The Enemy: Words and How We Use Them

As a home based or small business owner you want to exude confidence and authority. You are an expert in your field. How are you conveying your message to your customer? Just like your body language, the words you use and how you use them can take on a whole new meaning.

Some of the words we all have a tendency to use say something completely different to our customers. Let’s say you are placing a call to a customer. When I call I say, “Hi, Joe, I’m calling to tell you about the latest property we have available”. I am very clear, succinct, I have a smile in my voice, and once I finish my reason for calling, I shut up and let my customer or prospect talk.

One of our clients, who we were consulting with on sales, couldn’t figure out why he was having a hard time during his sales calls. What we found out was when he would call rather than being firm and confident, with a smile in his voice; he sounded very tentative, “Hi, I am just calling to see if”. No this verbiage does not work. He did not identify himself, his company, and this client sounded very nervous on the telephone.

So be very careful you don’t use words or phrases that sound as if you are apologizing to your customer right the off bat. In fact, don’t use them at all. Take them out of your vocabulary. Be clear and concise. Speak in an even tone. Nervous people have a tendency to speak way too loudly; or so softly you can’t understand them, or some people speak very quickly. Also, be aware this is not something you are going to fix overnight. These phrases are a habit for many of us. So practice, practice and practice some more. Do role plays and tape yourself. Then listen to yourself, or have family members listen to you and critique you.

Think of the teachers you had in school, or a professor in college who was able to speak in a nice even tone, yet his or her voice carried. Now obviously this is not necessary on the telephone. However, this kind of even toned, lower than usual voice is the kind you want to use.  Try to emulate this person in your telephone calling or in dealing with customers face to face.

The way you speak is very important.  The pitch and inflection of your voice are also very important. If you have a lot of trouble with this you might want to purchase books on speaking that address the issues of pitch and inflection in your speaking voice.  Check out Amazon or Barnes and Noble. They have a wide selection. Again, you are not going to change this overnight. Remember, practice makes perfect.

Two additional  common phrases we all have a tendency to use are I believe, and I think. This is fine for your friends and family. However, as a business owner and “an expert” you had better “know”.

For all of you coaches out there be careful with the “we will hopefully achieve”.  Make a list of all that they will achieve by going with your program, obviously with the caveat that they do the work outlined.

So take inventory of what you are saying on the telephone; your in-person sales and in your dealings with your customers (for those of you in a storefront). Is your “word language” conveying what you want it to. Or like our body language sometimes, are your words conveying something totally different to your customer. Check to see if you are using any of the above phrases and stop!  It may take a while but you will be happy you did.

Help For Your Time Management and Organizational Issues

Many home-based businesses find they have a greater sense of control over how they use time. Working from home affords them fewer interruptions and more flexible ways to work, which makes them even more productive than if they worked in a corporate environment. On the other hand, others have a hard time getting started, sticking to business, and some become workaholics.
Let's start with a self diagnosis of what might be your time management problems.
1. Do you have a hard time getting started and sticking to business?
2. Do you have a hard time organizing your workday?
3. Do you procrastinate?
4. Are you constantly being interrupted?
5. Do you have a hard time getting away from work?
6. Do you find yourself overworking?
If you have any of the above problems you need help with managing your time.
The following will help you to deal with these issues.

Time management and organization of your office are very much tied together. An unorganized office will cost you a lot of time. Time getting started for the day, time finding phone numbers, letters or materials you need.
Some of the basics elements of Time Management are as follows:
1. Setting up a Work Schedule - Some of the ways to set up a workable schedule are to:
a) establish your schedule around the demands of your work.
b) establish your schedule around those times of the day you work best. For Chuck and I, our high energy hours are in the morning.
c) establish your work schedule around the other priorities of your life. For example, some single dads and moms with children might need to work before the kids get up, stop working, and get them off to school, work during the school day, pick up the kids, and spend some quality time with your family, and then do some additional work in the evening. Others work hard for 3-4 days a week and take long weekends.
d) Organize your schedule around a particular work task. This won't work for everyone, but if your business allows you to break off certain aspects of jobs into different days and time periods, do so.
e) Set up an arbitrary schedule. For some of you, any kind of schedule is better than nothing in the beginning. Eventually you will find your high and low points during the day, which will allow you to eventually establish a schedule for yourself that works best for you and one you can stick to.
2. Getting Started - Chuck and I start working after we walk the dogs. This is our trigger to start our day. When we come back in from walking them we immediately head for the office. For others, it might simply be to walk into your office, or set a timer to go off, or once you drop the kids off.
3. Staying With Business Matters - Once you do get started, don't let yourself be distracted by household items or anything else. Don't procrastinate. You want to be efficient. To do so, plan your day, set reasonable goals, praise yourself for the work your doing. You no longer have the water cooler or coffee klatch around to give you that praise, so you must give it to yourself. In fact, reward yourself for a job well done with something you enjoy doing.
The following are some everyday time-savers to build into your daily routine to help you work more efficiently.
a) Be sure you have organized your contacts, and files.
b) Use time saving technology - a touch tone phone, with re-dial button, your computer, printer, copy machine, e-mail. Prioritize your To do List. Use your mail folders.
c) Learn to say no.
d) Make use of down time. File while your printing something or back up your data during lunch.
e) Build a time cushion into your day. It is much better to overestimate the time it takes to do something than to underestimate.
f) Don't make a big deal over little decisions. For example, supplies.
g) Plan to do two things at once. Read after business hours; or get audiocassettes and listen while doing household chores; proof items while printing or backing up.
h) If you prioritize your To Do list, you will have a bunch of little items that will take you 3-5 minutes to complete; filing, update tickle, proofreading are some of these short tasks.
Some of the best ways to maximize your efficiency are to: plan your workday; safeguard your work from unwanted distraction and interruptions; recognize and sidetrack procrastination; set reasonable work goals, praise yourself for your work and reward yourself for a job well done; take frequent regular breaks; schedule your work so it won't conflict with you favorite activities; and arrange for a change of scenery. By doing all this you keep yourself fresh and able to work at your best.
Some of your most time consuming tasks will be: keeping up to date in your area of expertise by reading. Read only pertinent material. For many items you receive just highlighting or skimming the article will suffice.
Meetings are another area that take up a lot of time. Be sure before you schedule the meeting to ask yourself, is it necessary? Can I do this by telephone, mail or teleconference? If you do have to schedule a meeting, be sure you are organized with an outline of what you need to cover, and a specific time limit. If the meeting does run over, see if you can finish it by phone or mail, if possible, rather than rescheduling.
For those of you in lease purchasing, remember your telephone script. You don't leave the office until you get all the information on the script, check out that information, finalize your numbers, then call the seller to schedule a meeting. When you go to your meeting with the seller, be sure to take your flyers and signs to place after you and the seller sign the contract. Don't waste time having to make a second trip.
Correspondence, projects, phone calls and errands are other areas that take up a lot of time. For your correspondence, set up an efficient routine for processing your mail (See the Articles: Organizing Your Office For The Year 2000, Part 1 & 2).
Keep your errands to a minimum, or schedule a specific day when you do them in a morning or afternoon. To expedite your phone calls, have names and numbers handy, use your egg timer to set a time limit for each call. Ask them to send written material to review, or if they need information from you, you do the same.
For your large projects, break them down into smaller manageable tasks. Give each of these tasks a deadline, and be sure to place all of the information in your project file on a sheet stapled to the inside of the file.
Stress is a part of our lives. When you become overwhelmed or something upsets your day, don't let it ruin the remainder of the day or carry over to the next. Take a deep breath; count to 10, take a break; sing a song that comforts you; take a walk around the block; play with the dogs. When you do get back to your desk - remember - nothing lasts forever, and tomorrow is a new day.
4. Interruptions, Distractions and Procrastinating - To safeguard yourself from the interruptions and distractions of household responsibilities: interruptions from family, friends or neighbors; remind yourself and them that even though you are at home YOU ARE AT WORK. If you were at an office outside the home you wouldn't be able to solve their problems or take a break to spend time with them.
Work out a plan with your family of what your hours are, when you can and can't be disturbed. You need to keep focused on your work. The ability to maintain a deep concentration can prevent you from being distracted.
Procrastination is one the of the biggest problems with many home-based businesses. It is very easy to put off or never get to something you want to avoid. One way to avoid this is to think performance not perfection. If you set small manageable goals to be accomplished you won't fear not being able to accomplish them. You need to recognize and side step procrastination.
Procrastination is one of the hardest things to overcome for so many people. However, if you start by doing the one thing you like to do, this could help you to move on to do the other things you don't like. For those of you that have a extremely difficult time with procrastination, start with your favorite thing to do, and then the next and so on down the line. At least this is a start. Eventually you will be able to put all of these items in priority order, not procrastinate and move on to a normal work day..
5. How Not To Become A Workaholic
a) Close the door on work.
b) Set up a end of day ritual. Some people take an exercise class, others will walk around the block. Chuck and I feed the dogs.
c) Set A Firm Schedule - Set firm beginning and ending times. Yes, these will fluctuate on some days if you have early morning meetings or evening meetings. However, for the most part your day begins at a certain time and ends around the same time each day. Take a day off a week, or two if that is what you need. Be sure to put your off time on your calendar.
d) Take time to get out of the house- You want to schedule time away from home. Whether it is a shopping trip with a friend, lunch with a friend, a weekend away with your family.
Make the above mentioned ideas and tips a part of your business and life. They will keep you on track and help you manage your time so you can run a successful home-based business, without sacrificing your personal life.

The Future Of Partnering

Partnering between home-based businesses is a natural result of corporate downsizing. Many professionals who have left large companies and started home-based businesses are successful and don’t want to return to the corporate world, but they recognize the need for and benefit of alliances.

Partnering will continue to gain respect and recognition among home-based entrepreneurs seeking top talent for short and long-term business needs. Across the scope of business today, joint-venturing is in. When it comes to partnering, the home-based business has an advantage in flexibility, overhead structure and unique sources of talent. In other words, getting together to combine the best of talents, the best of direction and the best of enthusiasm is a win-win situation, period.

A couple of examples would be: you partnering with real estate agents, and brokers in regards to lease purchasing; or to use a specific company for inspections or clean up of the property. Or contracting with a web designer to design pages for your clients.

Tips for Effective Partnering

Choose your partners carefully. Be sure they have the skills and abilities you need, and share your level of commitment. Define the scope of the partnership. Are you working on an equal basis, or will one of you function as the managing partner? What roles will each partner play? How will the compensation be calculated and distributed?

Put it in writing. A detailed, well-crafted partnership agreement prevents misunderstandings, memory lapses and future conflicts. Develop and stick to an operations plan. How will the work actually happen? How and when will the partners interact?

Plan for the unexpected. How do you plan to handle problems and resolve conflicts? If a partner wants to dissolve the agreement, who ends up with what?

Set a minimum “no exit” time period. New ventures take time to become productive. Make a mutual commitment to stick with the partnership long enough to give it a chance to prove itself.

So, who do you want to partner with?

The Summertime Blues

The day is sunny and warm. It's 9 a.m., the sky is a bright blue and the temperature is already a toasty 80 degrees. Work is the farthest thing from your mind. The kids want to go to Waterland. "Come on Mom, can't we go!" Even though you don't feel like it, you insist to them, you have to work. Stop, right there! When you feel that you need a break - take one.

Spending a day with the kids, or just by yourself - doing what pleases you, is sometimes just what you need to rejuvenate yourself.

Remember many times just getting away for a while gives you a new perspective on work and even life! So .......go for it.......indulge in those SUMMERTIME BLUES!

Staying Focused

Three of the biggest areas of concern to our home based business owners are repeat sales, getting new business and staying focused while working at home.

First, let's discuss staying focused at home. Remember, to have a separate office or to delineate one area and one area only to your home business. This can be your kitchen table, a desk in your dining or living area, but only one place for the business paperwork. Obviously, if you have to place supplies in a different area, this is OK. In addition, if you have clients come to your home, you can do this in your living room, or family room area, or an area you have designated for clients.

I know, it's summer and all that sunshine and water beckons you. Remember, folks this is your business. If you need a few days off to get it out of your system, do it. You'll come back more motivated, refreshed, and ready to tackle anything.

Your home-based business is no different than that job many of us had years ago, that when Spring and Summer came along we had a hard time concentrating, and maybe took some time off. However, when we came back we were ready to work. And this time it's your own business, so that should motivate you even more.

Don't forget one of the basic tenets of running a business from your home, set distinct hours for that business and stick to them. When the work day is done, close the door, or clean up that area, and go on to household chores, or outside interests.

Use that To Do List to keep you focused. Make it up at the end of each day. Use that last half hour of the day to set up your work schedule for the next, put your work and To Do List in your tickler file, check your daily scheduler, check your goals for the day, did you meet your goals for the day, if not, why not, and what do you need to do to be sure you meet them for the next day, and for the week. Use your goals to keep you focused on your work day and what needs to be accomplished.

What time of day is it when your focus is wandering. Is it late afternoon, early evening? Maybe you need to get up earlier, and adjust your schedule so that your work day is done sooner, and your down time coincides with the periods of time you are having trouble focusing.

We all go through periods when we need to get away or take time off, even from our own businesses. I don't care how passionate you are and how much you love what you do, sometimes you just need to get away from it all. We say DO IT, have your fun in the sun, pool, golfing, whatever. Then come back with a vengeance to that business with renewed purpose and energy.

"Penny Wise and Pound Foolish"

This saying came to mind when reading one of the newsletters I receive. The author was discussing things that Chuck and I talk about all the time. A couple of weeks ago while listening to Jim Edwards’ audio newsletters he ranted about the “psycho freebie seekers” (love that name). Jim rants almost as well as Dennis Miller.

Anyway these two newsletters and what they had to say have been rolling around in my head for a couple of days now. What came to mind is that people who run Internet businesses from their home are no different than those who ran businesses out of their home in the 80’s…..they don’t want to pay for anything. You would think with all the failed businesses they’ve had it would dawn on them that it is because they have done no research, no business plan, no determination on whether or not there is a market for their business in their vicinity. They don’t do mission statements. I could go on and on.

Unfortunately, too many people still think all they need is a computer, fax, and some business cards. In fact, they don’t even give out the business cards, they leave those in their office in nice little card files. A lot of good that’s doing them.

They will spend money on all the trappings but not on education, mentoring or consulting. As Chuck once said to me when I started my first business, and didn’t do any marketing “You will be the most organized business in bankruptcy court”. It was a wake up call.

As Jim and JL discussed, and Chuck and I run into every day, people want to pick our brains for information and answers. After all, they have been conditioned that IT’S FREE. They feel it is their right to do so.

The Internet especially has made people think that information is FREE. Yes, it is, but those of us who have niches, and have written books all put in a lot of time, effort, and energy in researching, writing and marketing our products. SO NO IT IS NOT FREE. We worked very hard to put together excellent products to the best of our ability and WE EXPECT TO GET PAID FOR THEM.

These individuals also have over inflated egos. “Who me, ask someone for help, and what pay for it. Oh, no I’m sure my way is the right way. People just don’t appreciate my great product (service or fill in the blank). I’m just as good, if not better than he/she is.”

It would never occur to them to pay someone to show them what is wrong. Or take a class, or purchase a book that might help. Nope, they say, it’s not that, it must be something else. It’s always some one else’s’ fault or some things’ fault, never theirs.

Unfortunately, the impetus for this behavior was fostered starting back in the 80’s when home based businesses were just starting to come into their own. Many of  the magazines and publications of the 80’s (and now the Internet) fostered the idea that ANYONE can run a home based business. Remember those magazines that had little kits for Word Processing businesses, basket making, medical records, etc. People bought them, followed them. Some did well, but others couldn’t figure out why they didn’t succeed.

They didn’t succeed for several reasons. First, none of them did the basics, the grunt work. Checking first to ascertain whether or not this business was even a viable one in their area. If it was, checking out the competition, making up a business plan, a mission statement. Setting up goals for themselves for daily, weekly, monthly, short and long term. Setting up a publicity campaign, working with the different media, setting up a marketing plan, networking.

All of the things that those of us that have been in business did so that we can stay in business. We were not “penny wise and pound foolish! “ We succeeded, through a great deal of hard work, effort and hard knocks that we plan to get compensated for. We are not going to give it away for “free”.

Partnering For Progress and Growth

Many home-based entrepreneurs are gaining new ground with partnering arrangements. Although it takes many shapes, the core of the partnering concept is two or more businesses teaming up to achieve together what they can’t do alone. Partnering with other businesses can help you offer a broader product or service package to a particular market segment, provide the resources to handle a single major project, or organize resources to meet your customers’ needs. Whatever the scenario, partnering gives you the image of seamless capacity typically associated with large corporations.

Even though it has been around for a while, don’t expect to find fixed rules for individual partnering agreements. With the concept rapidly evolving, some partnerships resemble entities unto themselves; others parallel outsourcing or subcontracting relationships. Some business owners partner only under carefully drawn contracts; others do it on a handshake. What’s important is developing an arrangement that satisfies all parties involved.

Partnering allows very niche-oriented businesses to serve clients’ complex needs and to compete against large firms that have all the necessary staff in-house. Partnering also allows you to handle a large one-time project without actually hiring employees.

Another advantage of partnering is it provides a home-based business the opportunity to grow substantially without having to move to a commercial location.

Get It In Writing

While partnering enthusiasts claim there are no serious drawbacks to the process, you should still proceed with caution, especially in the beginning. Formalize your agreement with a detailed written contract that clearly defines each partner’s role and responsibilities.

The contract covers what each is responsible for and what the compensation will be. It also includes short and long-term goals. The process of drawing up the contract forces you to think things through and be sure both are on the same page before starting. A business relationship is like a marriage-it takes work and sometimes you have to compromise. Just like a marriage certificate doesn’t guarantee a happy relationship, a contract doesn’t guarantee a successful partnership.

Even so, a contract can provide the foundation of a mutually beneficial business relationship and give you processes to end the alliance should that become necessary.

Think about all the things that could go wrong and how you would deal with them. What if one of the partners wants out? If the partnership splits up, who keeps the clients? Who signs contracts? How will you handle a situation where one partner fails to fulfill his or her obligation?

Consider the issue of liability not only from the legal perspective but also as it pertains to image. What happens if one of the partners either performs poorly or fails to perform at all? An attorney can review your agreement and advise you so you’re protected against legal liability, but you may still be putting your reputation at risk. Take the time to get to know a prospective partner, gain confidence in his or her abilities and reliability, and check references.

Where do you find good partners? They’re pretty much everywhere. Clients may also serve as the catalyst for a partnership, or contacts may be made through various networks.

As successful as partnering can be, don’t rush into it. Define your niche and your client base, and develop trust with your clients first. Once your business is established on its own, then look for ways to enhance it through partnerships.

Office Set Up

OK, you say, I've decided to start my business. I have my idea, my identity package, my licensing and zoning done. Now I need to set up my office.

Your first step is to decide whether to convert a room into an office or a space/area in your home to office space.

If your space is limited you might want to get the type of desk that looks like an armoire so you can close it up at the end of the day. Or use a folding table that can be put away at the end of the business day. Or you can set up a mini-office in the corner of a room and put up a screen to hide this area at the end of the work day.

In addition, depending on the type of business you are running, you need to think of files you will need and how you will house those files. For some businesses a small letter file will suffice, which you can cover with a table cloth at the end of the day or you could use an end table with space for files, or you can purchase crates for files and stack those in a corner or closet.

Most businesses today need a computer, along with a printer, fax, and/or scanner. Again, if you use the armoire type of desk they use have space for most of this equipment, and you can close it at the end of the day.

For those of you that devote a separate room to your office, you have a lot more latitude in the design of your office. However, size of your office will come into play. To utilize the space to the best advantage, choose your desk and the placing of equipment based on your office size. This means measure items before purchasing them. Do a mock set up. While this might take a little more time initially, it will pay off in the long run.

The basics for most offices are phone, fax, computer and printer, and file cabinets. The file cabinet can also be used for miscellaneous supplies if you are tight on space.

We all have a picture in our minds of the ideal office. Unfortunately, we have to work within certain parameters. It can be done. You just need a little ingenuity sometimes.

Since there are so many differences between individuals and what they have to work with it is very difficult to be very specific in what to purchase. We would suggest being sure to get the basics: phone, fax, computer, printer and file cabinet, and work from there. Obviously, if you can devote a whole room to an office it will be a lot easier than if your space is limited.

My Family Doesn't Take Me Seriously!

I can't tell you how many times I hear from working mom's that people don't take their home based business seriously. Unfortunately, when I ask them how they react, they don't have real definitive answers for me.

Remember, unless you take your own business seriously, no one else will. You must establish working hours, rules that family members must follow, and rules you must follow.

I know, you started your business so you could be your own boss, work when you want, spend more time with your family, have more flex time.

Yes, you can have these things, but you also have to make decisions regarding your business. If your business is secondary to all of the other things, then just like everyone else you are not taking your own business seriously, so why should anyone else. Your business has to be the first priority, not your house, your yard, your cooking and cleaning, your kids and/or family. I am not saying your family is not important, they are; but you must make them realize that what you do as a business person is important, and that you need your time and space to do this.

Remind them that when you worked outside the home they couldn't ask you a question whenever they wanted or to talk with you whenever they wanted to. I know, this is one of the reasons you wanted to work from home so that you could better deal with these issues. Well you can, but you have to schedule them in. Put the time in your daily schedule to deal with the unexpected and you will be better able to deal with it all.

I work my business, but still get the other things done. However, I have a schedule and I stick to it. My work day starts after the cleaning is done. I've set time aside Friday morning to shop, Saturday to do a full cleaning. I still have plenty of time to myself and to have fun.

So schedule the fun things in. Time with the kids, and the family. And remember, unless you take your business seriously... neither will anyone else.

Strategies for Success in the Exciting and Lucrative Home-Based Business of Jewelry & Gemstones

The business of jewelry is one of the most fun, exciting and profitable businesses that exist. The demand for jewelry by consumers is unrelenting and consistently growing. Like any other business worth pursuing by a new- comer; the jewelry business requires research, ongoing education, focus and persistence. Fear not,the rewards for this effort can be well-worth the investment of time and energy making jewelry one of the best home-based business opportunities available.

Finding your Niche

The world of jewelry is vast and can be overwhelming. It is imperative that the prospective jewelry entrepreneur narrow down to a specific area in which to concentrate there marketing efforts. In other words, you must avoid the temptation to spread-out in several directions. Rather, you should become an expert, a specialist. The ideal is to find a niche within a niche. Stake your claim and mine that pocket deep and hard. For example, sterling silver cat jewelry ,14 KT. gold Celtic jewelry, wire -wrapped birthstone jewelry etc.

Selecting your Approach

After the budding jewelry entrepeneur has settled on their niche, they must decide which business model makes the most sense to them. The following represent five basic strategies that one might follow:

1. Buy wholesale-sell retail- Remember, you make your profit by buying well. Any Search Engine will reveal countless wholesale sources, move steadily forward. Do your research. Not all wholesalers are equal. In fact, many so-called wholesalers are not really wholesalers at all and prey on the unsophisticated. Applied knowledge is key here.

2. Import directly from manufacturer and sell wholesale. This strategy is not the best for beginners, but if you have ties and are comfortable with a country like India, Thailand, Mexico and others. This can be a lucrative approach. Start small and learn the ropes before you grow.

3. Become an affiliate for an existing web-based jewelry company. This strategy is excellent for beginners, as it requires no inventory and you use the company's web-site. Also, they handle the product fulfillment and shipping. This is a great, low-risk way to get started.

4. Join a jewelry MLM- There are some advantages here and some individuals enjoy this type of marketing, again, do your due-diligence before you jump-in.

5. Make and sell your own jewelry- If you have the talent and the time, this path can be very rewarding. One tip, unless you want to be a starving artist; find out what type of handcrafted jewelry consumers will actually buy and produce jewelry for that market.

Marketing and Selling Jewelry

Once you have identified your niche and selected your approach, you need to explore marketing and selling for profit. Here are some suggestions for how and where to sell jewelry.

1. Special Events- Craft shows, wine festivals, Celtic festivals, street fairs etc. In the beginning, concentrate on low-cost booth fees i.e. under $100 until you gain experience.

2. Home parties- Low overhead. These can be a goldmine if you work them well. Referrals are the key to success.

3. Ebay- an easy, low-cost way to sell jewelry on the internet.

4. Your own website.

A. Ebay or yahoo store- both are excellent because of there built-in shopping audience and credibility.

B. Buy and fix-up a previously owned website-Many websites are For Sale by Owner on ebay.

The jewelry business can be a wonderful full or part-time home-based business. Use this article as a basis for your education. Learn everything you can about your chosen niche, study marketing and develop your selling skills. Keep a positive attitude and success will certainly follow.

Love What You Do

"Do what you love and love what you do."

That is a pretty simple philosophy but one that not many people follow. If they did they would not only be happier but more successful too.

I recently wrote an article that was dedicated to my Dad who passed away after 70 years in his own business.

I wrote that one of the reasons for his longevity and success was his passion for what he was doing. Obviously to continue working well into your 80s you have to love what you are doing!

I am not the only one who thinks that passion for what you do in business is essential.

If you have been watching "The Donald" in his hit TV show "The Apprentice", he states, in more than one episode, that you have to have a passion for what you are doing.

If you go back through history, you can see that passion has played a part in the achievements of all great people.

Whether they were conquerors like Genghis Khan or Alexander the Great. Great leaders like George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Great artists like Michelangelo. Or great business tycoons like Carnegie, Ford, Morgan and Trump. They all had a passion for what they did. A devotion that went beyond the job itself.

A passion for what you are doing will help you get through the rough times. It allows you to overcome obstacles and separates the quitters from the succeed ers.

Don't believe that passion is critical to success?

Then ask yourself this question.

Why do people invest so much time, effort and expense into a hobby?

Because they love what they are doing!

If you love what you are doing; time, effort and expense are not the motivating factors. Achievement and satisfaction are.

If you "do what you love and love what you do" you can't help but be successful.

Why?

Because if you enjoy what you are doing, it will spark that inner drive that all successful people have. The desire to succeed at all costs and not give up when facing a difficult road ahead.

What I am saying here is very important to someone who wants to own a small home based business.

In a small home based business, you will have many obstacles to overcome, some of which are:

• Lack of funds.
• Working long hours.
• Working alone.
• Learning the business through trial and error.
• Getting discouraged when things aren't going as planned.

It takes time, effort and knowledge to make a small business successful. The passion you have for your business will be the difference between giving up on your dream and achieving your goal of a profitable and satisfying business.

How many times have you heard actors, professional athletes and other successful people say that not only do they do what they love but get paid for it?

Wow! Isn't that the ultimate achievement?

Get paid to do what you love to do!

This is all possible with your own business.

Let's face it. If you work for someone else, you may like your job and you may be good at it; but no matter how passionate you are, your boss still reaps the rewards of your passion and dedication.

It is still his or her business, not yours.

So take some advice from someone who, now and for most of my business life, got paid for doing what I loved to do.

Find something you love. A hobby perhaps. Turn it into a home based business. Devote the same time, effort and expense into it.

Become passionate about it. And you will succeed!

How "Pipe Dreams" Can Become Realities!

TIPS ON ATTAINING WEALTH
Many people want money as a primary goal. And there certainly is nothing wrong with desiring money. But first, be sure that your true goal is money. Can you live, breathe, eat, and sleep money? Do you dream about money, and want it more than anything?
For true money-seekers, you must be your own boss. The great money-makers all started and ran their own businesses. And, even though it seems as though all the good ideas have already been taken, there are plenty out there.
The secret of the wealthiest people is to find a special need and fill it. Like quick-food chains; like supermarkets; like electronic games. Whether you invent a new toy or gadget, or see a spot to market special items in a new way, the world is open to true entrepreneurs. And they do make it.
LEARN YOUR TRADE
Almost any goal you choose - whether riches and material abundance or spiritual attainment - requires learning. How much education do you have? Do you want more? Perhaps your goal is to get another degree or to secure a special license.
There are countless opportunities to learn more about your own industry or to learn about a new skill. Not only do you have the colleges and universities, but there are many trade schools, correspondence schools, and special groups that teach skills -at very reasonable prices.
KEEP THE END IN MIND
What do you need to know to get to where you want to be? You may not need a degree, but the actual experience. So you'd need to change jobs or accept a part-time job at night to develop your skills.
More than ever, people are leaving their present occupations to learn a new trade and then starting at the bottom again to be happy in their work. Maybe you'll need to put in extra hours at work now so that you can save money to take the time off next year.
Even though most entry level positions are offered to the younger people, you can find many companies willing to give you a chance to change your occupation. Many times you might find an older master willing to apprentice you to learn the skill or trade.
Once you're enrolled to learn new skills, put everything towards learning. Apply yourself one hundred percent. Take advantage of asking questions and getting criticism from teachers and fellow students. Read everything you can study well. It is your developing expertise that will get you ahead and closer to your goal.
It's always a good time to learn more. Even if you are happy in your job,expanding yourself through education is a very rewarding activity. Take dancing or tennis, gourmet cooking or sculpture. Any activity is taught and shared by many enthusiasts.
STOP WASTING TIME
Consider the most important things you need to accomplish. These are high priorities. Then think about those things that seem to take up a lot of time and get you nowhere. Those are the low priorities.
Understand what's important to achieve and do those things first. Let go of all the busywork for paperwork that piles up. It's better for you to stack those low priorities somewhere else and finish the important material than to spend time clearing your desk to get down to the essential things.
You'll be noticed more quickly for the big things you achieve than for keeping paper flowing. Don't let co-workers waste your time with chitchat if you've got things to accomplish. Save that for lunch hours or for after work social activities.
Handle paper once; decide the action and finish with it. Keep interruptions to a minimum and delegate responsibilities. Although you'd like to believe you're indispensable to the job and you are the only one to take care of many things, you can teach someone else and move on to your own goal achievements.
DON'T PROCRASTINATE
What are you waiting for? Few opportunities are thrown at you; you have to create the right positions and situations to move up. Make lists of things you want to accomplish and do them.
If you're busy in an office situation, make daily lists and reward yourself with praise upon completion. Catch yourself achieving.
Concentrate on what you're doing and do one thing at a time. But do it quickly and handle the next thing. Be efficient in telephone calls, maybe taking them at appointed times or calling back at your convenience.
Don't generate copies or correspondence that make you look like you are doing things. Your superiors will know what you accomplish. Be busy doing important things rather than writing about what you've done.
And take the time for physical exercise. It will energize you -not take away from your effectiveness. It relaxes your mind and stimulates your capacity to achieve.

Parenting and Running a Home-Based Business

An Ann Landers column "Parenthood is not a job for the weak at heart" caught my interest.

Job Description for a Parent

Position: Parent

Job Description: Long-term player needed for challenging, permanent work in chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts. There is some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in faraway cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed.

Responsibilities: Must keep this job for the rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule. Must be willing to tackle stimulating technical challenges such as small gadget repair, sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must handle assembly and product safety testing , as well as floor maintenance and janitorial work. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and levels of mentality. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute and an embarrassment the next. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of end project.

Advancement and Promotion: There is no possibility of either. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

Previous Experience: None required, but on-the-job training is offered on a continually exhausting basis.

Wages: None. In fact, you must pay those in charge, offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 and attend college. When you die, you give them whatever income you have left.

Benefits: There is no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options. However, the job offers limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life.

This article is of special interest to those of us who work out of the home. Seeing this Ann Landers column made my think about why so many of us wanted to work out of our homes. One of the big reasons being to spend more time with our families. Balancing a family life and a home-based business can be a delicate one, especially when you look at all of the duties we have as a parent. Truthfully, it is amazing we get anything done at all.

If both partners or spouses are running the business there are some very different and other important factors to consider. Since we have already addressed and written articles on these issues, I will direct you to our website to the articles, Business / Marriage Partners: Will the Marriage Survive (Parts I & II)
http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com/homebusiness

There are some good rules however, to help you balance family and business.

Rule #1 - This is one of the most important rules. Yes, this is your home, but it is also my office. What that means is the things you use in your business (like computers, files, fax machine, business phone, supplies, etc.) are off limits to them.

Rule #2 - Set office hours. This lets your family members and friends know when it's okay to disturb you; when your day is done. This will avoid them taking you away from your work.

Rule #3 - No one but you answers your business line, and if your office is in part of the house, there is to be quiet when you are on the phone. I know sometime pandemonium breaks lose. Well on those occasions it does, don't answer the phone, let it go into voice mail and call back as soon as you can get away or get the situation under control. Almost all phones today have a mute button, use it, especially with young children that cry and scream.

Rule #4 - Establish rituals. Just like when you worked an outside job, you if dropped them off at the daycare, or their bus stop or school, even if you don't leave the house, when you are ready to go into your office, tell them good-bye. When you are done for the day, say "I'm home", or if you take a break say "I'm back for a bit", but be sure to tell them when you leave again, so they know you can't be interrupted.

Rule #5 - Follow the other rules. Be sure that the above rules are followed. This is the most important rule. Rules not only help you, they help your kids, family and friends draw the line between your work and your home day.

Some other tips are:

1. Keep a stash of kid stuff in your office. Get a variety of things like paper, stickers, crayons and games, in case your children are in your office and you need to take a call.

2. Get a cordless phone as an extension to your business line. When you enter the "home" part of your house, take the phone with you. If it rings, answer it and walk back to your "work space". Let your children, family and friends know that when this happens, they should try to be quiet until you are out of earshot or ask the person to hold, and press your hold or mute button until you are back in your "work area" or quiet space.

3. Understand it may not be easy, but if you train your children, family and friends to respect your time, space and need for concentration, both your work and family life will be easier.

Getting Started

One of the first things we do with our Partnering For Your Success students is to have them plan out how many hours they can spend on lease purchasing.

We know that many of you are working and want to start part-time. Well the best way to do this is to take a calendar and to put in the times you will work your lease purchasing business, or whatever business you want to get started.

Your initial planning is the key. The number of hours you can spend, getting your identity package done, setting up your office, making the contacts, making your calls, and setting your goals (both short term and long term). In effect, getting your ducks in order, being sure all your P&Q's are taken care of, and then just getting started.

However, the first step is yours. If after doing all the planning, you never make the commitment, all is lost. You have to implement the plan, and make the commitment to follow through.

And when there are bumps in the road, and believe us, there will be, ask for help, don't just give up. If you just give up, you'll never know what you could have accomplished. Think of the bumps as challenges, and learn from the bumps rather than just giving up. Nothing comes easy. You are not going to be a millionaire by next week (unless you win the lottery), it is not going to work on auto pilot, you need to stoke it and help it grow.

So start planning and doing today. Let this year be a new beginning for you. If you feel you can't do it on your own, check out our Partnering For Your Success program.

Does Your Business Need An Attitude Adjustment

First you need to: Change your attitude. I know you feel you have a good reason for feeling bad. However, instead of moaning and groaning about why me, ask yourself how you can turn the situation around. It’s better than feeling sorry for yourself, and a lot more productive. You may not have all the answers you need immediately. It is important, though, that you are asking questions. Eventually you will ask the right questions, and move forward.

Second, it is very important that you believe that you have the power to change things. The one thing to take from the past is the experience of success. Like us, many people “have had it and lost it and have had it again”. As we discuss in our book, “Who Makes It Happen We Do”, we lost it for a while, but we got it back. As we state in our book and constantly to our students, “who makes it happen, you do!” You have to believe you can be successful, to be successful!

If you haven’t had the experience of creating a business success or earning a lot of money; then you need to get a mental picture of a time when you made a wise choice or acted in a certain way. For example, having the suggestion you made at work implemented. Getting down to a weight goal you set for yourself. Winning a tournament or championship in a particular sport. Closing your eyes and getting a mental picture of yourself succeeding or a mental picture of yourself in a more positive time is a very popular technique.

Third, you need to work harder and smarter. As we have stated before, you are not going to be a millionaire overnight, unless you win the lottery; and we all know what your chances of that happening are. The surest way to make money is the old fashioned way, working for it. When you’re starting a new business, expect to work harder for months, even several years. If you can, hire someone or buy a piece of equipment that saves you time. If all your time is spent producing the product or if you are concentrating only on the supply end, you miss the big picture. You need to be able to see the big picture, to set goals for the future, and make decisions, in fact, some very important ones, to keep your business ahead of the competition. In order to succeed, you need to be able to focus clearly. This means that you need to take the time, away from the work environment, so you can think, without all the distractions and pressure. So your think time needs to be in a calm and serene environment. If that occurs while in your car, walking, exercising, the spa, the shower, whatever, go there.

Fourth, you need to keep focusing on what you want. Unfortunately for too many individuals all the focus is on the negatives. They focus more on why they can’t do it, instead of the positive, and because of this their business failures become a self fulfilling prophecy.

Fear can be very debilitating to the business person, especially in the finance area. If you are fearful of financial disaster you may head toward it instead of taking the risks necessary to become successful. You need to focus on what you want for your business, to be ready for the challenges that will come your way, and then do whatever it takes to make it work.

Five, instead of looking at the recession as an excuse, see it as a time of opportunity. Economic down turns sometimes will open up different opportunities for your business. During these times, people need and want value for their money. Instead of replacing an item, they will repair it. During this time, you may be able to buy equipment or inventory for less. Think ahead. Remember, business growth tends to be erratic with growth spurts and setbacks. You need to believe in what you are doing. You are in business for the long run so learn to deal with the ups and downs. Realize that you will prevail in the long run, since your product or service has value and appeal.

Six, you also need to look ahead by staying on top of changes. Keep in touch with innovations in technology and how they effect your business. Don’t purchase something because it is the latest and greatest, if you don’t need it. However, if a piece of equipment or certain marketing methods will help you reach your goals, save you time or help you run your business better, invest in it.

Seven, be aware that political or social changes that can make a difference, too. They can mean that your whole market is changing. Read everything you can get your hands on, stay tuned in to all the media and don’t forget to be aware of what your competition is doing. You need to keep asking yourself,” How can I cash in on this new trend?” and “What do I have to do to catch up?”

And last but not least, realize that there are going to be certain areas of your business you are better at than others. Let’s say you manufacture and sell cassette holders. You are great at selling them, but not very good with the manufacturing end. Once you find what you can do better than any one else, keep doing it. You’ll not only stay in business through tough times, you’ll stay ahead.

Pull Them, Don't Push Them

This article is primarily directed toward people who work at home in a business that happens to involve network marketing.

I am often contacted by members of my business team with complaints regarding a lack of response or lack of action on the part of their affiliates. Their complaints typically go something like..."I send out lots of emails to all of them and I very rarely get any response and it seems like very few of them are taking any action. What am I doing wrong?".

There are many types of internet-based home businesses where feedback and interaction are quite important and getting anaffiliate or business team member to communicate with you is adefinite objective. It's not at all surprising that this can bea challenge when you stop to think that what you are trying to dois initiate a dialog between two complete strangers who have never even seen each other.

In the case of network marketing, it is of critical importance to build a sense of trust with your team members. Network marketing is very definitely a relationship business and each relationship typically starts out with two complete strangers sitting at their respective keyboards.

The team building aspect of network marketing is of vital importance to the success of each individual member and to the team as a whole. Two key elements of team building are trust andconfidence and these factors play a very large role, particularlyfor new team members.

With all that being said, many people love the IDEA of making goodmoney working at home in their own business and expect it to just "happen", but have no willingness to take any action or put forthany effort to make it happen.

Having been involved with team building and network marketing forsome time, I have come to adopt the following as my operatingcredo..."if you have the desire and are willing to put in the effort, I'll pull you along so you can go faster down the road to success, but if you don't want move on your own, I'm not going to waste my time trying to push you forward".

Its like working with a length of chain...pulling it along worksfine, but trying it push it forward only results in a pile offrustration.

You need to be able to distinguish between people that have a legitimate interest in developing a home based business and those lost souls that feel that they have just joined another chat group and only want to engage in an endless "debate" about the virtues of whatever business you are promoting, but never actually had any intention of establishing a business...you will have to develop your own method of reading people like this (its mainly a sense of feel...sort of a belly button thing).

You can help someone reach for success...but you can't reasonably expect to make them want to be successful. Its just another variation of that very old and tired cliche...that "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink".

Another way of looking at it is if you are trying to move peopleforward, you pull them from in front (a leadership position), butif you have to push them it will be from behind (not a position of leadership).

What is a Business Opportunity?

People throw the term business opportunity around pretty loosely these days. Before the internet took off, a business opportunity was a franchise like McDonalds or Wendys. Or maybe a vending machine route or insurance sales position in your local area.

Mainly what people considered business opportunities was that you had to be an entrepreneur with investment capital to take advantage of an opportunity. So a business opportunity was something only someone with money to invest could take advantage of. You had to have money to make money.

Nowadays, people by the thousands make money on Ebay and through millions of websites selling everything from wigs, to toys, to cars, houses, and electronics. A business opportunity exists for every man woman and child on the planet who has the drive to learn how the internet works and just how many different ways there are to make money.

Some business opportunities on the net require an investment of thousands of dollars. Others require only that you have a website and hosting for it. $24 a month can set you up with an affiliate business opportunity right now. I even have a free website I give people, loaded with products and customized so that you get commissions for every sale made on your site.

You don’t have to know HTML. You don’t have to know how to get a merchant account. And most of all, to get started, you don’t even have to have your own products. By far the most people making money online are doing it as affiliates who refer people to products, services, and information for commissions.

This is what I do, and I love it! I don’t have to take care of customers, stock products, do any shipping, or anything else that comes with owning your own products. Yet I make great money at it.

Now that’s a business opportunity! Gone are the days when you had to have a lot of money to invest in starting a business. You still can, if you want to. But to me it’s crazy that people spend tens of thousands of dollars on their local business, hiring staff, managing them, keeping stock and inventory, dealing with rude customers. I don’t mess with ANY of that stuff and make more money than most people who DO!

A business opportunity is worthless if it is not taken. Most people just keep their jobs because they don’t trust that they have any other choices. People who take action on a great business opportunity are people who are self-motivated and action-oriented.

You should be able to work long hours in the beginning and you should be willing to do what it takes to learn what business is all about on the web.

If you do, you can become self-employed and even extremely rich. It’s not for everyone, but from now on you know that business opportunities abound on the internet and one is even just a click away from you right this moment!

Home Based Business Opportunities Abound On The Internet

Looking for a home business opportunity on the internet these days is a pretty involved process. That is, if you don’t know how to eliminate 90% of the junk that’s out there and pick among the home business opportunities that actually have merit and track records.
What works?

Information sales, auctions, hard goods that can be shipped, books, reports, network marketing, you name it!

There are just certain types of home business opportunities that you want to stay away from. Those are things where someone you don’t know from Adam is making guarantees that are way too good to be true. Anyone who makes it sound like money is dripping from the internet for you to simply catch in a bucket is a liar and a thief.

You will never have success with home business opportunities that promise you that you will never have to work, or make things sound too easy. Take it from a professional, working online or offline with a home business opportunity is work.

But home business opportunities have perks that are better than any job you could ever imagine.

You work for yourself and answer to no one but your customers You can make as much or as little as you want You can work as much or as little as you want You can take time off whenever you want You can make your schedule totally flexible You can work on the internet and work from anywhere in the world You can save money on clothes you had to buy for jobs You can save money on gas, car maintenance and insurance You can get great tax breaks owning your own business Travel and other expenses can be tax deductible

The list of great things I can think of about a home business goes on and on. Here are some of the things that can be a drain on you with a home business opportunity:

You can’t leave your business at certain critical times of growth Your family will sometimes become a distraction when you are working at home Your bed is in the same place as your work There’s no boss to keep you honest about your hours There’s no boss to keep you on your focus to complete critical tasks No one will do the work for you Customers can be a pain sometimes The money in the beginning can come in sporadically (people who cannot handle any kind of financial stress should definitely keep their jobs until their home business opportunity starts paying the bills regularly).

No pain no gain. No risk, no profit. No investment, no return. A home business opportunity is like any other business. Don’t let anyone tell you differently!

But for those of us that thrive on making our own way in the world, who love that there is no limit to what we can make, and no one but our spouses to tell us what to do, there is nothing under the sun better than a home business!

Start a Home Based Business

What would it be like to start a home based business? Many people wonder this on Sundays as they dread the beginning of the next work week. The only real problem, and what prevents most people from starting a home based business, is belief that it can be done.

Most people are not cut out for a home based business. This is why most people work for someone else. If we all had home based businesses we’d have no one to serve our meals at restaurants or sing to us at concerts!

So be glad that YOU are looking into starting a home based business because if you choose wisely, there is a lot less competition than there is at a local job fair these days!

The internet makes it very, very easy and inexpensive for people to start a home based business these days. There are thousands of legitimate, valid home based business opportunities out there. And, of course, there are a lot of scams to beware of.

The best rule to live by is this: If it sounds too good to be true, it absolutely, definitely, positively IS!

Anyone who tells you that you can get something for nothing is a crook. Someone who says “we do all the work” is lying to you. Anyone who tells you that to start a home based business you need thousands of dollars and it should go to them for the privilege, is yanking your chain.

Working for yourself is actually a lot harder work than working for others. Why? Because once you taste success, and you realize that all you have to do to get more sales and make more money is work a little harder, most people work a little harder!

Why, again? Because when you start a home based business, you control your destiny! You get 100% of the profit from all your hard work and you have no boss and no one to answer to. This is an incredible feeling of freedom and peace to 99% of the people who experience it.

No successful home based business person (and there are quite literally thousands of them on the internet) will tell you what they do is “easy.” But they WILL tell you they love what they do and would never trade it for anything else.

Whether you end up selling information, services, or hard goods, the one thing to keep in mind when starting a home based business is that you must love the subject, product, or service. You are going to be married to the business for awhile when you start out and you definitely don’t want to quit from boredom just before you were about to make some great money!

I have seen this happen many times and it’s a sad thing! If you are the kind of person who can motivate yourself and work hard, then start a home based business today and get out from under the thumb of your employer!

Are You Taking Full Advantage of the Web?

Is your site visible, interactive? How's the infrastructure? Are your mailings personalized? What about tracking and consistency? In order to get the most out of your website all of these items are important.

By following these tips, you can build a sense of community for your web site. This in turn can build a loyal following for both your site and your business.

To make your site visible; be sure you prominently feature your URL (i.e., your Internet address) on your business cards, correspondence as well as any advertising you do - newspaper, magazine, broadcast and direct mail.

To be interactive your site must invite visitors to subscribe to e-mail "hot lists" that specialize in the categories that are of interest to them along with specially-priced merchandise they're interested in.

You want to be sure your site has a good infrastructure. If it does, it will allow you to quickly and easily send carefully-targeted e-mail bulletins to customers interested in specific categories of merchandise, so you can quickly and easily inform them of new products and specially-priced merchandise. And this is one of the main reasons you have a site, isn't it!

Personalization is key today. With all the products out there which allow you to do this, there is no reason your mailings shouldn't make the recipient feel "special".

The interactivity of your site isn't doing you any good if you are not sending targeted emails. So be sure to broadcast targeted e-mails to your core market at least twice a month.

All of the above mentioned tips allow you to grow and expand. However, be sure that you have a tracking system in place. This will allow you to track the results of your advertising, so you can see which media generates the most subscriptions to your hot-lists and which lists produce the most profits. This will help you to streamline your site and get rid of products and parts of your site that are not getting the results.