Monthly Archives: June 2009

Author : Scott Letourneau

It is shocking that nearly all small-businesses fail in their first months or years of business One of the primary flaws of the way people run their businesses is being lax when it comes to book keeping and cash flows It is important for business owners to follow some simple but imperative steps in order to go maintain the success of your business

One major flaw for new business owners is that they often do not have enough capital, or cash This is caused by an underestimate of expenses and an overestimation of revenue Make sure that you do not run out of capital by being conservative with your revenue and expense estimates It may mean the difference between success and failure for your business

Another important aspect of your business is attaining forms of business credit, like a business credit card or loan It is difficult for business owners to understand what is completely necessary to get these types of loans Quite often, business owners are not given an explanation to their rejection for business credit accounts, and therefore cannot fix the problems they’ve encountered

One important thing that business owners should do to help ensure their success in credit application is become incorporated It is a dire mistake for business owners to establish a sole proprietorship One of these is because you are personally liable for anything that happens with the company If your company gets sued, your company isn’t the only thing at stake – so is your home, your car, your personal accounts, and every other asset you own Small business owners should never start sole proprietorships They also experience taxation policies that are not helpful If you are registered as a corporation, then you are going to get better credit and will be more successful financing your business Incorporating your business makes it separates it from you as a legal entity

In addition, small business owners who open sole proprietorships will use their personal credit accounts to finance their business But doing this only deepens debt and further puts your business at risk from suffering from poor credit Instead, incorporating your business allows business owners to attain business credit lines and avoid this dilemma Incorporating your business actually gives you access to more capital and will improve your chances of success

Business owners should also consider LLCs, or limited liability corporations These offer the benefits of a corporation without the downfalls of a corporation In addition, they protect individuals from having their personal assets taken from them if they are sued or if their company is sued

It is important for business owners to take these steps in order to maximize their chance of credit acceptance and to maximize their capital This is one of the surest ways to ensure business success It is important for business owners to establish good credit and to have the right kind of business so that they can be approved for funding that will increase capital and allow for expansion and growth

Scott Letourneau is the CEO of Fast Business Credit, Inc. and has a valuable free guide to help small business owners survive their first year of business! Go to our Business Credit Program page for powerful details!

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Author : Allen Jesson

If you have tinkered with hand crafted jewelry projects in the past and you think you have the passion and talent for it, you might be ready to go to the next level Selling your hand crafted jewelry to other people is a decision not to take lightly, but if you have patience and perseverance, future success is an inevitable outcome

Tip #1

Practice with DIY hand crafted jewelry kits These give you all the supplies you need together with instructions on how to assemble everything together Add embellishments reflecting your style to the end product This will let you further explore your style and determine just what works best for you

Tip #2

Mix and match Try making jewelry pieces using different materials Experiment with beads, gems, crystals, various wires and knots, and other objects This will increase your experience for working with different items; a necessity in your kind of business since jewelry pieces are dependent on the subjective and varying tastes of clients

Tip #3

Increase your knowledge about jewelry in general Learn all the types of precious and semi-precious stones commonly and rarely used in making jewelry pieces today Learn which of them are considered birthstones Know the history, myth, and legend associated with each and every stone Know the physical properties of the materials you will be using and how these would affect your jewelry piece when you start fusing them together

Know which cords work better with which kind of items A silk bead cord, for instance, works well with freshwater pearls because they can be easily inserted through smaller holes Tiger tails are good if you do not wish to use a needle for inserting them through beads

Acquaint yourself with commonly used terms, abbreviations, figures, and systems used in jewelry making In plating, GF would mean gold-filled while SC will mean silver color metal Know that 14K gold would be referred to as 585 in Europe For wire gauges, you should understand that a smaller wire diameter translates to a larger figure

Consider educating yourself officially by taking up a jewelry making course If not this, enroll in a jewelry making workshop or apprentice in a well-known jewelry store Read books on jewelry

Tip #4

Participate in all the jewelry-related events in your area These will include but are not limited to bazaars, art exhibits, and trade shows You will get to meet a wide variety of individuals there, and many of them will have the means of helping you out with your plans

Tip #5

Find a supplier It is not that easy to break into the jewelry industry if you are going to purchase all your supplies from the mall You need to find a direct way to contact a jewelry supplier and do business with them It will help you reduce production costs and give you the opportunity to purchase hard-to-find items sooner than others

Tip #6

Hand crafted jewelry does not mean that you will not be using tools and equipment You will still have to invest a small amount of money to purchase crimping and handling tools to make your job easier

Tip #7

Visit jewelry shops online or not, read jewelry magazines, and watch jewelry shows to feed your mind with ideas for your next design Doing so also keeps you updated with the latest trends in the fashion industry

Tip #8

Build a website Whether you are going to sell online or not, a website will provide your customers a shop open 24/7, ready at any time to display your latest works

Tip #9

Be prepared to repair jewelry pieces It is unavoidable for any jewelry shop to receive repair requests and in some cases, the costs are yours to shoulder completely You need to set up a system to ensure efficient and fair service for repair concerns

Tip #10

If you are going to sell your jewelry pieces to other jewelry shops, dress professionally Wear your jewelry pieces if possible And do not accept consignment unless you fully trust the other party

Tip #11

A hand crafted jewelry business is just like any other business in the sense that you need to perform some basic bookkeeping activities This will let you know if your newly established business is struggling or earning

Allen Jesson writes for several sites that specialize in Vintage Engagement Rings. and Antique Engagement Rings, Providing you with product reviews, information and guides that are essential when purchasing any type of Engagement Ring. .

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Author : Joshua Poyoh

Starting a carpet cleaning business is one of the most affordable small businesses opportunities Many homes need to have carpeting done at least at least once a year

Some homes have their carpets cleaned several times a year This is because they have small children who tend to drop things or they have a pet Another reason people often hire someone to come in and clean their carpeting is because of allergens Dust and pet dander can become lodged within the fibers of carpeting and although regular vacuuming helps the problem, having the carpets cleaned really attacks the problem

There are several different approaches to pursue when you want to start a carpet cleaning business One is to join with an established business by purchasing a franchise There are several companies that have made a strong name for themselves in the carpet business These companies often want to expand their business and the easiest, quickest and most profitable method is to offer franchise opportunities

This means that an interested party can purchase the right to use the name of the carpet cleaning business for a fee The business provides training and guidance to the franchisee and in some cases a monthly fee is required

In most instances of buying a franchise you’ll also be required to purchase your equipment including the carpet cleaning machine The business you become associated with will require that you purchase the type of carpet cleaning machine that all their other franchisees use This is an initial part of the investment and depending on how busy you become it will be paid for in no time at all

If you are not comfortable buying a franchise to begin your business, you might decide to dive into the venture on your own If you don’t have a strong background in business management or marketing it might be beneficial to hire someone who does Although operating the machine is a fundamental component to this business, the marketing and business operations are essential

Without customers you will not have any carpets to clean and your business won’t have the chance it needs to flourish You have to get word out about your new carpet cleaning business and one of the most effective ways to do this is to sponsor a promotion This can be in the form of a percentage off the regular cost or perhaps you will clean an additional room at no cost if the customer is paying to have the carpets in two rooms cleaned

If you are going to invest some money into a venture, make sure it has the best chance at success A carpet cleaning business one such a business that can be profitable It is also interesting as you can meet different people while you can be on your own

Joshua Poyoh is the creator of http://www.business.resources-to.com where you can find out more independent information on Where To Find Franchise Information

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Author : Rebecca Kepple

There is a constant debate between long and short-term goals in business

When it comes to goals, most people want to make as much money in the shortest amount of time as possible But, just because the sales are flowing does not mean you are establishing the client base that will keep the money running into your doors for years to come

Sadly far too many businesses in the salon, spa and clinic sector are forced to close their doors every year due to a simple lack of funds It is not that the demand for their services isn’t there, but usually that these businesses chose short-term instant cash over longer-term client base

Yes, it’s really important to have sufficient funds right now to carry on doing what you do Of course it is But it is equally important to ensure you’ve got an eye on the future That you are working to build a client list that will sustain you over the years and allow your business to continue to flourish and grow

In any field that provides a service of the holistic, hair, beauty or well-being sort, the consumer will first enter the doors in interest of what the business has to offer But clients have options and they can and will be swayed to go elsewhere

Whether and where they go normally depends on which businesses are doing regular marketing and building relationships with them Clients can often be fickle in nature and need to be coddled to the point that they will choose your service for years to come because they love the service you provide

That is the long term goal

Sure, you can mark down your service price and grab a bunch of clients; take on too much work, make a quick buck and chuck out a quick marketing campaign, but there is a down side to this If you don’t balance the immediate need for cashflow with building long-term relationships with those clients you could lose out The clients can go elsewhere and leave you with a dwindling bank account

On the flip side of the coin, you can take care of each and every client as if they were the only client in the world It might take some work, but that client will COME BACK! That client will TELL THEIR FRIENDS! And, that client will be there for years to come while your business grows and expands on an income that is steady and affluent

Everyone wants to see that bank balance grow Everyone wants to report a profit at the end of the year But, in the wellbeing business there is a difference between making fast money and making long money Long money is the money that is there 10 years from now and a long client base is one that takes time to acquire

Rebecca Kepple specializes in helping business owners massively increase their client base and profits. To get instant access to her free insider secrets report ‘The Top 7 Secrets for Massively Increasing Your Client Base’ visit: http://www.wellbeingbusinesssecrets.com/freereport.

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Author : Jan Marie Dore

Do you feel you have clarity about what’s most important to you? Most people don’t – often because they just don’t spend time thinking about what matters most Here is a simple exercise to get you started on the path to running your business and living your life focused on your top priorities

On a blank piece of paper, write down everything you most want for yourself from your life – the things you say are most important to you Some examples would be close family relationships, health and well-being, meaningful work, long term friendships, supportive community, a successful business, creative pursuits, travel and adventure, financial freedom, spiritual life, beautiful home environment, recreation and fun, community service, or personal growth Add your own examples to this list

Choose five of the most significant of these items, and list them in order of what’s most important to you Then, next to each item on the right hand side, put a number on a scale of zero to five that represents the priority you have given this item in the past three months, with zero being no attention at all, and five being full attention

Your list might look like this:

1 Family 2

2 Meaningful Work 4

3 Health and Well-Being 5

4 Financial Freedom 0

5 Travel and Adventure 0

Note: Your list might have no #5′s and some 0′s on the right if you have not been giving attention to what truly matters to you

Does your list indicate you’re not spending you time doing what you say is most important to you? Are you spending time accomplishing other people’s priorities, but not your own? Memorize your list of priorities, and use it as a guideline for every demand that is made on your time Take a long term view of your life to make sure that how you are spending your days now is in line with your overall vision and a true reflection of what you really want Make the choice to pay yourself first It will pay dividends both in the present, and in the future

Don’t let anything come between you and what truly matters most to you! Here are some suggested books if you want to read more about getting clear on your priorities and life purpose:

- The Path by Laurie Beth Jones

- The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

- Callings by Gregg Levoy

Jan Marie Dore, ‘The Women Entrepreneurs Success Coach,’ helps women business owners and independent professionals attract more clients with creative marketing strategies. Get her marketing tips and FREE report ’7 Critical Women Small Business Marketing Mistakes’ at www.femalepreneurs.com

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Author : Ed Staff

We’ve all heard the news The nation is in the grips of a housing crisis Perhaps you have no need to hear about it in the news because you’re right in the middle of your own personal crisis, worried about losing your home or falling behind on payments The good news is, though, that loan modification could bring an end to your worries

If you’ve ever spent some time talking to acquaintances about ways to avoid getting a traffic ticket, then you know that common myths always seem to come up Have you heard the one about the guy who refused to sign his speeding ticket? The court was unable to prosecute him and therefore unable to collect a fine Though it may sound believable, it still isn’t true

Just like myths abound with traffic tickets, the same is true of loan modification Whatever you may have heard about it, it pays to contact a loan modification attorney before deciding on the word of hearsay that you won’t qualify

Here are a few of the most common misconceptions regarding loan modification, along with a few truths that you can take to the bank — literally

Myth: If you have poor credit, you won’t qualify

The truth is that your credit score has very little affect on whether you qualify or not This is because loan modification is not refinancing or taking out a new loan It is simply modifying the loan that you already have

Myth: If you’ve received a foreclosure notice, it’s too late to save your home

Actually, as long as your house hasn’t been resold by the bank, they may still be willing to work with you This is especially true in slower markets where houses don’t sell well Banks often would rather work with you to get you to where you can afford to make payments again rather than potentially lose money by auctioning off the house

Myth: I don’t need help getting a loan modification I can just negotiate with the bank myself

Technically, this isn’t a myth You can try to negotiate a loan modification on your own You can also represent yourself in a criminal case In both cases, unless you are very well educated and experienced in the matter, the turnout is unlikely to be good for you

A loan modification attorney understands the laws surrounding the process and has the experience needed to negotiate the best terms for you You may even find that an attorney has ways to legally obligate a bank to negotiate even if they initially refuse to work with you

Have you heard the story about the cop who forgot to put his hat on and therefore invalidated the ticket he wrote? Remember, just because you’ve heard somebody somewhere say something about loan modification doesn’t make it true For the real scoop on how loan modification can help you, contact a loan modification attorney

Federal Loan Modification Law Center, LLP preserves the American Dream of Homeownership by successfully renegotiating loan agreements between homeowners and lenders. Our team of attorneys and real estate experts works closely with lenders to negotiate the best possible loan modification solutions for homeowners who qualify. Ed Staff is a freelance writer.

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