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“In life, in business, as in the surf, I embrace each swell as an adventure and I strive to learn what it teaches me. I innovate until I can do it no more. This, to me, is the business of life and the life of business. It’s thrilling and fulfilling. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” — Dan Boudreau, Business Plan or Bust!

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Cash Miller Editor of SmallBusinessDelivered.com

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  • 31Aug

    Since there are so many franchise opportunities out there it can be difficult to evaluate them all and decide on the best one for you, especially if you are over the age of 50. Fortunately, there are plenty of franchise opportunities for the 50 plus entrepreneur. Perhaps this brief overview will give you some new business ideas that you could research and pursue!


    The best franchise opportunities for the 50 plus entrepreneur are ones that are based on the entrepreneur’s past business experience, skills, liquidity, and personal desires. Generally, franchises benefit significantly from 50 plus franchise owners because of their experience in the corporate world, knowledge, and investment ability. One really interesting fact about baby boomers and franchise opportunities is that these individuals can be extremely successful with a franchise that has a proven business model but a product they know nothing about.


    For example, a baby boomer who has thirty years of corporate experience in banking, as an executive, or many years in sales and marketing may find that a franchise that sells art, hamburgers, or shoes is the most profitable franchise for them. Why? Because that particular franchise has all the proven methods for successfully doing business and this is what is important to the entrepreneur. The final product is not really important, but the way that product is marketed and sold is.


    An entrepreneur over 50 might find certain franchises lucrative based on their successful business models and they don’t need to be age old franchises either. Some entrepreneurs might be interested in buying a McDonalds franchise just because it is so well known and successful. However, other entrepreneurs might want to invest in a franchise that is new to the market but has a well planned model for doing business.


    Many over 50 entrepreneurs are finding plenty of business opportunities on the Internet. Since these individuals are becoming more technically savvy they search the web and find out what franchises are new to the market, how they work, their return on investment and more. This allows this special group of entrepreneurs to invest in a franchise they believe has the best chance for success in a particular market and the actual product or service being offered or sold is not of top importance.


    The reason over 50 entrepreneurs can do this is because they are experienced and understand that their number one goal is to make money. So, the most important thing to do is find a franchise that is capable of making money- not one that sells a product or service that simply looks appealing. That can help the entrepreneur enjoy the business more, but it is not a priority. In fact you will see many franchisers looking for new franchisees and state that experience in the business is not necessary. Over 50 entrepreneurs already know this because they are often times more flexible than young entrepreneurs, and are generally more willing to work with an established franchise’s business model in order to make money.


    A senior businessperson with great experience is definitely a welcome fit for many franchise business opportunities today!

    Find franchises, franchise opportunities and information for entrepreneurs at Franchise Gator.

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  • 31Aug

    Poor financing is the number two reason small businesses fail, falling right behind poor management. Sufficient funding is paramount to the success of small businesses, and small business grants can be the answer to the problem. If business owners have the necessary knowledge about how to find and properly request grants, they have a better shot at creating a successful business that will be open longer and prosper.

    There are over 300 different grants and loans available for small businesses that are just starting out. The grants range from $25,000 up to $1,000,000 depending on the size and projected success rate of the business. There are also grants available to help small businesses grow or expand. Grants are not the same as loans because they do not have to be repaid. A grant is considered free money, as well as an investment to promote the success of small businesses and the U.S. economy. Money for grants comes from income taxes. Obtaining a small business grant does not require credit checks or deposits, even if the owners have experienced bankruptcy in the past.

    There are a number of helpful websites that send small businesses government grant packages for free, excluding the cost of shipping. These packages include information on how to find grants, how to prepare a grant request, and how to apply for grants pertaining to a specific business. Some of the providers are Government Funding Solutions, Grant Master, and Grant Wizard.

    It is important to be familiar with the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) rules for receiving grants before beginning the process of obtaining one. Although the SBA does not provide grants to small businesses, they do provide helpful suggestions and resources on how to find grants.

    In order to qualify for a small business grant, individuals must first become familiar with the 13 CFR 143 document that lists all of the requirements to be eligible for a grant. This document includes information on the pre-award and post-award periods and defines all aspects of applying for a grant and states who is eligible. The CFR is the primary source of rules and regulations for small business grants and must be read before starting the grant writing process.

    After reviewing the requirements, prospective business owners must write a grant request. There are professionals who will write a grant proposal or the individuals may complete it themselves. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a helpful site that links individuals to resources about federal grants for small businesses. Afterschool.gov gives helpful tips on how to write a small business grant and, although it is geared toward grants for after school programs, includes helpful information for grant writing in general.

    Additionally, there are many well-established government and private organizations that provide grants to small businesses. The Department of Justice’s Ten Grant document gives access to grant opportunities for those conducting research in support of law enforcement. The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration has several grant opportunities for small business owners. They offer about $125 million to businesses that are based in a community setting with special attention to training programs. The Department of Transportation is another organization that offers small business grants. They offer grants to any business willing to help resolve the growing problems with the federal-aid highway program. The Department of Education has a program called e-GRANTS that locates electronic grants online. They have a detailed list of grants available and the necessary applications to fill out. There are a variety of grants available for different groups, all of which have detailed descriptions and contact information. Other organizations that provide small business grants include the EPA, the National Cancer Institute, NOAA, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    Greg Heslin is a best selling author on various legitimate work from home opportunities. To learn more about real work from home opportunities and see “check proof” of how some people are making $1,758 a day working from home, you can visit his web site at: http://www.Work-From-Home-123.com

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  • 31Aug

    Panel 1 Ms. Jean Wojtowicz Founder Cambridge Capital Management Corporation Indianapolis, IN On behalf of National Association of Development Companies

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  • 31Aug

    So, you’ve decided that the Internet has a lot to offer you by the means of starting your own small business. So what is it that you have to do first?

    Well, what type of small business is it that you are going to start? After you have figured this out, whether it is an information site or selling products online, you might need to go to the many different Internet advertising sites that will help you generate traffic to the your new Internet small business.

    The next step, may be to decide what products you are going to have on your small business web site. This way you have an idea as far as the inventory and other information you will need. Building a web site for your small business.

    There are many web sites available to help you as far as promoting your small business such as adverting sites and marketing sites as well.

    When starting a small business on the Internet you’ll want some means of getting visitors to your site, this being said the advertising company you go with should be a reliable one. Once again, you can do the research and find many different advertising agencies as well as web sites that can help you with this.

    Usually small businesses that start out on the Internet without the help or support of any kind of advertising, marketing or helpful tools will not last very long and you will soon find your small business on the Internet suffering, if not being taken off of the Internet completely.

    Some Internet small businesses have tried this and it does not work. However, if you know what type of Internet small business you want, then you start researching on advertising and marketing and getting visitors to your site, such as generating traffic in other words; your small business on the Internet will have a better chance of surviving. And in most cases, prospering to the point that your small business on the Internet has grown tremendously.

    It is not impossible to start a small business on the Internet while some people may tell you that it is. You simply have to know the right techniques and have the right tools concerning the Internet at your disposal. This makes it so much more easily to start a small business on the Internet and at the same time making it a productive one, that will last.

    Advertising plays an important role in generating traffic, or visitors to your site, while the marketing portion, assists you in setting up the means of the visitors who want to purchase things off of your small business on the internet to do so.

    Make things as easy as possible for the visitors that come to your small business as well, in this case they may very well be returning customers.

    Many Internet small businesses will start out with very few products on their site, however as time goes by, and if done in the proper way of management the site will grow along with your inventory as well as the profits. The visitors to your site will increase too. Remember, do research and don’t just throw an idea on the Internet building a web site to sell things. Think it out first, what you want to accomplish with your small business on the Internet, and then do the marketing and advertising parts next, therefore generating traffic to your new small business web site.

    Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on small business checkout his recommended websites.

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  • 31Aug

    Becoming an entrepreneur is something that a lot of people dream about. After all, these are the people who you hear about in the news making tons of money, and living the good life. Of course, not all entrepreneurs are rich, but it can be quite fun to live this kind of life. But before you decide that being an entrepreneur is right for you, there are some things that you will need to take a closer look at. Remember, if being a successful entrepreneur was a piece of cake everybody would be doing it. This is not to say that you have no chance of entrepreneurial success, but you cannot simply jump into this and expect to start raking in loads of cash.

    Here are three tips for becoming a successful entrepreneur. At the very least, they should be able to push you in the right direction towards success.

    1. A successful entrepreneur is one who knows what they want, and then works hard to get it. In other words, you should set your sights on a goal, and then do whatever it takes to reach it. A lot of people jump from opportunity to opportunity without ever really sinking their teeth in. You should avoid this at all costs, and instead work hard to reach one goal before you move onto the next.

    2. Do you think that all entrepreneurs become rich and successful over night? The fact of the matter is that there are only a small percentage of people who fall into their success. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur you need to be willing to exercise some patience. Your first idea may not take off, but if you stick with things you will realize your potential sooner rather than later. If you are searching for a quick buck, you will probably be a disappointed entrepreneur.

    3. There is nothing wrong with asking other entrepreneurs for help. Everybody needs some assistance along the way, and you are probably no different. If you know an entrepreneur friend, let them guide you if they are willing to assist. After all, getting first hand advice from an already successful entrepreneur is invaluable.

    These three tips may go a long way in helping you to become a successful, and hopefully rich, entrepreneur and you can find more information about becoming a successful entrepreneur at http://www.worldsbestentrepreneur.info

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  • 31Aug

    Remember the first time you rode a rollercoaster? You waited in line with trepidation, smiling nervously to your family, friends or those around you, hoping that no one could sense the butterflies in your stomach. As you got in the car and strapped in for your ride, you wondered how secure the safety belt really was. You were scared and excited about what would come as the car slowly inched up the hill before the first big drop. You wondered if it was really such a good idea getting on this ride, and maybe even said a quick prayer. When the car started downhill and picked up speed, you let out your best Hollywood scream as you sped over bumps and turns and flipped head over heels. You alternated between feelings of delight and feelings of horror and everything in between. You felt more terrified and exhilarated than you ever had before in your life. By the time your car slowed down and stopped at the terminal, your cheeks were flushed by the rush of it all. You barely knew where you had been, but you were happy you did it and wished it weren’t over so quickly. As a business advisor, I know that the emotional rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship can be tough, but just like an actual rollercoaster, there are unexpected twists and turns, thrills and excitement to be gained from entrepreneurship that make it all worth the ride. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve already established a business of your own, here are some things to keep in mind on your ride.

    1 – You Can’t Have the Ups Without the Downs

    Business by nature is cyclical. Realize that it will not all be rosy. There will be ups and downs; it is just part of the game. There has never been a business built that didn’t face setbacks and hardships. Not one. There will be good days and bad, but if you maintain focus on your goals and work towards them every day, and continue to make progress by listening to feedback and improving, you will get through the bad. You will get out of the dip and start climbing up again. When you’re feeling like things are down, it is a sure sign that an up is just around the corner. You just need to keep the momentum moving forward long enough to get to it.

    2 – Enjoy the Moment and Keep Your Eyes Open

    Time flies, when you are on a rollercoaster and when you are a business owner. When I worked in corporate America, it seemed like it took forever for Friday to come along, but when you own a business the weeks start to fly by and it is Christmas before you know it. If you don’t stay alert, and on task, and follow a plan, you will be wondering where the time went, and why you still haven’t gotten around to doing what you meant to do. Enjoy the moments that you live every day. Even if you wish you had more money, more clients, more staff, you need to find happiness in the now. Instead of constantly asking, why is this taking so long, and looking forward to the future, think of all the wonderful things you have right now, and enjoy the present moment. Businesses, like children, grow up fast, so don’t forget to enjoy the baby days. This will make you a lot more eager to get out of bed in the morning. When you are alert to what is going on in the moment feeling thankful for what you have, you will be able to attract more good things into your life.

    3 – Keep Getting On Board

    With any job that does not have a guaranteed return on investment; you must keep proactively putting forth effort and work. While you may not experience the immediate gratification that you desire, work put forth can come back to you when you least expect it, just like a tax return in the mail. While your time is valuable and should not be wasted, doing work now can turn into profits later. Business is about taking a long-term view, so realize that you may have to go around a few times before you start reaping the returns, but it will be worth it when you do.

    4 – Let Go

    Lastly, have fun. Entrepreneurship and rollercoaster rides can be scary, but they can also be wildly fun. The uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring is what makes the business journey so exciting, so instead of lamenting your lack of success now, let go and enjoy the ride. Make good plans and put good control systems in place to monitor your progress, but ultimately you have to put your business out there and see what the marketplace thinks.

    Entrepreneurs are like rollercoaster junkies; the ones that build a successful business like to experience the thrill over and over again by always tackling new ventures. For more information about how you can build your business with the help of a supportive team, visit www.flourishingbusiness.com.

    Elizabeth W. Gordon, founder and President of Flourishing Business™, is a visionary leader who has a passion for helping others achieve their entrepreneurial dreams and enjoy more of the best in life. With a vast and diverse background in many business arenas, Elizabeth regularly has the opportunity to share her business acumen with clients, large and small. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Atlanta and the Board of Directors of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Atlanta. She is an Accredited Executive Associate of the Institute for Independent Business (IIB) and a certified Life Coach.

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  • 30Aug

    As the economy continues to tank so do the number of Americans without health insurance-and the number small business owners who can afford to insure their employees.

    A recent survey by the NFIB Research Foundation, a small business advocacy group, showed that only 47 percent of small business owners offer employee health benefits. Those employing 20 or more people are more than twice as likely to offer employee health benefits as those with fewer than 10.

    The survey found that the low numbers are primarily the result of new small businesses opting not to cover employees. Most small businesses who offer benefits have offered them for a while and are reluctant to drop them for fear of losing good employees.

    ”It’s much better for employee morale if a small-business owner never offers health benefits, than it is to offer them and then be forced to take it away because it is too expensive to continue,” said William J. Dennis, NFIB’s senior research fellow. “Small-business owners experience considerable turmoil in their early years. They often experience cash flow problems and are reluctant to incur additional expenses such as health insurance. What’s new to this picture is that it appears that new small-business owners are waiting longer or choosing not to offer health insurance benefits to their employees at all.”

    The fact that new small businesses are choosing not to offer benefits is a disturbing trend because of the swift turnover of the small business population. If the trend continues, the number of employers who never offer benefits will increase. And that will hurt small businesses because it will limit thet talent pool from which they draw.

    What Can Be Done?

    Small businesses aren’t alone in struggling with the cost of health care (and premiums) in the current economic climate. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 47 million people, or 15.8 percent of the U.S. population, were without health insurance during 2006

    Unfortunately for the small business owner, new legislative approaches to help the uninsured may actually hurt them. One popular option is the “pay-or-play” mandate, in which employers are required to either provide health insurance for their employees or pay a penalty to offset costs the government incurs to provide health care for the uninsured. The rules likely would only apply to full-time employees.

    Proponents say such mandates could significantly reduce the ranks of the uninsured, since the vast majority of the uninsured are in families with at least one full-time worker. Many of these are low-income families, suggesting that such measures could benefit the working poor.

    Opponents argue that many low-wage workers will just be paid less, reduced to part-time or laid off to offset the insurance costs.

    In their paper, “Employer Health Insurance Mandates and the Risk of Unemployment,” researchers Katherine Baicker and Helen Levy found several factors affect the extent to which such mandates cost more jobs:

    ? Cost of the insurance.
    ? How much of the cost of coverage will be passed on to workers via lower wages.
    ? How many uninsured workers have earnings so close to the minimum wage that their wages cannot be reduced enough to offset the cost of the new coverage.

    The authors found that the mandate would still leave 54 percent of American workers without coverage.

    ”The vast majority of those who benefit from pay or play mandate live in families with incomes twice the poverty line or more and, depending on how coverage is determined, the mandate will leave a significant share of the working poor ineligible for such benefits either because their hourly wage rate is too high or they work for smaller exempt firms,” the authors wrote.

    Most experts agree that such mandates are bad for small businesses. Employers are faced with hard choices. In the NFIB poll, only 20 percent of small employers said they would simply provide the insurance as required. Many more said they would either cut jobs or move more employees to part-time status.

    Moving people to part-time work is a particularly attractive option to small business owners. In fact, how part-time employees are treated is a key influencing factor on whether small businesses support pay or play legislation.

    According to NFIB, “The treatment of these employees will alter relative costs in one direction or the other, providing small employers’ strong relative incentive to change.”

    Small business experts agree that if part-time employees are covered by a mandate, most employers will respond by simply eliminating jobs, adding to the jobless rate and doing nothing for the rate of uninsured.

    Small business owners have always faced an uncertain future but the current economy and the health care crisis make this an extremely tough time to take the startup step.

    Melissa Mashtonio writes for Manta.com, the authority for finding 45 million free small to large company profiles worldwide-and their related industries and products. Manta’s Small Business Center features thousands of how-to-guides for small business owners.

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  • 30Aug

    Writing a business plan for home-based e-entrepreneur is easy and you can do the job within 10 minutes. If you are an e-entrepreneur, all you need is to learn how to write a business plan that is simple and practical. Just visualize why you get involved with your Internet business, define what your dreams are, set realistic goals, plan your business activities, and then work your business plan.

    The Internet is a source of profits for all e-entrepreneurs. And as an e-entrepreneur, the main purpose of your business plan is to guide your Internet business activities and to keep them focused so that you can grow your Internet business substantially to achieve your dreams and goals of making money on-line.

    Here are five simple steps on how you write a business plan for your home-based Internet business.

    Firstly, you develop a vision of your Internet business and write your vision statement. Ask yourself why do you want to be an e-entrepreneur. If you are into affiliate marketing, what is your main reason that you join an affiliate program? What you value most of your Internet business? Do you have a strong desire to be your own boss? Why do you want to be your own boss? Why do you want to run your own home-based business? What do you want to do with the remainder of your life? These are some of the crucial questions you must answer as you write down your vision statement in your Internet business plan.

    Secondly, you define what your dreams are and write them down. Of course, you want to have lots of time and money to do what you want. To make your dreams work, you must write a clear, concise statement in your Internet business plan on why do you need more time and money. You must be specific in your dreams. What kind of a car you want to drive – what model, cost, color, etc.? What home do you desire – by the beach, on top of a hill, etc? What debts you like to pay off – credit cards debts, housing loans, car loans, etc? As an e-entrepreneur, visualize as clearly as you can the kind of Internet lifestyles you want to enjoy if you have all the time and money to do what you want..

    Thirdly, you set your goals that you want to reach in a specific time – short-term, medium term and long-term. You use your goals to fulfill your dreams. Remember, what you write for your Internet business plan is a personal matter. No one can write your dreams or goals for you. It is up to you to decide which level of success you want to take your Internet business. Whatever level that you have set for yourself, you have to work it. Nobody is going to do the work for you. You need to set your goals for the next three months, six months, twelve months, two years and five years. Make sure to write down your goals that are realistic, achievable, and quantifiable.

    “The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.” – Denis Watley

    Fourthly, you create your action plan around the goals you have set for yourself as a e-entrepreneur. A good, solid action plan includes your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly activities. Your action plan for your Internet business will probably include how you are going to use your marketing aids, marketing methods, and your budget to promote your products or services. Don’t forget to allot time to continuously educate yourself in your chosen Internet business. A successful e-entrepreneur must keep abreast with current trends happening in the Internet. This will give you the extra leverage against other e-entrepreneurs in your market.

    Once you have listed down all your Internet business activities, you must assign your time to do them. Time management for the e-entrepreneur is very important when you write your Internet business plan. One of the most practical ways of managing time is to schedule blocks of time for every activity that you must complete each day for your Internet business. You must stay focused on your business activities. You must not be distracted by other activities that do not contribute profitably to your goal of making money on-line.

    Finally, you must take action according to the business plan that you have just created. You must carry out what you have written in your Internet business plan. You must be committed, consistent and persistent. Also, you need to have lots of patience. You build your Internet business step-by-step. As an e-entrepreneur, you must believe in yourself and that you can do something to change your present situation using the Internet as a source of profits. By taking positive actions, you will develop profitable habits that can make your dreams come true. All the hard work that you put into developing your vision, dreams, goals and action plan will be wasted if you do not take actions. If you do nothing, nothing will happened.

    Your business plan is the compass that points you the way to Internet success. And success is just the progressive realization of your dreams because of the actions you take to achieve your goals. Your opportunity for success as an e-entrepreneur is absolutely possible if you carry out this simple and practical business plan that you have just created for your home-based Internet business.

    Remember, a business plan will change over time as your situation and focus change. It is dynamic and has to be reviewed and tweaked regularly to meet new goals you have set according to your current situation. As an e-entrepreneur, you must also constantly fine-tune your business plan to reflect the needs of an ever-changing Internet environment.

    To help you get started on how to write your Internet business plan, you can download this printable form HERE.

    Alvin Chung is the owner of ChungSite.com a website dedicated to helping newbies to Internet marketing achieve success. Alvin is also an affiliate of Strong Future International and operates a site at SFISuccess that teaches new team members get started with free resources from the Internet.

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  • 30Aug

    www.howdini.com How to start a business – Starting a business Tempted to start your own business but just not sure if it’s a smart move? Career consultant Maggie Mistal from Martha Stewart Radio has great advice to help you through the decision making process. Keywords start a business starting a business how to start a business start your own business starting your own business starting a small business

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  • 30Aug

    whatido: Steven K. Scott Entrepreneur and Best Selling Author Producer: Robert Melnichuk Steven Scott couldn’t succeed no matter how hard he tried. After losing nine jobs, he was mentored by a millionaire in a handful of strategies and skills that changed his life. On job number ten, he and his partners built more than a dozen multi-million dollar companies from scratch, achieving billions of dollars in sales. Steve takes no credit for discovering any of these strategies, as they were originally articulated by King Solomon 3000 years ago. Steve shares a brief journey toward his success; one key principle – “diligence” – and discusses the hope we need today as defined by King Solomon in his book entitled – “The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. www.stevenkscott.com Program 8280

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