5 Step Venture eMentoring Program

A free business training program to support successful self-employment/small business development.

5 Steps to Part-Time Self-employment takes you through a series of exercises that will help you to evaluate your readiness and suitability for this form of part-time self-employment. It is comprised of 5 Sessions, each designed to support you in productively addressing the following entrepreneurial components.

Step 1: Self-Assessment
Am I suited for running my own business?

Step 2: Business Idea & Market Analysis
Do I have a viable business idea? Is there a market for my business idea?

Step 3: Cost & Income Forecasting
Do I have a realistic forecast of revenues and costs?

Step 4: Business Proposal
Can I explain my business idea so that it makes sense to others?

Step 5: Monitor Progress
Am I prepared to monitor and control operations once started?

Read details and view more information here
http://www.buzgate.org/8.0/nj/five_steps.html

How To Start Your Own Home Based Business Manuals

Have you always wanted to start your own business but had no idea where to start? Or maybe you have an idea of the type of business you want to start but don't know what to do first? We have found some wonderful step-by-step guides for more than 30 fun and unique businesses that you can do from home AND help you to start making money by laying out all that you need to do in order to get your business off the ground the RIGHT way.

Read information here
http://www.momsnetwork.com/howtomanuals/index.shtml

Five Ways to Handle Negative Comments

Whether bad-mouthing a product via Twitter or leaving a scathing review on Yelp, unhappy customers—or mischievous competitors—can and will sully your business, often through anonymous accounts.

Read article here
http://www.marketingprofs.com/short-articles/2368/five-ways-to-handle-negative-comments?adref=Nsb1811

A 10-Step Double-Dip Survival Guide for Entrepreneurs

by Carol Tice

"What can you do to make sure your business thrives even if the economy goes down the tubes again? Here are 10 ideas, from marketing and business-wealth expert Thor Harris, president of the PR firm Percepture and some from moi.."

Read article here
http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/220205

Top Seven Mistakes Business Owners Make Filing Insurance Claims

by Carol Tice

"In the chaos that follows a natural disaster, mistakes can be made that may delay insurance reimbursement, or mean your insurance won't pay at all. Long delays can be deadly for a business trying to bounce back and get the doors open again. Here are the top seven mistakes business owners make in filing insurance claims."

Read article here
http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/220214

6 Capital Funding Sources for Minority Businesses

by Carolyn M. Brown

Uncertain economic times and a tight credit environment call for creative, nontraditional financial solutions for minority entrepreneurs.

Read more here
http://www.inc.com/guides/201105/6-capital-funding-sources-for-minority-businesses.html?utm_source=running-a-business&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=incid37817week23

The New Rules of Building Customer Loyalty

"...Experts say there are some rules to follow to make your customers feel like kings from the very first moment they encounter your product or service. Do it right, and you'll not only score a lifelong customer, but also an advocate for your brand—and that's a lot more valuable."

Read article here
http://www.inc.com/guides/201105/new-rules-of-building-customer-loyalty.html?partner=newsletter_Success

4 Start-ups Help Entrepreneurs Get Cash

by Courtney Rubin

Need cash? Your chance of getting an infusion has multiplied, thanks to four start-ups.

Read article here
http://www.inc.com/news/articles/201109/new-ways-to-get-cash.html?utm_source=start-up&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=incid38853week39

2 Wks to a StartUp

Day 1. Finding the Right Fit
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218105

Day 2. Research Your Business Idea
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218130

Day 3. Calculating Startup Costs
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218131

Day 4. Write Your Business Plan
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218132

Day 5: Find Financing
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218133

Day 6. Name Your Business
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218146

Day 7. Develop a Marketing Plan
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218148

Day 8. Build Your Support Team
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218149

Day 9. Execute Your Marketing Plan
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218150

Day 10. Hang Out Your Shingle and Sell
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218151

Know the 6 Stages of Your Customers’ Purchase Process

A guest post by Gary Gebenlian of Future Simple.

To do this, you need to understand your customers’ purchase process and then focus your marketing objectives on a specific stage or two within this process...Here are the six general stages of your customers’ purchase process.

Read his post here
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/know-the-six-stages-of-your-customers-purchase-process/?adref=nlt082511

Scam Artists Target the Unemployed: How to Avoid Being a Victim

by Sheryl Nance-Nash

Some people kick you when you're down, and with the effects of the recession lingering on through the jobless recovery, there are plenty of people down there to kick. Scams targeting the unemployed and cash-strapped are on the rise, and the con artists are getting more creative and sneaky.

Read article here
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/29/scam-artists-target-unemployed-how-to-avoid-con-artists

The Work at Home Mom Blues

by Corrie Petersen

That’s the topic of this week’s feature article in WAHM Tips. Before I wrote this post, though, I wanted to know how common a problem this really is. I know I get a little blue about working at home sometimes, but maybe I was the only one.

Read article here
http://wahm-articles.com/blog/2010/03/the-work-at-home-mom-blues

The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting

by Liz Krause

Telecommuting from home is not for everyone, but as IP technology such as IP phone systems and mobile apps continue to improve and gain popularity in businesses, more employees are finding themselves in a position to choose telecommuting as an option in the workplace.

Read article here
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1VBkGJ/www.theworkathomewoman.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-telecommuting

10 Things to Look for in a Web Hosting Service

by Darren Dahl

What follows are 10 tips, from business owners and experts alike, about the kinds of questions and issues you want to think about before deciding where to host your website.

Read tips here
http://www.inc.com/guides/201104/10-things-to-look-for-in-a-web-hosting-service.html?partner=newsletter_Startup

Where Not to Look for Money -- And Where You're More Likely to Find It

by Bob Reiss

One of the major obstacles entrepreneurs face in starting a business is raising the money they need. It can be the most time-consuming, frustrating and disheartening factor in launching a new venture. Save yourself some energy and angst by not looking to sources that conventional wisdom would suggest as logical places to find startup capital. Instead, focus on more realistic prospects.

Read article here
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219382

Entrepreneurs' Best Money-Saving Secrets

by Charlotte Jensen

Even before belt-tightening became de rigueur, entrepreneurs were building businesses while quietly finding ways to cut costs. So who better to ask in a recession for their smartest, savviest cost-cutting tips? Here are 17 creative, easy and unexpected ways entrepreneurs are slashing hundreds -- and sometimes even thousands -- of dollars from their budgets.

Read tips here
http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2009/12/03/entrepreneurs-best-money-saving-secrets/?icid=main%7chtmlws-sb-n%7cdl2%7clink5%7chttp%253A%252F%252Fsmallbusiness.aol.com%252Farticle%252F_a%252Fentrepreneurs-best-money-saving-secrets%252F20091201205509990001

How to Avoid Compromising Your Home Office Data Security

One of the major risks that savvy business owners need to avoid is that of leaving their valuable and precious office and client data susceptible to cyber theft. That is why the lone entrepreneur or small business owner must wear an additional hat, that being the IT and Data Security Manager.

Read article here
http://blog.morebusiness.com/2011/06/how-to-avoid-compromising-your-home-office-data-security