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Coping with Recession

TopReporter — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:14:43 +0000

Today on USAToday.com there was an article on how many people are starting businesses or changing their careers in order to cope with the recession. The article chronicles the stories of a real estate agent-turned-pinata shop owner, an IT manager-turned-piano instructor, a lumber mill worker-turned-registered nurse, and others.

The article is a wonderful reminder of what true problem solving really needs: being able to think outside of the box. When a marketing executive found himself unemployed, he didn’t join the hoards of people looking for the same job he’d just lost; instead, he dove into something he had studied in college, geology and soil testing. Another woman went from being a recruiter to owning a successful pet care and dog walking company.

These are the kind of attitude that gets people through economic recessions, as well as helps to create new businesses. If you are thinking about starting a new career or your own business, think about what skills you can bring to the table. Do you have a degree from a top culinary school that you’ve never done anything with? Can you use your experience raising your kids to help you start a home daycare business? What experience, education, or interests can you use to help yourself cope with the recession?

Technorati Tags: culinary arts degrees, culinary school, recession

Buying Business Property

TopReporter — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:16:36 +0000

If you own your own business, chances are you may have considered buying real estate — a store, warehouse, or office building, for instance.

Buying business property can be a great investment for business owners, even small business owners. However, just like buying a home for your family, you need to be careful to be sure that you won’t get burned.

Don’t buy beyond what you can afford. Yes, if you buy an office building with other units in it, you will be getting income from your tenants. But also consider that especially in a down economy, some units may be vacant for long periods of time, and other tenants may develop problems paying their lease. In other words, don’t count your chickens before they hatch, and be sure that the investment is one you can afford to make, even if everything doesn’t work out exactly the way you want it to.
Work with a reputable agent and lender. Just like when you buy a residential property, you will want to find an agent you can trust, and be sure that your broker is qualified under the SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act. This was signed into law in 2008 by the Bush administration, requiring all brokers to pursue special mortgage training and pass a licensing exam. They can enroll in programs for mortgage exam prep, but ultimately they have to pass the licensing exam on their own merits.
Hire a tax accountant to help you with your business taxes. Business property is a huge expense on your taxes. Be sure you take the right deductions, and hire an accountant who specializes in doing taxes for property-owning small businesses.

If you do it right, owning real estate can really be a beneficial investment for your business!

Technorati Tags: business owners, business taxes, mortgage exam prep, mortgage training

Finding the Right Midwife

TopReporter — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:43:30 +0000

Pregnancy is about more than just finding attractive maternity clothes and making all your prenatal care appointments. It’s also about eating right and planning for the birth.

For example, you need to be sure you find a doctor or a midwife you like and trust to help you deliver the baby. Although I know many people prefer to use a doctor, this post is about choosing a midwife.

Here are some things you will need to keep in mind in your search for a midwife.

Is the midwife qualified? There are certain certifications that a midwife should have, just like a doctor. Be sure to research what all the qualifications mean, and be sure any midwife you consider is qualified to attend you at your baby’s birth.
Is the midwife insured? In order to protect you and your baby, any midwife you use should be insured. This means that if anything goes wrong, her butt will be covered — and so will yours and your baby’s.
Does the midwife work with a doctor? Many women like to use a midwife who works with a doctor on call, just in case something goes wrong. This will require you to schedule with the hospital just in case, even if you are having a home birth.
Can the midwife give you references? If so, be sure to follow up on them. Of course, she’ll only give you references that she knows will be positive, but still — this will give you an idea of how she works under pressure!
Do you like the midwife? There is something to be said for making sure you like the person and feel comfortable with her. If you are nervous around her, that is anything but conducive to an uneventful childbirth. Be sure you genuinely like the midwife, and trust your gut!

Technorati Tags: maternity clothes, midwife, prenatal care

Vacations are Good for the (Business) Soul

TopReporter — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:25:12 +0000

As a self-employed writer, I have a really hard time setting aside time for vacations and taking scheduled days off. I wind up working most weekends, even if it’s only for a couple of hours, and as a result I take a very few true days off.

I think this is the case for many people who own their own businesses. While many people extol the virtues of being your own boss, in truth I think it’s actually harder to take time off when you are your own boss, for the simple fact that there’s no one in charge of the business while you are gone.

But the simple fact is that taking time off and enjoying yourself actually recharges your passion and improves your work performance. So I’m trying to remember these days to schedule days off, and even vacations when possible.

For instance, in March we took a trip to Haworth, England — and I made sure NOT to bring my work with me. The experience was so incredibly liberating. We’re talking about doing something similar next year — perhaps staying at a Fiji island resort spa so we can do some diving and similar stuff.

My point is, no matter how important your business is to you or how much you love your work, it’s also important to take a vacation and give yourself some time off now and then. It’s good for your business… and your soul!

The Phenomenon of the Part-Time Seller

TopReporter — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:57:19 +0000

Websites such as eBay, Half.com, Amazon.com, Etsy, and even Craigslist have seen the rise of the part-time seller: someone who sells stuff in their spare time to make a little extra cash, but doesn’t run it as a serious business.

If you are a part-time seller, you may find yourself selling off items such as:

Clothes and furniture you no longer want
Collectibles you are no longer interested in
Music and DVDs you have tired of
Electronics that you don’t need anymore, usually because you’ve upgraded
Jewelry you don’t like anymore (or perhaps it’s the person who gave it to you that you don’t like anymore)

Of course, some part-time sellers start selling off their stuff because they really need money for one reason or another. In that case, you’ll probably start selling off these items whether you truly don’t want them anymore or not, just to get some cash flowing in.

The biggest problem is that the market isn’t very good right now, and if you list an item on most of these sites, you’ll have to wait for it to sell. This can take some time if you want top dollar for your stuff, though it will sell much faster if you are willing to price it competitively (read: lower than most similar items are priced).

For instance you can get cash for gold by selling it online. However, some jewelry isn’t worth very much, and most likely it’ll take a while to sell, so you’ll be best off if you sell it as scrap gold at a pawn shop.

Many third-party seller sites are beginning to recognize that part-time sellers are the lifeblood of their business. For instance, eBay has instituted a new fees policy where you get five free insertion fees every month. This is obviously geared toward the small, part-time sellers — they are trying to encourage people who just like to sell off their unwanted stuff to sell it all on eBay. It’s a smart move, since the fees have been prohibitively high for those types of sellers, who usually can make much more by selling an item for free on Craigslist.

All I can say is, it’s about time they recognized the phenomenon of the part-time seller!

Technorati Tags: cash for gold, insertion fees, sell scrap gold

Work-Appropriate Halloween Costumes

TopReporter — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:04:40 +0000

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, so the entire summer is basically like a drawn-out countdown until the big day. I start planning my costumes months ahead of time, which is good because it is easier to start putting it together now, rather than in October.

Halloween costumes need to be chosen carefully, though, if you plan to wear yours to work — which is probably another good reason to plan ahead. You’ll need to be sure the costume you are planning is appropriate for the work place. It’s fun to dress up at work, but just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean all the normal rules go out the window. You still need to keep in mind what is appropriate and what’s not.

If you are looking for a plus size women’s costume that is appropriate for work, you may have a more difficult time because the selection in stores is often not as good. Try looking online — you’ll find more different costumes available, not to mention more retailers. Or you could simply put together your own costume from things you find at thrift stores, depending on how creatively inclined you are.

The key to chosing a good Halloween costume for work is all about being tasteful and even subtle. An overdone costume is never a good thing, but it is particularly dangerous at work, where there could be serious consequences to your job and your career. Use your head when planning your Halloween costume, and you are sure to have fun and get through the holiday with your job intact!

Technorati Tags: costume wigs, Halloween, plus size women's costume

What Kind of Crowd Control Do You Need?

TopReporter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:43:24 +0000

Whether it’s in a bank, a construction site, or a parade, the type of crowd control barrier you choose needs to be correct for the job. So what kind of crowd control do you need?

Post and rope, or tensabarrier, is the most frequently seen type of crowd control for most people. When you stand in line at the airport, the motor vehicle office, and any other number of places, moveable poles and ropes or straps between them guide the line and keep people from cutting in and out. This type of crowd control is subtle and professional.
Temporary fence, or temporary construction fence, is good for keeping people out of certain areas such as construction sites. Temporary fences are also sometimes used to keep people IN certain areas, such as designated areas during a parade or event.
Barriers are often made of heavy duty plastic, and can be positioned to keep vehicles as well as people from driving into certain areas. Since a jersey barrier is made of plastic, it can be moved and transported more easily, and is therefore a better temporary barrier than its concrete counterpart.

Like many other things, effective crowd control is all about choosing the right tool for the job!

Technorati Tags: construction site, crowd control, crowd control barrier, jersey barrier, temporary construction fence, tensabarrier

Tips For Miami Car Rentals

How to Determine Your Rates

TopReporter — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:52:25 +0000

If you are self-employed or own your own small business, one of the most important parts of your business plan is determining your rates and/or product pricing. However, this isn’t necessarily as easy as simply figuring out an hourly wage for yourself: You also need to take into account all of the benefits you will be losing by quitting your full time job, such as health insurance, sick and vacation days, employer matching to your 401(k) account, pension plans, and so on.

As you can imagine, your hourly rate actually needs to be considerably higher than your wage as a full time employee, to make up for the benefits you are losing. To use a simple example, consider my situation when I transitioned from a full time writer to a freelance writer. At my full time job, my salary worked out to about $15 per hour, but as a freelance writer I had to make several dollars more than that starting out, to account for the benefits I was losing.

Another thing I had to keep in mind was the amount of time I had to spend marketing, instead of working. Most freelancers report that roughly half of their work hours are spent searching for new work or clients, which could entail everything from browsing listings for freelance writing jobs, to working on marketing materials such as a website or blog.

If you are starting a business, you will have even more to consider when setting your rates, such as the cost of keeping employees. For instance, if you are starting up a Florida advertising agency, you will need to figure into your rates the cost of your employees’ salaries, your Florida small group health insurance, and any other benefits you might offer, such as yearly bonuses or vacation time.

By figuring out exactly how much money you will need to make per month in order to cover all of this, you can minimizes your likelihood of failure due to not charging your customers enough.

Technorati Tags: determining your rates, Florida small group health insurance, freelance writer, freelance writing jobs, health insurance, pension plans

Marketing Tips for Michigan Wedding Planners

TopReporter — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:19:44 +0000

Someone with the right touch for weddings can make a good living as a Michigan wedding planner. However, just being good at planning weddings isn’t enough — you also have to have a sense for how to market your business efficiently and effectively.

Online marketing is of course the most often thought of type of marketing, partly because it is viewed as easier and cheaper than traditional marketing such as direct mail advertising. Online marketing actually covers a broad range of marketing techniques, from maintaining a company blog (which can be quite inexpensive) to running ads on well-trafficked local news sites and other websites (which is typically more expensive).

Another way to market yourself is, of course, to network with other service providers in the area. For instance, if you make connections with local wedding photographers and wedding locations in Michigan, then if someone comes to them asking for advice on a wedding planner, they can recommend you. It’s possible to get quite a lot of business this way.

Finally, another way to market yourself is to make yourself known as an expert in a popular niche. An example would be castle weddings, which are quite popular right now. If you establish yourself as an expert in planning castle weddings, Renaissance weddings, medieval weddings, and weddings in any other related themes, then you can be sure to get a lot of business from clients who are looking specifically for these types of themes.

Of course, marketing is not about using any one approach, but about using a combination of many approaches to get your company name out there as much as possible!

Technorati Tags: castle weddings, medieval weddings, Michigan wedding, Renaissance weddings, wedding locations in Michigan, wedding planners

My First 12-Hour Write-In

TopReporter — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:52:42 +0000

I am blogging today from a write-in, which is basically where a bunch of writers get together and just, well, write! It’s for National Novel Writing Month, popularly known as NaNoWriMo, which is basically the challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel just in the month of November.

This particular write-in is a 12-hour one (usually they last about two or three hours). Toward the beginning of the day, one of the guys mentioned that he just saw the chiropractor the other day – his neck and back was bugging him from so much typing throughout the month. I laughed at him and asked if he shouldn’t have waited until after the write-in.

It’s more true that I thought it would be. After sitting here writing for about nine hours, my neck hurts, my back hurts, my knees hurt, and I am coming down from a significant caffeine buzz. It’s worse that it would be writing for this long at home, because there aren’t as many comfortable seats at this tea house as there are in my house. (When at home I love to write in my comfy overstuffed rocker, on the couch, in bed, at my desk… Wherever my mood takes me.)

I wish I had some alternative ways to treat my discomfort — other than drugs, I mean. I’ve heard that magnetic therapy for pain is pretty effective for neck and lower back pain relief. Basically magnet therapy products are used to create a focused magnetic field that stops pain transmissions in their tracks.

Even though I don’t have anything fancy like that, I still intend to avoid taking any medication tonight. I’m thinking maybe a nice, long, hot, relaxing bath sounds like a good substitute!

Technorati Tags: lower back pain relief, magnet therapy products, magnetic therapy for pain, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, write-in