This article is contributed by Michelle Ulrich.

1. Website
a. http://smallbusiness.officelive.com/ - FREE
Microsoft Office Live Basics is the easy way to get started on the Web. If you have always wanted your own Web site, Microsoft Office Live has just made it easier — much easier.
- Free domain name and Web hosting
- Easy-to-use Web site design tools
- 500 MB of Web site storage space
- 25 company-branded e-mail accounts
- Web site reports
- Search advertising tool with $50 credit* - (I do not recommended to start)

b. Go Daddy’s Website Tonight for as little as $4.00/month

Go Daddy has THREE plans (or so) to choose from!

Blog instead of a website
c. Blogger.com – Free
d. WordPress.com – Free
e. TypePad.com – Basic Level is Free
i. With TypePad Basic you’ll be blogging in minutes. Choose your design from dozens of professional templates. TypePad makes it easy to include pictures and links, manage comments, and categorize your posts. Includes 100MB of storage and 2GB of bandwidth per month.
ii. $4.95 per month for higher level of service (more storage space, etc.)

Benefits of a blog versus a website
- No web designer needed
- Pick a template and start adding content
- Useful for selling one product (i.e. a book, ebook, info product, etc.)
- Useful for selling a relationship with potential clients
- Useful for opinion writing – be careful what you put out there; people read blogs!
- Hone writing skills
- Post at a minimum of 3x/wk for higher Google rankings
- Can also be a link from a website, which also increases traffic to your website

2. List capture form on your website and ezine delivery
a. iContact.com $9.95/month for up to 500 subscribers; 15-day free trial
i. Non-profits receive 20% discount and may pay by check monthly, quarterly, or annually
ii. Templates or design and paste HTML code
iii. Surveys
iv. Auto Responders
b. ConstantContact.com $15/month for up to 500 subscribers; 60-day free trial
c. CampaignMonitor.com
i. For each campaign you send with more than 5 recipients, you pay a flat delivery fee of $5 plus 1 cent/recipient. Any campaigns you send to 5 or less people are free of charge.
ii. Let's say you're sending an email newsletter for a client to their database of 4,500 subscribers. To send this newsletter, you will be charged $5 plus a cent for each recipient, $45 in this case, making a total of $50. All prices are in US dollars.

3. Shopping Carts and eCommerce
a. Mals-e.com
i. Shopping cart, digital downloads and affiliate program ONLY
ii. FREE for up to 1000 digital deliveries per month; you can purchase more as you increase your sales.
iii. $8/mo option for unlimited orders per month
iv. $95 flat one-time fee for their mOrders plus version for a desktop application for downloading and ‘databasing’ orders properly and permanently. www.mals-e.com/morders.php
v. Reporting
vi. Numerous third-party add-ons

b. E-Junkie.com
i. FREE 1-week trial
ii. $5/mo for 10 products/50 MB storage space; rates go up to $125 incrementally based on the number of products
iii. Product storage and delivery
iv. Easy to use, pop-up free, installation free
v. Shipping and postage calculations
vi. Sales tax and VAT calculations
vii. Inventory management
viii. Product promotion
ix. Discount codes
x. Affiliate management
xi. Customization (even works with an existing cart for digital downloads)
xii. Tracking, logging and notifications
xiii. Global acceptance
1. download page and email in language of your choice
xiv. Extras
1. send out free expirable download links
2. Works with eBay and MySpace, too!

c. Payloadz.com
i. Digital downloads ONLY
ii. FREE for up to $100 transaction limit / 50MB of storage
iii. $15/mo for $500 transaction limit / 100 MB of storage

d. WAHMcart.com
i. Full shopping cart very similar to Professional Cart Solutions (see below for full list of options, but you get EVERYTHING for $29.99/mo – no tiers

e. Professional Cart Solutions (aka – 1shoppingcart.com and many other private labels)
i. FREE 30-day trial or $3.95 for 30-days depending upon private label partner
ii. Four tiers of service
1. Starter $29
2. Auto Responder $29
3. Basic $49
4. Pro $79
iii. Shopping cart
iv. Broadcast (ezine, email announcements, etc.) delivery
v. Auto Responders
vi. Digital downloads
vii. Affiliate program
viii. Ad tracking
ix. Reporting
x. Payment processing with PayPal as well as a large list of merchants such as Authorize.net; QuickBooks/Intuit will be on the list soon (poss. Fall 2007)
xi. Templates for ezine delivery to come out soon (poss. Fall 2007)

4. Online Publishing Centers
a. CaféPress.com
b. LightningSource.com – Most recommended by traditional publishers if you must do Print On Demand (POD).
c. Lulu.com

5. Miscellaneous online services
a. CentralDesktop.com – Free online collaboration tool for up to 3 users; $25/mo for up to 10 users and other various packages. Use this tool to work with a virtual team to delegate the projects or pieces of larger projects.
b. EventBrite.com – Event management program. First event is free, then up to $9.95 each event. For paid events, your PayPal, Google Cart or merchant fees shall apply. You can specify donations or payments, number of ‘seats’ available, reporting, and lots of extras.
c. Evite.com – Free event management tool where you can pick a template, customize one on your own, add your Outlook contacts, track responses, and it even integrates with PayPal for paid events.
d. Foldershare.com – Free folder sharing application from Microsoft (a bit clunky to set up between two parties, but is an awesome program for sharing documents with clients, subcontractors, etc.)
e. Google.com – Google offers email, word processor, spreadsheet, calendar, classifieds (Google Base), groups, Blogger, Desktop and lots of other programs for FREE.
f. OpenOffice.org – Free office suite similar to and compatible with Microsoft office. Includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation manager, and drawing program. Interface similar to other office suites.
g. SurveyMonkey.com – Free up to 10 survey questions with 100 responses allowed; $19.95/mo for unlimited questions per survey and 1000 responses allowed, $200/yr to have unlimited questions and responses.
h. TheBasementVentures.com – Host teleclasses, teleseminars, etc. with this free tool. You can even record your own audio and then copy and paste the html code on your website, download the mp3 file and burn it to a CD for info product sales.
i. Thumbstacks.com – Free webinar presentation tool. This is for PowerPoints or various incarnations of PowerPoint only.
j. YouSendit.com – Free file sending program; $4.99/mo for 2 GB file sending, send multiple files, and no ads on your ‘send’ invitation.
k. Zoho.com – Office suite with free and $5 on up for other options. Word processing, spreadsheet, presentation tool, Wiki, notebook, Meeting (desktop sharing, web conferencing, online meetings, etc.), projects, CRM, database creator, planner (online organizer), chat, mail, and more.

About the Author
Michelle Ulrich is the Chief Villager and founder of The Virtual Nation, an educational destination for Virtual Professionals around the globe. Michelle is an avid believer in giving back to her industry and she does this by offering coaching, teleclasses, resources, and tools, in addition to providing a community of learning, a nation of culture, and a virtual village for her members. Education is the foundation of her organization as well as for her own personal and professional development. Michelle has been a community college instructor teaching a Virtual Assistant certificate program online. Aside from coaching and teaching, she is also a speaker and soon-to-be author on the subject of Virtual Assistance. She maintains her private practice where she specializes in working with authors, coaches and speakers who struggle to keep up with e-commerce and new technologies. Clients can check out her services at www.virtualbusinessmarketing.com, while Virtual Assistants can find her over at www.thevirtualnation.com. She can be reached by telephone at (916) 536-9799 in the Pacific Time zone.

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This guest post is contributed by Constantinos Tassigiannis.

Want to start your own business but don’t know how? Read on and get the knowledge to live the dream.

First, let’s look at the positives and negatives of starting your own business. The upside is that you are in charge of your own career and pay and if your business really takes off, you can end up with a massive salary which is much more than you can earn at the regular job. The downside is that many businesses fail in their first year and it’s not for people who prefer working to a nine till five schedule as most of the time, in order to succeed, you have to work round the clock. A seventy hour working week is not unusual.

The key to starting a successful business is recognising a gap in the market and taking advantage of it. Others however choose to come up with ways of improving an existing product. Whatever road you decide, research is essential as it can make or break you.

Do you have an idea that no one has thought of yet? How about an improved design that costs less to make than the original, or makes it work more efficient? How dedicated you are to your idea will reflect on the outcome. There are different approaches, such as a tried a tested business model, a specific business opportunity, taking control and changing your life or working part time, depending on what road you want to take.

Once you have come up with a product or service, you need to refine it. We do this by developing it by using research. Does it satisfy a need? Once you have done that, you need to brainstorm your idea with friends and colleagues. Everyone brings forth their own perspective on the idea and can inform if there is someone doing the same thing. Think about how you will run your business e.g. will it be sorely run online or will it have stores? What makes it unique and better than the competition? Make sure your product complies with any legislations and safety regulations.

Once you have come up with a product or service, you need to protect it. We do this by having a record of ownership over it, known as Intellectual Property, IP for short.

There are four types of IP and the type of product you have determines the type of IP you should use.

* Patents for inventions

New or improved products that are capable for industrial application.

* Trademarks

Used to protect brand and corporate identity of goods and services, allowing distinctions between different traders

* Designs

Protect product appearance such as lines, colours, contours, shape, and texture, materials of the product itself or its ornaments.

* Copyright

Literacy, music, films, audio, broadcasts, software and media can be protected under this category.

It should be noted that it often is not possible to protect IP and gain IP rights without being applied for and granted. Copyright IP’s however arise automatically without registration, as long as proof of creation exists.

Importantly, you need to create a business plan, because without one, you aren’t going to get anywhere as an entrepreneur. A high quality business plan can help attract the right type of funding to keep your capital high.

You need to have an executive summary, stating exactly what you’re business is and why it exists. Basically, it is an overview of what your business is all about and this is vital as investors will make a judgement based on this section alone. Its purpose is to draw attention and make the reader want to find out more, possibly making them want to invest in your idea. If it has caught their attention, it has done its job. Make sure you do not use hype as an experienced investor will see right through this.

Then, you need a short description of the business opportunity, detailing who you are, what service or goods you will provide and who is your target market. Detail when your business will start, or when it did if it already has. The industry and sector it is a part of and its key features should be written. Any relevant history should also be noted, such as past owners et cetera. You also have to detail your current legal structure and what your vision of the future will be. Define your products differences to competition and what benefits it brings forth. Also noting what development you have in mind and if you own any patents or IP's.

Once you have finished that, it's time to put your strategy to the test. Write down what marketing and sales ideas you have. How will you get people to buy your product and where will they be able to buy from? What are the markets key current issues and how big is it? It is also important to know your competition. Note how you will go about positioning your product in the market place. Also detail pricing policies and how you will go about promoting your business. Maybe you'll use advertising, PR campaigns, direct marketing, email or e-sales. You need to conduct market research and see if you idea truly fills a gap in the market effectively.

An effective way of researching a need is to convey surveys of the public, whether they would use the product. Ask customers of competing products for what improvements they would like to see. Monitor the competitions activities as this keeps you in the know whether they start a new service or release a new product that may compete with yours to a greater extent. Another utility that you should put to use is using focus groups to test out your product, using feedback from them to evolve your business. It is very important that you cover everything you can and conduct as much market research as possible as mistakes made later on due to poor information can be costly. Hire a market research agent to help out and make sure you haven’t missed anything as the more information you have, the better you can satisfy your customers.

Now that you have your point of sale ideas down, you need to work out who makes up your marketing team. List your credentials and the people you plan to recruit to work with you. Give details of the number of people you have in your workforce in total and by departments. How much time each employ spends working and how much they earn should be given here and any other numbers that affect the total amount of profit brought in by the company. You should also note down a timescale, noting costs and any training that will be given.

Onto operations and time to note down the premises you'll be operating from, production facilities, your management information systems and your networking and IT. Do you have a business property or do you rent it? What are your long term commitments to the property and what facilities does it provide or will there be investments put in this field? Noting down all of this as well as how you go about using the facilities effectively really show that you know what you're doing and you won't be wasting time, as time is money. Any established procedures for stock control, management accounts and quality control should be put in this category as well as any IT experience you have because as technology evolves, so will everything else and you can't risk falling behind.

Make sure your business plan reflects your personal vision, keep it simple and realistic and your business plan should work well.

Once that's out the way, research is next, especially financial. Make sure you have Unique Selling Proposition and a business model at hand, showing how the revenue will come in. Also note forecasts for profit and loss, sales and cash flow statements. To help your business survive its first year, you’re going to need to cover your financial needs. Many businesses don’t make a profit in the first year, making only enough to cover their outgoings. So it is important to have funding if you want to survive. Plan out a budget using a personal budget spreadsheet detailing your domestic financial needs for the year. Keep a record of your spending and try and cut back on unnecessary buys. Appling for funding can really help and make things easier. You can do this in a number of ways. Sources of help include local business links, start-up schemes and financial advisors and accountants.

The Prince’s Trust (eligible age 18-30), that can provide a low interest loan of up to £4,000 for a sole trader and up to £5,000 for a partnership. They also provide up to £250 on test marketing, as well as access to a wide range of products and services to help your business stay in business.

Business Link: a company that provides a service in business planning, borrowing shares and equity, grants and government support banking, financial and debt recovery. It also has a wide range of information for entrepreneurs.

Chamber Of Commerce: “The National Voice for Local Business” employs more than 5 million people and also the widest business community to help fund you and give you the skills and information to succeed.

But you can also do things yourself to help fund your ideas, such as releasing equity from an existing asset, such as trading in your car for a cheaper one. Sell things you do not use or really need, get a loan from family members and friends. Get an overdraft with your bank account

Besides help with funding, there is also the choice of incubation. There are a good amount of incubators to choose from In the UK. They are designed to nurture your company, help guide your business, supply you with workspace and also provide you with the right information and advice with a combination of business development processes and infrastructure. Research has shown an 87 % and upwards survival rate for incubated companies compared to only a 40 % survival rate for non-incubated.

Incubators include Digital Inc in Liverpool ICDC, who currently house 12 small businesses and brought in a profit of over two million pound in the 2004 - 2005 year and is the UK's first business incubator to be focused on the digital industries. Its current funding ends after 2008 but its manager Mr Peter Leather is putting together a sustainability model is confident that Digital Inc will become a centre of excellence.

Another incubator that has just recently opened is the Liverpool Science Park, which is run by Peter Leather, ex-manger of Digital Inc. This is a new modern building with office space and lecture rooms that can be utilised by small and corporate businesses. As with every incubator, an affordable fee is paid for the space needed, which is worth it considering the knowledge they’ll be passing on to you, as well as support given by staff and help lines.

Once you have enough information, you need to decide how you will trade. Will your business be a Limited Company or a Sole Trader?

A Sole Trader is a business which legally has no separate existence from its owner. All debts of the business are debts of the owner. The advantage in being a Sole Trader is control and business administration, due to their only being one owner.

A Limited Company has liability limited by the law. Funds can be raised by selling shares of the business. The drawback is that you risk losing control if shareholders join and equal a greater amount of ownership than yourself.

One final bit of advice is to make sure you hire the right type of people. Often, businesses can be hurt due to lack or determination or commitment put in by others besides the owner. You need to explore the options available to you, such as freelancers, fixed term contract employees, temporary staff, consultants and contractors. Whoever you hire, make sure they work to a high caliber, with the right mix of skills. It's not an easy process but one that will pay dividends.

Article contributed by Constantinos Tassigiannis, BA Hons MBCS.
Freelance iMedian, artistic entrepreneur and disabled weight lifter.
www.DinoT.co.uk

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This article contributed by Michelle Ulrich.

Why should you think about your niche, your ideal client and your message? If you don’t and your competitor does, guess who will get the client or close a sale? Your competitor will. These three areas will set you apart, create your unique selling proposition, and differentiate you from your competition.

As you work your way through each of these steps, you will begin to unfold the reasons why someone would want to do business with you versus your competitor.

Before we begin exploring your niche, let’s discover your passions. Your passions will tell you more about yourself and what to focus on in your business than you thought possible. Write down your current passions, things that you love to do, things that you could spend all day on if you had the time and no one interrupted you. Next, write down passions you used to feel that way about. Finally, write down things you think you would love to learn, things that you think would absolutely love to do someday. Don’t cheat yourself by writing things down you think others want you to do or explore. This is for you and you alone!

Grab a piece of paper, make three columns with the headings: 1) Current passions, 2) Past passions, and 3) Future passions (to explore). Write down as many things that come into your mind. Try not to let your mind tell you that you can’t write something down—write whatever comes to your mind. Don’t let negative self-talk enter your mind and keep you from writing something down. It could be the best stuff that comes out of your brain!

Now, look at all of your passions and see if there are any items that might correlate, like a child’s matching game. Draw a line connecting the items you think you’d like to match up even if you think there is no way they could realistically work together. Sit with this, sleep on it and then ask yourself if there are any possibilities, creative ways to match up these passions into your business. If you still don’t see it, ask others what they think. Be careful to ask others who are non-judgmental, and impartial. Seek out a SCORE counselor at www.score.org and ask the counselor what they think. Asking family and friends may work if they know you and are open-minded. Sometimes, those closest to us can be the most closed-minded. You may even ask a child, a high school student, or college counselor what they think.

Once you’ve determined your passions, you can layer on your skills to add a new dimension. Let’s try this example:

Michelle’s current passion is speaking on Virtual Assistance, her past passion was writing poetry and a future passion she would like to explore is traveling. She could match these up and combine them by speaking on Virtual Assistance as she travels throughout the country. In addition, she could write poems or do creative writing in her speeches, her Virtual Assistant practice, or as a ghost writer for her clients.

Identify Your Niche Specialty

Your niche could be the type of work you perform or the industry in which you would like to work. So, don’t get caught up on an industry type. You can confidently say to those who say you ‘should’ have a niche, “Yes, I work in [type of work] or [industry] as my niche.”

1. Identify your niche (type of work), then narrow it down further to specific areas of concentration
a. Academia – theses, term papers, reports, research…
b. Event Planning – small, medium, large
i. Corporate, small business, individual
ii. Themes, holiday, other
c. Ezines
d. Graphic design/Desktop publishing - advanced, intermediate, simple
e. Real estate – transaction coordination, marketing, listings…
f. Shopping carts
g. Transcription – general, court, medical – dental, surgery…
i. Digital, video, DVD…
h. Travel – research, bookings – air, car, cruises, hotel, destination
i. Web design – advanced, intermediate, simple
Write down your top three specialties.

Identify Your Niche Industry

2. Identify your niche industry then narrow it down further to specific areas of concentration.
a. Animals – veterinarian clinics, breeders, pet sitters, dog groomers…
b. Authors – fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, cookbooks…
c. Coaches – business, corporate, life, relationship, financial, parent, holistic…
d. Environment – entrepreneurs, builders, solar professionals…
e. Food – caterers, bakeries, dessert diners, and mom-n-pop deli’s…
f. Real estate – luxury homes, commercial, residential, horse property…
Write down your top three industries in which you’d like to work.

Your Ideal Client

3. Identify your ideal client. Get as specific as if you were describing your best friend, or the neighbor next door.
a. Gender – female
b. Age – 30-60 years of age
c. Values – easy going, passionate, excited about their business, fun, want to be connected and is aware of what is going on in their industry, and wants to stay on the cutting edge as they grow their business.
d. Profession (s) – authors, coaches, speakers
e. Financial – financially fit and make an excess of $50,000 per year
f. Health – fit and work at it every day
g. Spiritual – doesn’t matter as long as they respect my different points of view

Describe your ideal client. Let your imagination run wild. If you describe your ideal client as if he or she is sitting across from you while you have a cup of coffee or tea, that is the perfect set up/scenario. Pretend you are conversing with him/her; write down on your paper how you would describe him/her as if you were introducing him/her to your best friend. Don’t leave out important details like being able to afford you, they respect you as a person and as a professional, etc.

So, now, your ideal client should be clear in your mind. Example: “My ideal client is between 30-60 years old, a female author, coach, and/or speaker, who shares my values. She is both financially and healthfully fit, in addition to being respectful of my spiritual boundaries.

Your Message

4. Write out your 30-second message, read it aloud to yourself, read it aloud to your family, then your friends, then your colleagues, and finally, to strangers who could be your potential clients. Rehearse it in the mirror to see how it looks, record it to hear how it sounds, and keep improving until you feel you’ve nailed it and it doesn’t sound rehearsed. Find passion in your voice when saying what you do; others listening will become excited, too.

Example: “I specialize in working with authors, coaches, and speakers who struggle to keep up with e-commerce and new technologies. I take the struggle off their shoulders, relieving them of the stress. I implement their needs to help them grow their bottom line without having to learn all the new technologies themselves.”

Try this for your business. “I specialize in working with [fill in the blank] who struggle to keep up with [fill in the blank]. I implement their needs to help them grow their bottom line without having to [fill in the blank].

You are now prepared to go forth and prospect for clients. You know your passions, niche (type of work or industry), who your ideal client is and you also have a clear message. Now, you can help others to be empowered to help you find and refer the right clients to you without hesitation.

Go with passion and excitement—it’s yours for the taking!

About the Author
Michelle Ulrich is the Chief Villager and founder of The Virtual Nation, an educational destination for Virtual Professionals around the globe. Michelle is an avid believer in giving back to her industry and she does this by offering coaching, teleclasses, resources, and tools, in addition to providing a community of learning, a nation of culture, and a virtual village for her members. Education is the foundation of her organization as well as for her own personal and professional development. Michelle has been a community college instructor teaching a Virtual Assistant certificate program online. Aside from coaching and teaching, she is also a speaker and soon-to-be author on the subject of Virtual Assistance. She maintains her private practice where she specializes in working with authors, coaches and speakers who struggle to keep up with e-commerce and new technologies. Clients can check out her services at www.virtualbusinessmarketing.com, while Virtual Assistants can find her over at www.thevirtualnation.com. She can be reached by telephone at (916) 536-9799 in the Pacific Time zone.

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Bankaholic: If you count yourself as one of the masses that is sick and tired of the daily grind of your mindless job, then getting out and starting your own business is a real possibility. It may seem like a daunting task; but you can get into business on your own with as little as $5,000.

Erase the notion that you need hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to make it on your own. If you can get your boss (read: spouse) on board then you’re on your way to a liberating experience. Here are some tips for you to get started on opening your own business:

1. You’ll need more than an idea.
Once you’ve created your business model you’ll have to develop the skills necessary to make it in this nitty-gritty world of the unknown. Pure smarts aren’t enough to be successful. You need to rely on determination, guts, tough skin and confidence. You are sure to encounter many roadblocks along the way and you have to be ready to face these head on.

2. Scrape together your dough.
You have to assess how long you can get by with little or no income. Aside from turning into a frugal being, you have to be completely honest with yourself when it comes to your personal finances. Make sure you credit is in good order as this will help you when it comes to applying for bank loans.

3. Cut corners.
As much as you’d want to have a luxurious office you have to be reasonable. Work out of your home and set up an office that has all the amenities minus the rental costs. If you need space for conferences or meetings then ask around friends and see if you can share their space for cheap. Remember you will have to have some face-to-face meetings, so plan accordingly.

4. Make do with what you’ve got.
A new computer system could cost upwards of $2,000 so maybe what you’ve already got could be sufficient. If you need a new system then lease instead of buy.

5. Think outside the box.
There are many ways to be frugal without looking cheap. Search bargain outlets for office materials, scour the internet for deals and just keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities as they come knocking because the best deals aren’t advertised but are found out through word of mouth!

5 Ways to Start Your Business With No Money! [Bankaholic]

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This article is by our guest writer Diana Ennen, who is also the Author of Virtual Assistant: The Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA, & The Corel Word Perfect Office Ready Virtual Assistant Solution Pack. She also owns a website: http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com

Virtual Assistants (VAs) are highly skilled professionals who provide administrative support and specialized services to businesses, entrepreneurs, executives, and others who have more work to do than time to do it. Examples of services a VA can do include web design and maintenance, word processing, meeting and event planning, desktop publishing, internet research, e-mail coordination, business start-up consultations and so much more. This can be the perfect work-at-home opportunity for many with good computer and Internet skills. Following are several Do's and Dont's to keep in mind for starting and operating your Virtual Assisting business.

DO -- Decide on a targeted market and initially focus your marketing efforts in that area. By developing a "niche" in your field, your reputation spreads quickly and soon you become a recognized expert. Several specialties include: publicity and marketing, website design, article writing and distribution, press release writing and distribution, medical, legal or business transcription, resume consulting, transaction coordination -- real estate industry, desktop publishing, manuscript preparing, academic typing, e-mail support, internet research, etc.

DO -- Be creative about where you can find business. The Internet offers a large variety of potential for clients just waiting for you to contact them. Actively network and don't limit your marketing to simply placing a few ads in newspapers or the Yellow Pages. You want to find where there might be a need- and go fill it.

DO -- Write a complete business plan and marketing plan. Too many leave out this vital step and waste valuable time unorganized and without a clear-cut goal and direction for their business. When starting a business you will have tons of ideas floating around. You need to materialize all these and put them into a workable plan of action.

DO -- Develop a website that looks sensational! Your website is often the first connection a potential client has with your services. It must immediately let them know that they are dealing with a professional. Your site must then have the POWER to draw them to you and contact you. Let them see that you value quality by the look and feel of it. Additional tips include letting them know what services you offer and why you are qualified to offer those services by mentioning your experience and education. Be sure to include points on why you stand out among the rest and are the BEST! For example, if you have been featured in articles, radio shows, etc., have them listed with the dates.

DO -- Learn everything you can about starting a business. Knowledge is power and the more you know, the greater your chances for success. Look to online services and message boards and chats to talk with other Virtual Assistants operating a business. Remember these are often run by pros who have been in business for years and are willing to share their experience.

For example, I mentor and manage virtual assisting boards on HBWM.com, Momspreneursonline.com and VAnetworking.com. With 23 year's experience, I often know what works and what doesn't in starting a business and staying successful, so my experience can prove beneficial.

DO -- Join associations that are targeted for our Industry. A few of the more popular ones are IAVOA.com and IVAA.com, but there are many others. By connecting with these associations and being active, you learn from them what works and what doesn't and you are able to post your questions to associate members via list serves often getting answers to your questions within minutes.

DO -- Read, read, read. By frequently continuing to increase your skills and your knowledge of your profession, the end result is a more confident satisfied you. Every tip you get from a book can be a new tool in your business. I recommend highlighting areas from several books and adding them to your library. Keep in mind that you might not use that idea today, but it might apply to specialties you might add down the road. We encourage you to purchase our book, Virtual Assistant the Series, Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA with its accompanying workbook. It has everything you need to succeed in your own business.

DO – Enjoy. There's no greater feeling than landing that first client or finishing your first big project. Plus, wait until you get the opportunity to tell someone you own and operate your own virtual assisting business. It sure beats I'm a secretary at .... Plus, when you enjoy your business it shows. Your clients will sense your positive attitude and want to be a part
of your team.

DON'T -- Underprice your services. The average virtual assistant today makes $35 to $100 an hour, depending on their skills, services offered, location, and years of experience. Don't make the mistake of assuming if you charge the lowest prices, you'll get the most work. You won't. Instead, you'll end up working outrageous hours for peanuts! Clients will pay more for professional services. When a potential client discovers you're charging a lower rate than standard, they often feel they will receive a quality of services that is also lower.

DON'T -- Overextend yourself. One of the common mistakes many virtual assistants make is to accept too much work and then not be able to accurately complete it. Learn to say no or have a back-up helper who can assist you with any overflow work. Remember one of the most important ingredients for success is keeping your clients satisfied. If you overextend yourself and make a lot of errors, it will jeopardize your business.

DON'T -- Get discouraged. It takes time to get a business going. Plan ahead and have money saved in reserve. Don't buy items until you have found the best possible price and there is an absolute need. This advance planning takes the pressure off of having to make money NOW. If things are slow and the phone just isn't ringing ... MAKE IT RING!! There's plenty of work out there, you just need to aggressively pursue it.

Finally, the most important ingredient for success is your belief in yourself. If you believe that with your skills and experience, you can own your own business, then there's nothing stopping you. DREAMS DO COME TRUE.SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.

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Some people would think that in order to start business, you need to work and that you need to accumulate capital.

There are two parts to this. The first is yes, you do you need a lot of experience to start a business. The second part is you do need a lot of capital.

A question people ask, do you need a lot of experience in a certain business to start a business, I would say yes, you do.

But people say I've never worked before and they ask, "Where did you get the experience from".

Well here's some of my personal experience that will answer this question.

Well I did work. It's just that I started very, very young. And in fact a lot of the work that I did was voluntary work. I was not paid but yes, I did.

Like for example, the first business I ever started was the mobile disco business. I started at 15 years old and for those of you who do not know what a mobile disco is; basically you own a set of equipment, lighting, sound system. And when people have got parties, like for example birthday parties, functions, dinner and dance, you go up there, you set up the disco.

And in fact, before I set up that mobile disco company, I learned it from another company by working for them part time as a DJ. Even before that, I went to my own parties and that's how it started basically

The next part is about capital. Well, do you need a bit of capital? It took me $2,000 to start my mobile disco company. A lot of people have this mindset, that you need hundreds of thousands and from my personal experience, no you don't, you can start with just a few thousand dollars.

In fact, if you asked me, I think having a lot of money to start a business is a curse sometimes. You know why? Because when you have got a lot of money, you tend to spend it. In fact, out of all my businesses, the only business which I truly invested a lot of money in was my interior design business. I invested a quarter million dollars only to lose it in a year.

The strategy is that when you've got no money in starting a business, it forces you to be creative; it forces you to think of ways to do things without needing money. And when I started, all the costs were kept variable. We didn't rent our own place. We couldn't afford it, so we worked out of our house and other people's company.

When we had no business, we have no costs and all the costs were variable and most of the staff we hired were freelancers or interns or people we paid on a project basis so all the costs were variable. There were no risks at all. A lot of the stuff we use were our own personal computers so again there was no costs at all.

Therefore sometimes it requires a willingness to learn as well as thinking out of the box. So hopefully these personal experiences will help answer the questions of those of you who are seeking to start your own business.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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You'll pay too much in taxes if you don't understand that cash in minus cash out does not equal profit.

This is the most important thing you need to know before you start keeping records for your business...cash in minus cash out does not equal profit. It simply equals cash left over. Or, in many cases, it's a negative number, so it equals cash you owe somebody.

What this means is that you'll need to understand the IRS rules and keep your records according to those rules so you report your profit correctly and take (and be able to prove) all the deductions you're allowed to take. Because you want to pay the least amount of tax possible, right?

The way you'll need to keep your books will be different depending on whether your business is a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation. The rules for calculating income and deductions (and therefore profit) and the forms used for reporting to the IRS are different for the different business types.

What counts as income? Most or all of the money you take into your business will count as income. This includes fees for services and/or product sales.

But not all the cash that comes into your business counts as income.

If you get a rebate for a purchase you made at your local office supply store, that's cash in, but it's not income. It's a reduction in your supplies expense.

If you get a refund of part of your insurance premium at the end of the year, that's cash in, but it's not income. It's a reduction in insurance expense.

If you borrow money (and it doesn't matter if it's from your brother or the bank), that's cash in, but it doesn't count as income.

What counts as expenses? Most of the money you spend for your business will probably count as expenses. This includes advertising, postage, office supplies, and similar items.

But not all the cash that goes out of your business counts as expenses.

When you buy business property like cars, computers, and furniture that will last longer than a year, you're not allowed to deduct their entire cost as an expense in the year of purchase (except in special circumstances).

These items are called capital assets. Sometimes they're referred to as fixed assets.

You have to depreciate them over several years. Basically, depreciation is a process of spreading the cost of an item over its useful life.

You might have cash of several hundred or thousands of dollars go out the door when you purchase fixed assets, but you can't deduct the entire amount of the purchase price as an expense when you buy them.

Some things that your business pays for might only count as partial expenses. An example of that is business meals and entertainment where you can only deduct half of the cost.

That doesn't mean that your business can't pay for 100 % of the cost, but only that you're limited in the amount of the tax deduction you can take. This is another example of cash out that doesn't translate directly to expenses.

Some things your business pays for might not be tax deductible at all.

An example of this would be a contribution to a Political Action Committee. That doesn't mean that the business can't pay for it, just that it's not a deductible expense on your tax return.

Some more examples of cash that goes out the door that doesn't count as expenses are: draws for sole proprietors and distributions for partners or S corporation shareholders.

There's also one type of expense that can be more than the amount of cash that the business actually spends. It's the home office deduction that some sole proprietors can take.

So you see why it's so important to understand that cash in minus cash out does not equal profit.

Unfortunately, the IRS rules and regulations don't always make logical sense; they might seem complicated and unfair. One thing is certain. They are the way they are, so we have to deal with them. Learn what you can. And get help when you need it.

Sheryl Schuff, CPA, is a Certified Public Accountant, author, and consultant who teaches entrepreneurs how to get their businesses organized, keep good accounting records, and maximize their business tax deductions. She is President of Schuff & Associates, PC and has been in private practice for over 30 years. She recently started an information products company www.TaxesForSmallBusiness.com to provide individual training materials for small business owners.

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The Closet Entrepreneur: You can use any word-processor to create your business plan, yet the urban sprawl of text that results after your second or third page is enough to render the plan useless. Your business plan is supposed to be a tool that effortlessly tracks the tasks and details of your business, yet word-processors create page after page of static text which makes accessing, organizing, and updating the different sections of your business plan slow and cumbersome. Of course you could always add bookmarks, hyperlinks, and a table of contents to access the sections, yet even these items require extra work.

Finding A Better Solution

The first thing that can make your business plan more useful is separating the various sections by tabs. For example, you can create a separate tab for your vision, branding, to-dos, advertising, financials, et cetera. This way, instead of digging through several pages to find the section you’re looking for, you simply click that section’s tab.

The second thing that can make your plan more useful is the ability to prioritize specific items and reorganize sections on a page - in essence, the ability to create your own to-do and task lists.

Last but not least, being able to collaborate with business partners is a bonus as well as being able to send a Word or PDF version to a VC, Angel Investor, or Bank.

By the way, fans of GTD are probably already using something that does all these things so please feel free to share any recommended apps in the comments!

Five Applications That Will Make Your Business Plan More Useful

Taking the aforementioned wish list into account, here’s a list of readily available applications that make your business plan more useful.

1) Microsoft OneNote
2) Microsoft Word for Mac
3) 37signals’ Backpack
4) Google Notebook
5) PlanHQ

5 Apps That Make Your Business Plan More Useful [The Closet Entrepreneur]

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When most small business owners think about taxes, they think about Federal income taxes. But there are other taxes that I want to let you know about, so you’re not surprised if you have to pay them.

The first is self-employment tax. If you’ve ever worked for someone else, you know that social security and Medicare taxes get deducted from your paycheck. When you’re self-employed, you don’t actually get a paycheck.

Here’s what happens if you’re a sole proprietor. Following the IRS rules and regulations for calculating income and expense, you report your results for the year on your personal 1040 by filling out Schedule C.

Then you take the net profit and put it on Schedule SE for self-employment tax. After a small deduction, you calculate 15.3 % as your self-employment tax. This is double the rate of 7.65 % that’s deducted from employee paychecks because as a sole proprietor you’re both the employer and the employee so you have to pay both parts.

You get to take half of the amount of self employment tax as a deduction from your income on the front of your 1040. This has the effect of reducing your taxable income.

The self employment tax itself goes on the back of the 1040 in the section called Other Taxes on the line that says self employment tax. For the 2006 filing year that was line 58. This tax gets added to your Federal income tax and any other taxes you owe and is paid when you file your 1040.

If you (and/or your spouse on a joint return) have had Federal income tax withheld during the year that adds up to more than your total taxes for the year (which includes self employment tax), you’ll still qualify for a refund.

If your business is operated as a corporation AND you’re active in your business, you should receive W-2 wages and you won’t be subject to self employment tax on your earnings. Distributions from S corporations are generally not subject to self employment taxes.

If your business is operated as a partnership, you might have some items of income that are subject to self employment tax and some that are not. These items will be reported to you on a schedule K-1 that is part of the business tax return.

Sales tax

Many States have sales taxes. If you sell products to customers, you’ll have to charge them sales tax and pay it to the State. In some cases, digital downloads are considered products as far as the sales tax rules are concerned and certain services might also subject to sales tax. In Indiana, where I live, the rules are put out by the Indiana Department of Revenue. There will be a similar agency in your state who you can contact to find out the rules.

Local Taxes

Some cities and school districts have local taxes that you might have to pay. Some of these depend on your type of business. There might be additional sales taxes, property taxes, innkeeper’s taxes, or food and beverage taxes. Check with the authorities in your area for details.

And then there’s the often dreaded Estimated Taxes

This is a subject that confuses many people.

First, let’s try to understand the reason that the estimated payment system exists. Our system of Federal taxes is a “pay as you go” system. When you think about it, that makes sense. The government needs money all year long to pay for various things.

When you work for someone else, taxes are withheld from your paycheck each pay period, so the government gets its money over the course of the year. If you’re a sole proprietor, this doesn’t happen, so you’re expected to make estimated payments.

As with many IRS rules, there are some exceptions, and some penalties if you don’t pay enough or pay on time. There are some cases where you might not be required to make estimated payments (and you won’t have a penalty if you don’t), but it would still make sense to make them anyway, to avoid having to pay a large amount on April 15th.

If you have another job in addition to your self-employment, you can increase your Federal withholding on that job to cover the amount of the estimated taxes that you would otherwise have to pay. And if you’re married and file a joint return and your spouse has wages from another job, he/she can have additional Federal withholding taken out to cover the estimated payments.

Or, you can make quarterly payments using Form 1040-ES. You can also sign up to make the payments on-line. You might also need to make estimated payments towards your State taxes.

Payroll

If you have employees, you’ll need to pay various Federal, State, and local payroll taxes. But we’ll have to save that conversation for another time.

The most important thing you need to understand is that it’s your responsibility to find out what taxes your business has to pay. And that the laws vary from place to place and by type of business.

A good source of information is an accountant who specializes in consulting with small businesses.

Sheryl Schuff, CPA, is a Certified Public Accountant, author, and consultant who teaches entrepreneurs how to get their businesses organized, keep good accounting records, and maximize their business tax deductions. She is President of Schuff & Associates, PC and has been in private practice for over 30 years. She recently started an information products company www.TaxesForSmallBusiness.com to provide individual training materials for small business owners.

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Monica O’Brien is a guest writer from Twenty Set, a blog about personal and professional development for millennials.

Young Go Getter: One of my friends graduated in June 2007 and was headhunted for a startup after posting his resume on CareerBuilder. He was 20 years-old and had a choice: do the startup or take the other, much safer offer at a larger company. He chose the startup and joined a team of nine employees who built robots for large firms - in the CEO’s father’s basement.

What I failed to mention is how I met my friend - we’ve been coworkers for the past four months. The startup company was doing great business by building the top robots in the industry - but went bankrupt five months after my friend started due to lawsuits from the CEO’s old company.

But my friend survived his first affair with a startup, and you can too - because startups aren’t that risky. Here are three reasons why…

You Can Find Another Job Easily

Startup goes under? Sure, it’s tough to see something you worked so hard at fail; but you’re awesome and you will find another job easily.

How do I know? Because if you’re not awesome and great at personal branding then you don’t get recruited for startups in the first place. So even if the startup goes under, you still have yourself and your fabulous skill set. Oh, and you have a startup under your belt, which makes for a pretty impressive resume builder.

So you can do one of two things:

* Get into another startup, which you already have the experience and connections for
* Reenter corporate where they are looking to recruit people with awesome resumes like yours (Hat Tip: Ryan)

Neither is better or worse. In fact, I have another friend who moved to Chicago from Silicon Valley last August. He worked for a few different startups, including this little one called Facebook, and now he’s an investment banker (of all things).

But that’s the great thing about careers these days - there is no clear-cut path to where you want to go. The playing field no longer looks like a game of Chutes and Ladders; it’s more like a football game, where there are lots of different plays that can score a touchdown.

Job Security Sucks These Days

The economy is not so good and companies are changing hands - this means that people can get laid off in a blink. This happens in the public sector when companies get acquired. This happens in the private sector when companies go under.

It doesn’t seem to matter where you work anymore; good people are let go from their jobs every day. It starts with a hiring freeze and progresses to layoffs, often around performance review time. Since job security in the traditional sense is nonexistent at most companies, you may as well work where you want and stop worrying. For many of us young go-getters, that’s a startup.

Working For a Startup is Like Starting a Business 101

I want to start a business someday, but pretty much every entrepreneur I know tells me I need to do a startup first. I’ll admit I thought this was dumb the first time I heard it; but 15-people-giving-me-the-exact-same-advice later? It would be foolish of me to think I know better.

So if you want to start a business someday, you have two choices:

* Stay in corporate America for awhile and then start a business with no entrepreneurship experience
* Do a startup (or a few), get experience starting businesses, then start your own business without repeating the same mistakes

Which one sounds riskier to you?

Why Working For a Startup Isn’t So Risky [Young Go Getter]

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Not long ago I took a trip to Tuscany and spent a week in a cooking class. Before the trip I spent time researching my options. I wanted to know who would be teaching the class, what courses and dishes would be covered, how hand-on the class was, if wine-pairings with the dishes would be addressed and if the class included trips to the local farmer’s markets to select fresh produce. Finding just the right cooking school was important to me because I would be spending a significant amount of money traveling to Italy and I wanted my experience to be well worth my time and effort.

For a woman interested in buying a franchise, evaluating the training a franchise business offers should involve even greater research – after all, this is about your future – not a vacation.

As part of your due diligence when researching a franchise opportunity, find out everything about the training a franchise system provides. A good training program should cover not only the product or service but also setting up the business, marketing, employee management, business procedures, reporting, etc.

The best way to find out about the scope of the training program is to ask existing franchisees. Find out what stood out about the training they received and what they feel could have been covered more completely. Ask them how prepared they felt when they opened their business and what ongoing training they have been provided.

Keep in mind that the franchisees you talk with may have been through various versions of the training program. Problems that existed at one time may have been fixed. Or, you may find that a training program that was fine in a company’s early days is now out-of-date. Be sure to include in your research franchisees who have had the same training you will receive to get an accurate assessment of its value.

Ask current franchisee if they received a training manual and if the information is updated periodically. Also ask if the franchisor offers other training resources such as conference calls, webinars or intranet sites. Ongoing training is important for many companies who adjust their business with changes in the marketplace. If this applies to the business you are reviewing, find out what they do to keep each franchisee up to speed.

An addition source of training may come from periodic conferences held by the franchisor. Besides providing additional education about the product or service, conferences offer franchisees an excellent opportunity to connect and network with other franchisees in the system. A network of peers is one of franchising’s invaluable resources so be sure to ask if this is an opportunity the franchisor provides.

Although this is less of a problem today than in the past, some industries may have an “old boy’s club” mentality among franchisees. You will be able to tell by reading the UFOC if there are other woman franchisees. Include some women in your due diligence calls so you can get an idea of the business culture and the prevailing attitude towards woman franchisees.

Many franchisors will have field support personnel who are available to be at your site during your grand opening and at periodic intervals during your first year in business or longer. Having someone right there to answer your questions may help calm your first-day jitters so find out if this a serviced provided by the franchisor.

If, after your franchise investigation process is completed, you don’t feel the offered training will adequately prepare you to run your new business, it’s time to step back and look at other opportunities. As reported in the August 2006 Franchising World magazine, a recent study by FRANdata found nearly 2500 franchise concepts in 18 different industries and almost 900 of these concepts were started over the past three years. You don’t have to compromise – if one company does not have the training you are looking for, there are sure to be many other companies who can meet your needs.

I’m happy to report that the cooking school in Tuscany exceeded my expectations and I left there able to prepare a number of authentic and delicious Italian dishes. Had I not researched the available schools so thoroughly, I might have been very disappointed with my choice.

To get full value for your investment in a franchise business, the training should answer all your questions and set you up as a confident and successful owner.

Franchisee training should include:

• Everything you need to know about the product or service
• Everything about using/protecting the brand
• How to find your business location
• How to negotiate a lease
• How you complete the permits and buildout
• How to find, hire and manage employees
• How to market your product or service
• How to keep books and records for the business
• The reporting requirements and processes
• Where to get the equipment needed for the business
• How or where to buy supplies and inventory
• How to get help when you have a problem

Kimberley Ellis is the President of Bison.com, a leading online resource for franchise and business opportunities. She has been quoted as an industry expert in USA Today, Wall Street Journal and a variety of local and regional publications regarding trends in business and franchising. Kim combines her entrepreneurial spirit with a diverse background in marketing and operation to help others succeed in franchising.

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This article is contributed by Sam Carpenter, author of the new book, 'Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Working Less and Making More'.

Whether you’ve established a small business, are in the midst of launching one, or simply considering it for the future, it’s certain you want at least one thing out of this investment: success.

Starting, and running, a small business isn’t a cakewalk. It’s hard to believe, but over 50 percent of small businesses fail in their first year and 95 percent fail within the first five years, according to the U.S. Small Business Association. Starting a business is risky for most, but success can come for those who proceed with logic and discipline.

Here are five common mistakes people tend to make when starting up a small business – and how you can avoid them:

1. Business owners don’t create documented procedures for the day-to-day operation.

It’s a simple equation: Systems = freedom. A “working procedure” is a documented description of how to perform a task. Having it prevents random problems and ensures the task is performed exactly and consistently. Procedures help you delegate, improve your scheduling ability, and allow you to work smarter and accomplish more with less effort. Thus, work less and make more. It’s ironic, but by implementing documented system procedures, your employees are free to be creative because they don’t have to “wing it” each time they perform their job duties; everyone operates at a smoother pace because there is a proven, working process. Everyone knows what to do and what to expect. Your people don’t have to be mind-readers or fortune tellers.

2. Owners don’t delegate – they are “doing the work.”

The reason a business owner can work a few hours a week, or take an extended vacation without stress, is because they have created systems, implemented written procedures with supporting documentation, and have learned to delegate. I know, I know. You’re zealous, dreamy-eyed, and proficient at what you do, and as the leader of an organization, you’re committed to doing whatever it takes to get your new business off the ground. Successful people don’t work harder; they work smarter. This means focusing on what you do best, and delegating the rest. Ask yourself what you enjoy doing least for your business. Perhaps that’s bookkeeping or making phone calls to potential clients. Then, imagine literally giving away these tasks. Get rid of the “I am Superman” attitude and hire people who are trustworthy and qualified to take much of the weight off your shoulders.

3. Owners don’t use time wisely.

Biological Prime Time is when your brainpower is at peak capacity. People function at maximum effectiveness about six hours out of a 24-hour day. It is important to understand this interesting facet of human performance, determine precisely when your prime time occurs, and then use it wisely. Six hours out of a 24-hour day is not much. Presuming you wish to reach your goals sooner rather than later, it is best the tasks that contribute most to your primary goals are performed during your prime time hours and you protect those hours from interruption. Also, don’t start your day without a to-do list. Make a list of tasks and categorize them into business-building activities, client activities, and personal items. Then, prioritize, remove distractions, delegate, and stick to your plan.

4. Owners see their job, life, and business as “holistic.”

You must change your fundamental perspective to see the elements of your world as separate, linear systems. See that these systems can be perfected, one-by-one. Understand that by perfecting a primary system’s sub-systems, the primary system will be perfected – and, although you are taking a non-holistic approach, your end product – your business – will be a highly efficient, entirely holistic, “Primary System.”

5. Owners don’t have a strategic objective or set of operating principles.

A strategic objective is short, usually a single page in length. It defines overall goals, describes methodology, and prescribes action. It gives direction for making major and minor decisions. It’s an essential instrument for a business and for personal life. General operating principles are a two to three page collection of “guidelines for decision making” that are congruent with the strategic objective. Essential for the work environment and in a simplified and shorter format, they also guide one’s personal life. Two examples of simple operating principles are “Do it now,” and, “choose the simplest solution.”

Sam Carpenter, author and speaker, is president and CEO of Centratel, an elite quality telephone answering service, and author of the new book, Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Working Less and Making More. Success in life, business, and relationships can be yours, too. Sam's approach is not mystical or esoteric; it’s simple, mechanical, and attainable. Visit http://www.workthesystem.com to purchase your copy of Work the System.

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This article is submitted by Marcia Niles, Editor of Entrepreneurial Women's Digest.

Every human being born into the world is unique! Each of us has been blessed with wonderful and unique gifts and talents. When we discover what they are and exercise ourselves in them, others are inspired and we are fulfilled in our life's work.

More than achieving monetary gain is the joy of seeing our dreams materialize and the difference we can make in someone's life. More than a tool to help you determine what endeavor to pursue, this worksheet will make you to pause and consider how you are spending your days, months, and years. Not every passion would necessarily lead to running an enterprise. You might simply be looking for an outlet to release and channel your creativity. Take a moment and complete the following worksheet:

1) What have you always enjoyed doing as a child that you would consider your special gift or talent? It's possible that you might have more than one.

2) When you experience boredom, what is the primary thing that you do, that is creative and brings you enormous joy? Some ideas: reading, writing, gardening, cooking, sewing, shopping, decorating and traveling. Make a list of your top 3 hobbies or pastimes.

3) Reflect over all your work experiences, and list some of your greatest achievements in the workplace. Also note what areas of your work are/were the most fulfilling. What did or do you look forward to most on a daily basis?

4) What are some of the things other people admire most about you? What do they say you are good at?

If you were given the opportunity today to start a business, what would it be?

Getting Ready

Before you embark on your entrepreneurial journey or channel your creativity, here is a list of things that will try to hinder you. Put them on your DO NOT PACK list.

Fear: What would you consider your biggest fear in starting a business or exercising your gifts and talents to the fullest? Though fear is a natural response to danger, it should not consume your entire life to the point it debilitates you from taking those critical steps of faith towards your goals.

Procrastination: Are you constantly listening to the opinions of others, (most negative?) Is the idea that you need lots of money to begin or a world stage blocking your vision? Are you constantly deferring until tomorrow what you can accomplish today?

Rejection: Are you afraid that no one will be interested in your product or service or that you don't have what it takes to succeed in your endeavor?

Negativity: Are you frequently bombarded with the negative attitudes and criticisms of others whenever you mention your plans or ideas? Check yes or no.

Yes No



If yes, then you need to deliberately tune out naysayers. Keep your hand to the plow, keep focus on your vision, and move ahead.

Fuel Your Passion

Even your greatest aspirations would need a support system. You must believe that the good gift or talent within you can help others, and that you are not just a spectator but a participant on the road of life and discovery. Maintain your level of excitement by constantly surrounding yourself with information that offers inspiration -- magazines, books, events, and other resources, including those people who spur you on. Above all, begin. You must get out of the parking zone. That will take faith! With each step, you will become more passionate, as you experience the joy of creating something of worth and value.

Staying Focused

As you contemplate what type of business to start, you might become overwhelmed by the hundreds of exciting opportunities around or unclear as to how to implement your great ideas. It's easy to lose focus and become involved in ventures that start out wonderfully, but eventually your interest wanes because your heart is not in it. This could go on for years, and your deepest aspirations might never get off the "back burner."

You must purposely channel your energy and time developing your ideal company or creating that special outlet that allows you to see the fruit of your labor of love. Do what you love and you'll always have that vibrant approach and stamina to stretch yourself. Do not allow anyone to set parameters for you. Know for yourself what you are capable of accomplishing; seek help when necessary, but don't be controlled by others forcing their agendas upon you.

If you happen to be already involved in a venture that is unprofitable or is not a true expression of your creativity, then you need to do a little "housecleaning" or put up a "For Sale Sign." Why spend the rest of your days regretting that you were not brave enough to take a leap of faith in the direction you were assured was yours to take.

Express yourself in creative ways that are fulfilling and beneficial. Have a plan and go forward.

Enjoy the journey in business and in life!

Marcia Niles, is the Editor and Publisher of Entrepreneurial Women's Digest, a website that celebrates passion and creativity among enterprising women. She also publishes A Walk in the Garden Devotionals, and Island Living Digest.

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Startup Spark: You created your business this year, but now, looking back, you wonder if it’s all been a waste of time. Here are just some of the reasons your business maybe failing - and best of all they’re easily corrected!

And although these hints are for online businesses, if you own a brick & mortar place of business, many of these apply to you too.

1. You don’t offer free original content. People use this to understand you and get to know you as an expert they can trust,

2. You don’t use a signature file on your e-mails. It’s a selling opportunity that’s often missed.

3. You don’t have your own domain name. Even in this day and age using a domain that isn’t yours (such as tripod) is just bad and makes you look less serious about your business.

4. You don’t test and improve your ad copy. Testing is the key to finding out what works.

10 reasons why your business may be failing [Startup Spark]

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Startup Hints: Many of us in the nine to five business world dream of setting up shop and striking out on our own. Being free from the rigors of corporate life certainly does have its charms, but it is important for any would be entrepreneur to understand just how important a solid business plan is to their success.

Without a good business plan, it will be next to impossible for your new business to raise the startup capital it needs, attract experienced and qualified business partners, or find the money needed to expand.

It is also important to remember that some types of professions lend themselves for easily to the entrepreneurial lifestyle. One profession that definitely has this potential is that of accounting, and there have been many successful businesses started to offer accounting services to willing clients.

The Importance Of A Solid Accountant Business Plan [Startup Hints]

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Startup Students: A lot of people have a Great Idea. It might be a new invention or a local service business. Unfortunately for consumers, many would be entrepreneurs are waiting for “the right time” to start their Real Business. They have plenty of reasons (excuses) for the delays. From lack of time to lack of experience, our minds have creative ways of rationalizing our fears.

Here are 7 common excuses for not starting a Real Business, along with strategies for overcoming internal fear, uncertainty and doubt (”Internal FUD”).

1. I’m too busy right now. I’ll start when I have more time.
2. After I get an MBA, I’ll be ready to start up.
3. I hate sales.
4. I’ll do some research after South Park.
5. I don’t know anything about business.
6. I don’t have startup capital.
7. Before doing anything else, I need to write a business plan.

7 Lies That Prevent Your Great Idea from becoming a Real Business [Startup Students]

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