businesswoman Martha Stewart? Her ten rules for creating and maintaining a successful business will help even established entrepreneurs.

Read article here
http://seejanesoar.theadventurouswriter.com/for-female-entrepreneurs-martha-stewarts-10-rules-for-starting-a-business/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

10 Ways a Start-Up Can Use Social Media to Market Itself

By Edward Boches

“How can a start-up with a few employees and a tiny marketing budget get its name out there?”

Read article here
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5297/10-Ways-a-Start-Up-Can-Use-Social-Media-to-Market-Itself.aspx

The 4 Key Places to Ask for Money in a Grant Proposal

"Foundation representatives want to know exactly how much you need and exactly how the funds will be used. According to the Canadian Million Dollar Round Table Foundation’s grant application, “It is easier to award funds when the committee can see specifically where the funding will be used. Knowing exactly how a grant will be used by an organization can be a major factor in the approval or denial of a grant request.”

Read article here
http://www.freshfundraising.ca/Ask.html

Spirutality and the Entrepreneur

Special Guest: Elizabeth Foley

What is most important for business (any business) is bringing in and marrying the spiritual compontent to the material part of the business.

Details here
http://www.theauthenticyouonline.com/?p=1831

Listen to show here
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheAuthenticYouRadio

Two Key Principles for Success

by David Samuel

I hope this article gets more people to become aware of how our life passes like grains of sand in the hourglass, and before you know it, time is all used up.

Read article here
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/two_key_business_principles_for_success

13 Ways Entrepreneurs Abuse Social Media

by Monica O'Brien

...Some of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make with social media revolve around making decisions that aren’t consistent with having good business sense. Because social media tools are free, startups and small businesses tend to take the pasta approach: throwing noodles at a wall to see what sticks. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid with social media.

Read article here
http://blog.monicaobrien.com/entrepreneurs-abuse-social-media

10 Biggest Business Blunders

by TeriScheinzeit

Some great insight, thoughts and tips on why your business may be failing or may fail.

Read tips here
http://www.savvybizowner.com/resources.html

Choosing a Memorable Brand Name

by Andrew Keir

… choosing a brand name isn’t easy, below are half a dozen mnemonic devices for creating a memorable brand name.

Read his list here
http://www.andrewkeir.com/choosing-a-memorable-brand-name

10 Tips for the First Time Entreprenuer

by Scott Gerber

Advice from a young entrepreneur in the trenches

Whenever possible, I encourage up-and-comers and established entrepreneurs to mentor the next generation of dream-seekers; for it is this insight and insider education that will provide the foundation for the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. With that, here are 10 pieces of advice that I wish someone had given to me before I launched my first venture.

Read article here
http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/youngentrepreneurscolumnistscottgerber/article203254.html

Resources for Your Small Business Start-Up

Posted by Tammy in Planning, Tammy, Web Candy

There are a ton of resources on the ‘net that can help you get the information you need to launch your business successfully. Here are a few you may not have found yet.

Read information here
http://acoupleofquitters.com/2009/09/13/resources-for-your-small-business-start-up/#more-1120

Top Ten Lessons Learned in Home Based Internet Business

by Shelley Lowery

Since starting my home based Internet business back in 1997, I have learned many lessons along the way. These lessons have played a major role in my success, and I'd like to share them with you.

Read her lessons here
http://www.web-source.net/internet_business.htm

The 3 Most Critical Factors to Making Your Home Based Business Successful

[Scroll down - below Adsense article]

by Rolf Joho

Home Based Businesses are great and are mostly very lucrative but without the proper knowledge and the correct tools you can waste an incredible amount of time which undermines the original idea to earn a living and spend more time with your family. I wrote this articleto provide people like you and I a business model to follow in a home based business, in the right path, and to save you wasted time and money.

Read blog post here
http://www.tweetmyblog.com/bpredir.php?r=12358&bp=http%3A%2F%2Ffirstadsense.com%2Fadsense%2F2009%2F09%2F12%2Fthe-3-most-critical-factors-to-making-you-home-based-business-successful%2F

How To Survive The Entrepreneur’s Dark Days

Compiled by Mike Michalowicz,
Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

110 Ideas - You are not alone. Every entrepreneur has dark days. I mean days of complete despair. I asked the TPE community to share their “dark day” experiences, and how they navigated through them:

Read blog post here
http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog/how-to-survive-the-entrepreneurs-dark-days

How to Stay On Top of Business (Resource)

It’s time to get back to work after a great summer. We’ve compiled all these topics to help you stay on top of the major business topics. We hope you find this collection useful.

View topic list here
http://blog.alltop.com/2009/09/how-to-stay-on-top-of-business.html

10 Ways to Grow Your Homebased Business

by Rosalind Resnick

While such homespun wisdom might be fine for common folk, it can be awfully frustrating for an ambitious homebased business owner determined to take his company to the next level of growth and profitability... Fortunately, there are some ways to take your homebased business to new heights without sacrificing your business's profitability or losing your peace of mind.

Read tips here
http://www.entrepreneur.com/homebasedbiz/homebasedhowtoguides/article71910.html

Starting a business? Tips for a successful launch

by Sharon Epperson

Starting your own business can be daunting, but if you have an idea of the obstacles you could face you’ll be well ahead of the game....You think you’ve come up with a terrific enterprise, one that you’re really passionate about, but do you really know what it takes to launch this business?

CNBC’s personal finance correspondent Sharon Epperson, author of “The Big Payoff,” poses the questions you need to ask yourself — and some tips on how to find the answers....

Read article here
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20926395

10 Simple Things You Can Do to Ease the Pain of Tax Time

by Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale

Most of us dread the record keeping part of our business. But believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be that bad and it doesn't require an accountant, or even an in depth knowledge of accounting to put a simple and effective system of record keeping into place. All you need are some basics and a little help at the end of the year.

Read article here
http://www.qualitybooks.com/taxtime.htm

Attitude is More Important than Age...

by Arthur Wang

Does an Older person has a chance to become a successful Home Business Entrepreneur? Your attitude plays a very important in determining whether you can be a successful Home Business Entrepreneur and make money out of it.

Read article here
http://www.businesshighlight.org/business/home-business/attitude-is-more-important-than-age-to-a-home-business-entrepreneur.html

Family Biz Tax Give-Back

By Joan Szabo

Family-business owners are among the winners of tax benefits under the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. The law makes as many as 10 different changes to S-corporation rules, but the changes affecting family-business owners are considered to be among the most significant. (Experts note that the majority of family businesses are organized as S corporations.)

Read article here
http://smallbusiness.aol.com/start/startup/article?id=20051213183409990001

Hiring Employees for Your Home-Based Business

Success for a home-based business can produce elation, quickly followed by panic as you realize you do not have enough hours in the day to get everything done. You cannot humanly work 24-hours a day, and you may end up burning out quickly or alienating your family if you try to do too much.

Read 2 page article here
http://www.allbusiness.com/specialty-businesses/home-based-business/3321-1.html

7 Steps to Exceptional Customer Service

by Adrian Miller

The statistic that 50% of new businesses fail within their first year is fairly well known. Ugly and scary, yes, but well known. And yet this gloomy statistic may encourage those who make it to day 366 to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, if you make it past year one, you're laughing, right?


Read here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/exceptional-customer-service.htm

S Corp Eligibility - Advantages and Disadvantages

For many corporations, the most important tax decision hinges on whether or not to elect to be treated under the provisions of sub-chapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. The choice concerning S-Corporations (S-Corp. status is often a complex one that is fraught with significant tax implications. As with many tax decisions, there are both potential advantages and disadvantages in choosing to be treated as an S-Corp.

Read article here
http://www.morebusiness.com/running_your_business/taxtalk/scorp.brc

The Ecommerce Business Plan

by Ray Yee

A business plan serves many important purposes for the online business. First, because the business plan has a detailed list of the tasks to undertake, it is a call to action for you to promote your business actively and not procrastinate on your marketing efforts. Second, it provides a blueprint that describes your company effectively: the market, the products and the steps you need for effective marketing. This serves to guide your business through the months ahead.

Read article here
http://www.apollohosting.com/apollohosting/articles/ecommerce/06-05-Ecom-A07.php

10 Ways For Entrepreneurs To Find More Time

by Dr. Rachna D. Jain

It's occurred to me lately that I don't feel like there's enough time to do everything I want to do in my business. Between working with clients, writing books and articles, teaching/training other professionals, marketing, and just living a good life, there seems to be less and less time in each and every day.

Read tips here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/moretime.htm

12-Point Business Tax Checklist

Before filing your business tax return or handing your details over to your tax professional, it is imperative that you organize all your information in such a way that filing returns and paying taxes becomes a whole lot easier.

Read this tax checklist here
http://www.morebusiness.com/12-point-tax

Work At Home Business Options

Your home business resource site, where you'll find:
* Business Tips
* Business Articles
* Direct Sales Company Profiles
* Direct Sales Articles, Tips & Resources
* Business Advertising For Your Work At Home Business
* Telecommuting Jobs Information
* Work At Home Job Leads
* Exclusive Articles That Can Only Be Found On The WAH Business Options Website
* Home Life - Home Tips, Recipes, Parenting Articles, Activities For Kids, Health & Fitness and more!

If you are working from home and looking for business tips or ideas...or looking to start working from home, Work At Home Business Options has everything you need in one location!

We invite you to stop by today and while you are there, bookmark the site for future reference. Please feel free to contact us or leave your comments directly on the site.

Shelly and Sophia ~ Owners
Work At Home Business Options
http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com

Start Business Credit : Top 10 Reasons Why

Entrepreneurs and small business owners who have a separate legal entity for their business have a unique opportunity that no other individual or sole proprietor has. It’s the opportunity to start business credit by establishing a business credit profile that is completely separate from a personal credit profile.

Read article here
http://www.businesscreditblogger.com/2009/06/30/start-business-credit-top-10-reasons-why

Spring Cleaning: Simplify Your Business

Posted by Lindsey of the Empowerment Group

Spring is a great time to clean house, but it’s also a perfect time to simplify your business. These days streamlining is especially important, since inefficient business practices and mismanaged time means money lost. Save a few dollars and boost your business with these easy tips:

Read her tips here
http://empowerment-groupdiscussionboard.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-cleaning-simplify-your-business.html

6 Reasons to Stick with Your Startup....

This post is part of our ReadWriteStart channel, which is dedicated to profiling startups and entrepreneurs. The channel is sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark.

....Survival Stories from the Trenches

by Jolie O'Dell

Starting a new tech company is a labor of love. Particularly in the beginning, when funds are low, expectations are high, and the product is still a twinkle in the developer's eye, stressful situations under external pressures can lead to pull-the-plug moments.

Read article here
http://www.readwriteweb.com/readwritestart/2009/07/reasons-to-stick-with-your-sta.php

Great Business Plans Tips

provided thru Business KnowHow.com

Make sure that your plan is clear, focused and realistic. Then show them that you have the tools, talent and team to make it happen. Your business plan is like your calling card, it will get you in the door where you'll have to convince investors and loan officers that you can put your plan into action."

Continue reading tips here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/Startup/businessplanning.htm

10 Deadliest Words and Phrases in Business

by Gary Blake

Take a look at the next four or five letters, e-mails, and memos that cross your desk. Do they sing out with clarity and precision? Or do they sound as if they were written by a lawyer in a Charles Dickens novel? Worse yet: do they sound like they were written by a lawyer in your own company?

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/tendeadliestwords.htm

20 Productivity Tips WAH With Children....

Posted 1/28/08

Using these general guidelines, we came up with 20 productivity tips for work-at-home Moms of young children:
* identify and create pockets of time when you can work with minimal disturbance
* double-task or piggy-back simple work tasks with household or child care tasks
* maximize your productivity during those times when you are working

Continue reading this post here
http://mylifeshift.org/20-productivity-tips-for-work-at-home-moms-of-young-children

What Happens if You Fail?

by Rob Speigel

The battle cry of many an entrepreneur is 'failure is not an option!' But what happens if you do fail? The Small Business Administration (SBA) keeps the stats on business failures and claims that more than half of new businesses will disappear in the first five years. I believe that’s a conservative estimate, since there are surely countless numbers of small companies started in spare bedrooms that launch and fail without ever reaching the radar of the SBA...

Read article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/failure.htm

Guide to Resources for Starting a Business

by By Daniel Kehrer (Work.com staff)

Want to start a business? Free and low-cost help for starting a business is available online.

Taking your first steps to start a business can be daunting, but take heart. Many excellent websites and organizations offer help to anyone starting a business. And while starting a business requires an investment on your part, the information you need for starting a small business is generally free.

Continue reading this guide here
http://www.work.com/resources-for-starting-a-business-817

7 Essential Startup Steps

By Rich Mintzer

Yes, there are thousands of businesses you could start, with more emerging daily thanks to new technology and good old-fashioned ingenuity. Yet despite the vast universe of possibilities, there are a few essential steps you need to take before starting a business, any business.

Continue reading article here
http://ow.ly/eKqx

5 Tips Building, Funding, Starting, Running a Business

I have combined the following 5 Tips into one blog post to make it easier to follow. Success to you, Patricia


Tip #1: Find a Recession Proof Business Opportunity
....In this article, we will discuss some recession proof products and service ideas. These are great ideas to consider if you are thinking about starting a business during nationally tough financial times.

Continue reading article here
http://www.morebusiness.com/recession-proof-business


Tip #2: Create a Strong Foundation for Your Small Business
We took a look at some of the specific dangers that potential entrepreneurs need to look out for when they are thinking of starting a business during bust times. In this article, we will take a look at building a firm foundation for your business during the current recession.

Continue reading article here
http://www.morebusiness.com/business-foundation


Tip #3: Business Planning Pitfalls to Avoid in a Recession
Recessions mean less money floating around and that means less employment opportunities, less money to enjoy life, and so on. However, did you know that recessions can be an ideal time to start your own business? Through desperation or opportunity, many of today’s most successful businesses were start during a recession.

Continue reading article here
http://www.morebusiness.com/planning-pitfalls


Tip #4: Get Aggressive About Raising Money
...Even if you pass the stringent credit and background checks, have a sound business plan, and can make a convincing presentation odds are you still won’t get those business startup funds for a couple of months - when it will then be approved at a high interest rate.

Continue reading article here
http://www.morebusiness.com/raising-money


Tip #5: Make Your Business Reliable and Flexible
There’s no better time to start looking at different ways to do business and shed a lot of the business waste that can happen in “fat” times...In this fifth and final article, we will take a look at two important ingredients that will help your business startup grow, even in a recession.

Continue reading article here
http://www.morebusiness.com/reliable-flexible-business

Entrepreneur Characteristics: Personal Qualities of an Entrepreneur

What makes an entrepreneur is a complex question. It includes factors from the environment in which an individual was raised, his or her family situation, and his or her personality traits. This question has been the subject of a great deal of both study and research. The following discussion is a summary of my own observations plus some of the conclusions of others.

http://www.morebusiness.com/getting_started/primer/d943458887.brc

More great info - WAH Scams!

Provided by Home With Kids.com

Scams are the bane of the work at home parent's existence. They abound on the Internet and in the world in general. Fortunately, there are some warning signs you should always look out for that will keep you from falling for most of them.

Some topics discussed:
Work at Home Job Scams
- Home Assembly and Crafting
- Envelope Stuffing
- Online Surveys
- Chain Letters and Randomizers

Home Business Scams
-Refund Tracers
-Internet Marketing Seminars

MLM Scams

Work at Home Scam Blog Posts:
- Google Will Pay You How Much Per Hour/Day/Week/Month???
- Work at Home Scam Bingo
- How Common Are Work at Home Scams?

Be sure to drop by this wonderful page when you can, as there is a great deal of information listed under each topic, along with a section for more resources and wonderful blogs as well on the whole issue of Scams/Fraud & WAH.

Continue reading this very informative article here
http://www.homewiththekids.com/scams

6 Ways to Start a Business with Bad Credit

by Joseph Lizio

Times are tough - especially for those budding entrepreneurs looking to get their business off the ground. While the state of the economy should never be a deterrent in starting a small business (regardless if the economy is up or down - people and businesses still need to consume goods and services)....

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/money/startbadcredit.htm

The 14 Commandments of Creating a 'Wealth Pulling' Niche!"

By Roy J. Primm

To out-niche your competitors you must focus on these "14 commandments" of niche creation at all times. Observe the ones you apply to your business, product, or service - and watch your sales soar.

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/wealthniche.htm

Creating A Business Image That Counts

By Barbara Gabogrecan

Many things can contribute to creating the business image that you want and they should all be considered before you rush into having anything printed to promote your business. Start with the very name you call your business. When deciding on the name consider just what the image is that you are trying to convey e.g. fun, serious, sensitive, caring, knowledgeable, etc. Don't have the name too long or too difficult to pronounce or spell.

Continue reading article here
http://www.allentrepreneurinfo.com/Article/Creating-A-Business-Image-That-Counts/10639

Financing Small Business Growth: More Than a Matter of Money

By Jeff Gordon

The Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Financing growth is more than a matter of grabbing readily available cash from obvious sources, such as banks or venture capitalists. Sometimes, you, the entrepreneur, think you need financing, but think again: Is that what you really need? Other times, when you're convinced that yes, it's the cash, stupid, that will enable my start-up to handle the sudden deluge of orders (or my business plan to make it off the kitchen table, or my going-nowhere company to pursue the acquisition that will make it a star, or, or, or...), the questions are just as complex.

Continue reading article here
http://www.score.org/fc_4.html

Work-at-Home Schemes

Modern Twist to Old Scams

With the rise of the Internet and e-mail, getting a phony ad or message out to a vast audience is cheap and easy. Even though the old work-at-home scams have taken on a modern twist, the typical profile of victims who are most susceptible to these scams has changed very little. Work-at-home con artists have always preyed most heavily upon senior citizens, the disabled, mothers who want to stay at home with their children, people with low income and few job skills, and people who just want to get rich quick.

Read the BBB (Better Business Bureau) new findings here

http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?id=436

Light Your Fuse Now - Business Startup

by Rob Speigel

Have you been thinking about launching a company? Or perhaps you’re considering an expansion of your existing business. Finally, current economic conditions are conspiring to offer you the best environment for a business start-up. Current conditions are as favorable for start-ups as any time...

Continue reading article here

http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/lightfuse.htm

Business Plan Basics

by Palo Alto Software, Inc.

Make sure that your plan is clear, focused and realistic. Then show them that you have the tools, talent and team to make it happen. Your business plan is like your calling card, it will get you in the door where you'll have to convince investors and loan officers that you can put your plan into action.

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/Startup/businessplanning.htm

Plan for Success

by Dr. Robert Sullivan

Planning is mandatory for business success. Fail to plan and you plan to fail. Planning is difficult because there is no immediate feedback as to its value. But if you think of starting and operating your business in the same way you might think about climbing a mountain, the purpose and advantages of planning become clearer...The more careful the planning, the more likely problems will be anticipated and not allowed to interfere with your ultimate business objective.

Continue reading article here
http://certificate.net/wwio/biz39.shtml

Top 10 Places to Find Free Startup Help

By Geoff Williams

Looking for help getting your startup off the ground? Great advice doesn't have to cost you. Here's where to find it free. The word feels like a fantasy, or maybe a sick joke. After all, you can't make a move without spending money. Walk 10 feet, and you're 10 steps closer to buying new shoes.

Continue reading article here
http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=587469&confid=1022

Top 10 Problems of Working at Home

From the Work at Home Series Part 2

Working from home, whether you are salaried or employed, means more control over your schedule and your enviroment. You are the boss...The ten most common problems have been documented thru studies and surveys, including Home Office Magazine, and small business bureaus.

Continue reading article here
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/71163/top_10_problems_of_working_at_home.html?cat=31

Choosing the right Work at Home Business

by BlondiePosts

Some would consider working from home as a dream job. After all, you can work when you want, take off when you want, work as much or little as you want, stay home with the kids, never get dressed... Before quitting your job however, there are some decisions to be made and many things to take into consideration about working from home.

Continue reading article here
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/154614/choosing_the_right_work_at_home_business.html?cat=31

Legal Entities Glossary

Presented by Career Guide 101

A listing of various titles for businesses when acquiring to become a viable business, company entity...

http://careerguide101.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=125&Itemid=97

10 Things to Be Clear About Before You Start a Company

Written by Bernard Lunn

This post is part of our ReadWriteStart channel, which is dedicated to profiling startups and entrepreneurs. This is one post/chapter in a serialized book called Startup 101. For the introduction and table of contents...

1. Is this your first venture?
2. Are you really an entrepreneur?
3. Does your venture involve something you understand really well?
4. Can your mother understand the value proposition?
5. Can you see the right wave?
6. What does your startup want to be when it grows up?
7. Starting a company is hard and uncertain.
8. Get a partner or fly solo?
9. Would you refuse a well-paying job to do this?
10. Can you raise appropriate financing?

Continue reading article here
http://www.readwriteweb.com/readwritestart/2009/05/10-things-be-clear-about-before-start-company.php

Secrets to a Great Logo

Compiled from articles written by David Cotriss,
Kim T. Gordon and Steve Nubie

With a well-designed logo, potential clients can instantly discover how your business can serve them. Your logo is a visual representation of everything your company stands for. Think of McDonald's golden arches or the Nike swoosh--these two impressive logos embody these companies well.

Continue reading article here
http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=575442&confid=1022

10 Survival Strategies for Entrepreneurs

by Bill Lampton, Ph.D.

You want to unleash your creativity, which your current job stifles. You expect to double or triple your income. You are eager to implement your lifelong fantasy. You lost a previous job, and you don’t want to face being downsized again. Yet, whether you have taken that step or merely intend to, you’re afraid...

Continue reading this article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/survivalstra.htm

See Your Business With New Eyes

By Debbie Allen

Your business image is like a symphony orchestra. No single instrument determines an orchestra’s success or failure. Likewise, the image you project is not based on a single business card, brochure, or display, but on the total impression created by all these things and more.

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/neweyes.htm

5 Tips for Effective Business Planning

Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

http://www.score.org/5_tips_bp_1.html

Building a Home-Based Business Team

by Rob Spiegel

When you first launch a home-based business, you get to wear all the hats: accountant, marketing director, ad agency, administrative assistant and office custodian. But as your business succeeds and you grow, you will start to divvy up tasks, hiring employees or outsourcing jobs to service companies.

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/homeoffice/hbteam.htm

How to Place, Organize and Manage a Home Business Office

By Alison Curtiss

The joys of running a home-based business can be overshadowed by the trials that befall the entrepreneur. Like many business owners, I found that working from home can be hard to maintain. Here are several common obstacles and the basic strategies that helped me overcome them in my businesses.

Continue reading article here
http://ezinearticles.com/?Free,-Easy-Tips-on-How-to-Place,-Organize-and-Manage-a-Home-Business-Office&id=2325785

Financial Aid, Grant Resources, Gov't Benefits

Starting a business comes with a pricetag, that some feel maybe unattainable... There are plenty of organizations and agencies out there willing to help you become successful in your quest for entreprenuership - first step is to know where to look!

Before entering into any sort of agreement or contract, giving out your information, be prepared - have a business plan ready (even if a rough draft outline of potential ideas, etc) to present when formally meeting.

To help get you started, here are some sites that I have found. BE SURE to check them out thoroughly (use the links I have posted under my Scams blog) before diving into any sort of business agreement's. To your success, Patricia

RESOURCES:

First Gov -
Site index, has a listing of all sorts of benefits, grants, proposals on a variety of topics.
http://firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/Benefits.shtml#b


Free Government Grants -
A blog listing several places to find assistance
http://free-government-grants.blogspot.com


Free Grants For Women (March 09) -
Wemomz site, is offering a $500 grant for women in business. You can find furthe details thru link.
http://www.webmomz.com/resources-free-business-grants.shtml


Grants Gov -
Allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.gov is THE single access point for over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies.
http://www.grants.gov


SBA (Small Bus Ass) -
United States Small Business Administration covers everything re to running, owning or wanting to run or own a business. This site also offers training, resources, news and much more!
http://www.sba.gov


S.C.O.R.E. (Counselors/Retired Entrepreneurs)
"Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
http://www.score.org/cgi/search.cgi?keys=Grants

The Seven Roller Coaster Stages of a Start Up

By Rob Spiegel

Launching and building a business is a nerve-wracking journey that will change your personality and alter your very essence. You may succeed and you may fail, but the wild turns and gut-wrenching drops along the way are as predictable as they are frightening....

Continue reading article
http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/rollercoaster.htm

The Many Hats of Business: Can You Wear Them All?

by Barbara Brabec

If you are like most home-business owners, you'll end up doing all the work for awhile, so you may chuckle a bit when you get to the production plan. Still, it's important for you to figure out, in advance, exactly how you are going to get everything done in the time available to you. Stop and think about all the business hats you may have to wear for awhile, and be realistic about your ability to do all the work that may be involved...

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/manyhats.htm

Business Startup Ideas

PERSONAL NOTE =
I have known Rhonda thru ryze and she is an awsome gal who has loads of info to share, so be sure to drop on by her sites! Enjoy, Patricia

Business Startup Ideas
by Rhonda White
http://mommyrevenue.com/index.php/home-business-training

Visit her Ryze page
http://www.ryze.com/go/okcshoppers

Turning Startup Dreams Into Reality

by Debbie Allen

Making the transition from running the family business to owning your own business seems like it should be easy enough. But this entrepreneur found out that full-fledged business ownership had a few more lessons in store for her.

Continue reading this very informative article http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/change.htm

Scams, Ebay, Fraud, Consumer Help, Etc

As I shared in my previous blog on Copyrights-etc, you also have to educate yourself on the vast amount of WAH scams that are truly out there! I have had some of my own experiences thru the past few years which involved a closed checking account and a credit card... it was a mess and took me 2 months to resolve. Learn from other's is all I can say and heed the advice to research, ask and know.

You will find a compiled thread post consisting of the following topics:
Scams, Ebay, Fraud, Consumer Protection, MLM's and more
http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=731666&confid=1022
This topic post thread houses some of the important sites I have looked at and on occassion, have actually used and contacted.

I wish you the best of success with your search to a meaningful and legitimate Work At Home company and hope that thru my trials and error I can help get you to that goal faster! Patricia

Copyrights, Trademarks, Registrations

The most essential lesson I have learned thru my trials of trying to navigate and understand the internet is to always EDUCATE myself before embarking on a new endeavor! I learned the hard way, that no matter how much you want to believe that people are basically good intended (when offering assistance), there are a few that for their own selfishness will take away from you what they can.

Thus, this leads me to this latest post re copyrights, trademarks and registration.... Valuable tools to know and understand, before taking any steps out there in the virtual universe we call the internet! BEFORE you put anything to paper, promote, advertise, create, whatever it maybe, do your homework and research thoroughly all concepts, ideas, etc so that you will be protected from any misuse of any kind. Success to you, Patricia

Here are some links I have found useful in business and my writing:

OFFICIAL SITES -
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
http://www.uspto.gov

U.S. Copyright Office
http://www.copyright.gov



GENERAL MISC -
Creative Commons license: Protect Your Work
http://creativecommons.org

Copyright Advice & Info
http://www.firstwriter.com/copyright

Copyright Renewal, Copyright Restoration, and the difficulty of determining copyright status
http://blog.librarylaw.com/librarylaw/2008/07/index.html

TradeMark Express
http://www.tmexpress.com/index.php



ARTICLES/TIPS -
10 Big Myths about copyright explained
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

Are You Original?
http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=715292&confid=1022

Copyright Law - What Web Businesses Need To Know
http://www.businesshighlight.org/marketing/copyright-law-what-web-businesses-need-to-know.html

The Readers Digest Legal Question & Answer Book
http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=361159&confid=1022

Copyright: What is fair use?
http://www.smartfast.com/enews/ea_copyright_what_is_fair_use.html

12 Ways to Start A Business - Find the real opportunities

by Janet Attard

Business ideas are all around you. They are lurking in your garage, in your basement, in your kitchen, and in your children's room. You'll find them in magazine ads, at your neighbor's house and at work....Other business owners have turned their hobbies, interests and skills into satisfying and often lucrative businesses, simply by seeing a need in the world around them and finding a way to fill it....

Continue reading article here
http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/12ways.htm

5,000 Biz re Links - tips, tools, more

In my 7 years now being online and researching thousands upon thousands of sites, I have compiled the best and post them daily over on my ryze network
1Stop Biz Resource Board.

Here are the variety of topics covered:
Monday- Advertising Sites, Articles, Tips
Tuesday - Chats/Classes/Events/More, Ryze Help
Wednesday - Forums, Groups, Message BDs, Ryze
Thursday - General... Blog, HTML, Newsletter, Web Design
Friday - Books, Ezines, Magazines, Newsletters
Weekends - Off Topic Links, Misc

I try to keep information posted general and accessible to everyone, since I have an international membership database of 500, covering almost every area of our world. Drop on by anytime and take a browse, we are open 24/7!

Thanks, Success to you always, Patricia

Avoiding Common Work at Home Business Pitfalls

By Charles Fuchs

Not everything works for everyone, everytime, so understanding how to avoid certain work at home business pitfalls can keep you from relying too heavily on methods used by other companies that may not work for you. Know your own business needs to avoid certain work at home business pitfalls that so many other organizations fall into.

First, understand that how and where you advertise make a difference in how effective it will be for your business. One of the most common work at home business pitfalls is to assume that any advertising will work for your business. However, you need to target your advertising to bring in the right consumers. Define your market, and create advertising to target that market.

Another one of the common work at home business pitfalls is to believe if you start a business people will flock to it. Starting and maintaining a business takes a lot of work. You will need to advertise and network to build your work at home business. Making personal contact with potential clients will bring in significantly more business than advertising alone.

Customer service is key to building and maintaining your business. So you want to make sure you treat your clients well. However, another one of the most common work at home business pitfalls is believing that you need to hold onto every business relationship, no matter what. Make sure you weigh out some of your problematic clients with what they are costing you and your business. It is not all about the bottom line, either. If you have a client that is keeping you up at night, you may want to consider breaking off the relationship.

Of the common work at home business pitfalls, believing that if something works, it works for everyone or in every situation will cause your business to have slow to little growth. Yes, you may have done it that way since you started your work at home business, but the method may need to change for your growing business. It is always good to keep an open mind.

You can try, but as your business grows you won’t be able to do it all anymore. Starting your business from your home may have been a way to get away from the rat race, another of the common work at home business pitfalls is to try to do it all alone. If something is not your strength or you no longer have the time to complete common tasks, you need to see if it is within your budget to get someone to help you out.

Remember, you want your business to be successful. Avoiding these common work at home business pitfalls to help you maintain flexibility to create a successful business environment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
Copyright © Charles Fuchs is an established online marketer who specializes in helping people start their very own Home Based Business. He specializes in showing people the best way to Make Money at Home . Download the Free Work at Home Manual (Free $97 Value!)Quick Start Workbook (PDF)

Government Links & Resources

Trying to get about the virtual world is hard enough! Having to deal with all the trials and obstacles in your way, can be a daunting task. Thru all my mistakes and adventures, I've found some great sites that have helped me along the way and are beneficial in my quest to working at home. Enjoy, Success, Patricia

Federal, State, Local Govt Links:

Covering a wide variety of topics and areas of running, owning, operating and general knowledge of a business
http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=1019575&confid=1022

10 Tips on Working at Home With Young Children

By Angie Hewerdine

Working at home can be stressful, especially with small children in the house. Where is the balance between work and home when home IS work? Here are some suggestions to help both you and your kids make the most of each day at the home office.

1. Try to get up at least an hour before the children. This gives you some quiet time to assess your daily priorities, stretch your body, mentally and physically prepare for the day ahead. This is YOUR time. It is of the utmost importance. Meditate at least 10 minutes in the morning. Visualize your day going smoothly.

2. Make sure that your children have your full attention when they first wake up. Give them hugs and kisses. Make them breakfast. Enjoy some snuggling and laughter. These are precious times that will not always be here. Give your children the gift of being present in the mornings.

3. Develop a routine with your kids. Keep your schedule essentially the same every day, but don't be a slave to the clock. Each morning, set up a selection of fun things for them to do that will keep them happily entertained such as crayons and markers, table toys, play dough, watercolors or a small indoor sandbox with digging toys.

4. If you can afford it, hire a nanny or a school aged mother's helper to come into your home for just a few hours a day to play with and attend to your children. This gives you total solitude at least for an hour or two, even if only a few times a week.

5. Don't devote a set block of time to your work each day. Instead, have certain objectives, such as "I will work for 4 hours today." Work during nap time. Sneak a few minutes during lunch or whenever the children are happily playing.

6. Allow for some flexibility, but don't just abandon your work if the kids are not cooperating. You can be creative. Take them outside for a while. Let them be active with you and they will most likely give you the downtime you need to get some work done later on.

7. Let the kids help with small tasks. Let them staple, paper clip and help you "sort" or cut. They may not actually be assisting you with your work, but they will enjoy it and it makes them feel important, as if they are helping Mom with her work. Be sure to thank them for their help.

8. Try to save things that can be done after hours, such as internet work, filing, paperwork, checking emails etc. for when they have gone to bed. You will find that an hour of quiet working time will enable you to catch up on your day.

9. Stay in the present moment. If a kid needs a hug or some juice, don't put them off or push them away. Remember the reason we wanted to work at home in the first place? So we can spend more time with our families. Give the hug...get the juice. Do it lovingly and be grateful for the opportunity.

10. Enjoy the journey! Life is too important to waste being stressed out about your business. Our children, their happiness and comfort are far more important that our business. The little things will take care of themselves when we are in the frame of mind to enjoy what we are creating for ourselves.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
Angie Hewerdine is a successful home business owner in the fields of Wealth Creation and Personal Development. She has a driving passion for helping others change their lives and achieve personal and financial freedom using a simple 3 step system. Learn more at The Time For Change or call 1-800-491-4758.