Women Make Great Entrepreneurs

According to the National Foundation of Women Business Owners, women-owned businesses have grown significantly over the past 7 years. As of 1999, it's estimated that one-third of all US small businesses are owned by women. Now, more than ever women have access to the tools and support to be a success in today's "Corporate America". Why not you?

There are 10 traits of a successful entrepreneur...those are:

1. Desire to achieve and succeed.

2. Perseverance and persistence.

3. Self-Confidence.

4. Creative problem-solving skills.

5. Self-motivation.

6. Goal setting and self-discipline.

7. Respect for money.

8. Persuasiveness.

9. Knowledge of your market.

10. Customer service oriented.

Women are great entrepreneurs. Why is this? Women tend to focus on the business relationship and in return that leads to customer loyalty and recurring sales. So why do you want to own your own business?

Here are five questions I want you to ask yourself:

1. What interests, talents or skills can I bring to my new business?

2. Am I a self-starter?

3. Do I enjoy challenges?

4. Am I a creative problem solver?

5. What are my strengths and weakness's?

Approximately 60% of all business owners do not make it. Most people understand that running a business take some know-how. Most successful business owners posses additional skills and interests. The passion drives them to move ahead. Before starting a business think about what is driving you to this decision. What is the reason behind starting your own business? Maybe you want more $$, the flexibility to be with your family or you want to be boss lady. Whatever your reasons are, making a change in your life can be exciting or it can be exhausting. This is supposed to be a exciting experience a new journey in your life. Eliminate the guess work.

It does not have to be exhausting....try this technique: make a list of all the reactive reasons (push you away) and the active reasons. Reactive (pull you in) reasons are the negative and that are objectionable about working for others. Active reasons are the positive about having your own business. It is the "Push and Pull" response. Ask yourself these questions....what drives you?....what are you passionate about?....what other options are there?

There are so many reasons to start and grow your very own business. The most that I have heard over the years of coaching are:

* The pure reason of feeling free

* Helping others

* Leaving a legacy

* The feeling of being wanted and needed

* Contributing to your family income

* Personal financial gain

* Fame and recognition

* Chance of ownership

I am sure if you sat down with a pen and a notebook and over the next few days write a little and think a little. You will find LOADS of reasons. There are many reasons and they are quite powerful reasons. Starting a new company is a great challenge. To those with entrepreneurial instincts, it is very appealing.

Nine Lives: Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on Their Feet.

Article by: Dawn Hogan

I Found A Way To Market My Idea Online

The old days of advertising are over and if you've ever asked yourself the question, "How can I market my idea", I have some answers for you. We all know how much the internet has changed the way we communicate, but have we really grasped how much money average people are making online doing marketing and advertising?

Regular people like you and me with a little entrepreneurial spirit and some sweat equity are making an absolute killing online. We are literally seeing the signs of a brand new economy being born. In fact, we're already in it, the question is how are you going to get a piece of the action?  Check out.   http://www.blogworld.com/

Well for starters, if you aren't building anetwork on social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter you're already missing out on some of the most incredible free traffic out there. Next you have to have your own blog. You can get a pretty nice free one from Word Press. This is where you post your original content, build trust, and a build rapport with your audience.

A blog is your home or your storefront on the internet. This is where you present your ideas. This is where you offer your products or services, or you can offer other people's products or services. The social networks are where you go out and mingle with people, post informative, educational, or inspirational content and make new friends. Your goal is to get those new friends to your blog to get to know you even better and see what you have to offer.

If you have an idea that you think someone might invest in, your blog and the social networks will help you to build credibility, get a lot of people to see it, and then the sky's the limit from there. You can make YouTube videos explaining your idea and educating people, then you can post them on your blog.

There are a ton of ways to advertise online IF you have a budget, but I just wanted to throw out some really effective free strategies for you real quick. There are also some really good internet marketing systems out there that will do a lot of the work for you on auto-pilot as well as educate you on the whole process.

The bottom line is that if you want to market your idea online, or do ANY other kind of business online, be it network marketing, affiliate marketing, or direct sales (My personal favorite, and most lucrative), you have to take ACTION and get training from qualified mentors. It's all more possible than ever in this emerging new economy, but you have to act. I wish you much success!

Johnny Wall is a home based business builder, Internet marketer, and trainer with a passion for showing others how to create real and lasting freedom for themselves through entrepreneurship and a practical approach toward personal growth. Johnny works with a group of inspired entrepreneurs who are committed to contributing to the new economy and to empower as many as possible to achieve personal and financial success in their lives.

Article by : Johnny Wall

How Can You Make Your New Home Business Succeed?

More and more people are quitting their day jobs in order to invest all their efforts in a home business. It seems a huge risk to take but most of the time, their gambles have paid off. If you think you're ready for this kind of opportunity as well, be sure to take as much time as you need in choosing the type of home business you'd like to start up.

Do What You Love

You hear this all the time, but did you take it to heart when you applied for a job? Were you happy with your last job? A home business gives you the ultimate opportunity to earn without working. You know the answer, right?

It's because you're doing something you love. For now, forget about profit margins and target markets. You'll get to that later. Just focus in the meantime on discovering or rediscovering what your true passion is.

Study Internet Marketing

Most - if not all - home businesses rely on the Internet for all their marketing and sales needs. Compared to print and other forms of media or advertising, you'll definitely save a lot more money if you start promoting your home business online.

And don't worry because Internet marketing is truly easier to learn than most people think. A quick search on Google will immediately point you to the right direction. You may even realize that a few basic strategies are something you're already well familiar of like Twitter, blogging, and social bookmarking. You just didn't use it for business purposes before.

Know Your Target Market

Whether you wish to sell online or not, it's important to have the right target market in mind. Start by asking yourself the questions below.

Who does my products or services best appeal to?

Consider the demographics of your prospective market. What is their age range? What are their preferences? How much do you think they'd be willing to pay for your products or services?

Ideally, a newly established home business should focus on a niche market, one where there's minimal competition and they'd be able to provide high-quality customer service. There'll be time for expansions later on. But at the start, it's critical that you focus on what you can do best.

How do I reach my target market?

This is when your Internet marketing research comes in. Articles with relevant keywords in relevant places will draw your target market to your website. But you need to post your articles in social networking platforms that they're known to use. Senior citizens, for instance, are more likely to blog than to use Twitter. Target Marketing: Researching, Reaching and Retaining Your Target Market

Prioritize Quality over Quantity

This is a good rule of the thumb not just for home businesses but for all income-generating ventures in general. If you want your business to survive and flourish then focus on achieving total customer satisfaction!

Article By Marian Pinera

How to Make a Strong First Impression

We have all heard this warning: "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression." Also, psychologists, writers, and seminar leaders caution that we only have from seven to seventeen seconds of interacting with strangers before they form an opinion of us.

With this widely acknowledged pressure to "make our case" instantly, here are my seven tips for making your first impression strongly positive.

1. The greatest way to make a positive first impression is to demonstrate immediately that the other person--not you--is the center of action and conversation. Illustrate that the spotlight is on you only, and you'll miss opportunities for friendships, jobs, love relationships, networking, and sales. Show that you are other-centered, and first-time acquaintances will be eager to see you again.

Recently I attended a conference. At lunch, my wife and I sat with several people we didn't know. While most of our tablemates made good impressions, one man emerged as the person we'd be sure to avoid all weekend. He talked about himself, non-stop. Only rarely did anyone else get a chance to speak. Unfortunately, he probably thought he was captivating us with his life story.

I applaud this definition of a bore: "Somebody who talks about himself so much that you don't get to talk about yourself."

2. Closely related: You'll make a superb initial impression when you demonstrate good listening skills. Give positive verbal cues: "Hmmm... interesting!" "Tell me more, please." "What did you do next?" Just as actors benefit from prompts, your conversational partner will welcome your assistance in keeping the exchange going.

Nonverbally, you show you're a skilled listener by maintaining steady eye contact. Remember how you respond to the social gadabout who appears to be looking over your shoulder for the next person he wants to corner.

3. Use the name of a new acquaintance frequently. "Judy, I like that suggestion." "Your vacation must have been exciting, Fred." You show that you have paid attention from the start, catching the name during the introduction. Equally as important, you'll make conversations more personal by including the listener's name several times.

4. Be careful with humor. Although a quip or two might serve as an icebreaker, stay away from sarcastic remarks that could backfire. Because you don't know a stranger's sensitivities, prolonged joking might establish barriers you can't overcome, either now or later.

5. Follow Dr. Wayne Dyer's advice, offered in his wonderful book "Real Magic," by "giving up the need to be right." Confrontations with somebody you've just met will destroy rapport before you even start building it. Wait until you have established credibility before you challenge another's statements.

6. Appearance counts. Several years ago, a professional colleague offered to meet me for lunch. I decided against wearing a suit, opting for a sport coat and tie. When he showed up in shorts and sandals, the message he conveyed was: "Bill, meeting you is a rather ordinary experience, and doesn't call for me to present a business-like appearance." Not surprisingly, that was the last time I met with him.

True, standards for appropriate attire have changed drastically. Maybe the best advice I can share came from a participant in a seminar I conducted. She said, "I don't dress for the job I have now, I dress for the job I want to have."

7. As a communication specialist, I have to point out that an individual's speaking style impacts the first impression, maybe more than we wish. Listeners judge our intelligence, our cultural level, our education, even our leadership ability by the words we select--and by how we say them.

Think of Professor Henry Higgins of "My Fair Lady," who changed a "guttersnipe" into a lady by teaching her to speak skillfully. While none of us occupies the lowly level of Eliza Doolittle, we can keep her example in mind. Rather than mumble, speak so you're easily heard. Enunciate clearly. Alter your pitch, to avoid the dullness of a monotone. Display animation in both voice and facial expression. Gesture naturally, without "canning" your movements.

Keep these seven tips in mind. They will reduce your fear of business and social encounters with unfamiliar faces. More positively, you'll start enjoying poise and success that you thought were beyond your reach.  Try Improving Your Company Image a do it yourself guide -creating a positive first impression.

 
Article by: Bill Lampton    expert@selfgrowth.com

Creative Entrepreneurs

In an industry wherein only the strong willed and innovative survive, entrepreneurs need to have a certain sense of creative discipline in themselves in order to stay in the game. That is because entrepreneurs are expected to run a business even at the initial stages. How could they do this otherwise if they are not creative enough to invent new strategies that can garner positive results? For small business owners that are just starting out, having creative entrepreneurs by your side can be very advantageous for you. Below are a few advices that can help stimulate your brain to become as creative as you can be in your career.

Being Infinite

There are plenty of entrepreneurs in the business industry that are only limited in their thinking. Similar to minimalists, they have their own universe wrapped up in one jar and ideas that exist outside of that are not allowed in their minds. As an entrepreneur for your business, you cannot afford to have a limited thinking ability especially when it comes to making profit. You have to think in an unlimited sense and open up your mind to the infinite possibilities outside that jar. Always set your mind to think that there are no boundaries in your decisions and that the sky is the limit in whatever you do. This is the base mindset that most creative entrepreneurs thrive on.

Focus on the Future

When you start to think about creative ideas, you will always come across something that delves within the future. It is a great motivator every time you get the feeling that you are moving forward and thinking how you can approach or handle a situation that has not yet happened. This is a trait that young entrepreneurs should develop early in their careers. Thinking otherwise will not generate a positive result in your output. Discipline yourself in thinking about the future and concentrating on that to help you find the answers while looking ahead for the solutions.

Write Down Ideas

Once you have started to enjoy the familiar sensation of having a creative mindset, you will start to appreciate the idea of writing down whatever comes into your mind. In this case, bring a pen and a small notebook wherever you go and write down even the simple ideas that you can come up with. Writing the ideas that you think of encourages your mind to become creative and stimulates your brain even with this simple technique. Remember that your million dollar idea can hit you in the middle of the night while you are awake reading a book, so having a pen and paper nearby can capture that idea before it is lost.

When you start to come down to doing all that have been mentioned above, you will realize that you are becoming more creative each day. Practice the creative mindset in order to help grow your business in ways that were not known to your limited thinking before. This is how creative entrepreneurs become successful in the long run.

Tired of working for someone else? Be the boss! Learn how to unlock the entrepreneur in you and start building your own business.

Click here to order The One Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur .

Article by: Justin Timory

Entrepreneurs At Work - Ways To Identify the Entrepreneurial Streak In You

If you have finally had enough of the 9-5 grind and want to strike out in business on your own, can you be sure that you have an entrepreneurial streak that will carry you through from start to finish of your vision? Looking at entrepreneurs at work, maybe you are asking "are there keys to help identify the entrepreneurial streak in me?"

First off the bat is the nature vs. nurture debate. Is it all down to genetic make-up or is it home conditioning that has the magic mix? Who can say for sure? Suffice it to say that there are definitely those gifted with a mind that can see opportunities that have been blinded to the rest of us.

So, if you want to be an entrepreneur at work in your own business, what are some of the ways that help identify an entrepreneurial streak? Rate yourself on the following:

1. Do you live your life in the fast lane? How are your levels of energy and drive compared to others?

2. Do you boldly go where no-one else has gone before? Are you confident enough to take a risk?

3. Are you over your head in debt? Or do you have a clear understanding of how money works to help generate more income?

4. Are you a team leader? Can you get others to work for you in a productive way?

5. Are your best goals achievable or are you living in la-la land?

6. Are you in charge of your journey, or are you a passive follower?

7. Can you admit when you have made mistakes and learn from your failures?

8. Is there a long-range forecast for your business, or is it only for the foreseeable future?

9. Does your competitive streak work for you or against you?

These questions are all based on a study carried out by the Harvard Business Review where they noted the top most common attributes at work in successful entrepreneurs.

It's easy for the majority of us to give up, thinking that we don't have the necessary 'talents' that people like gazillionaire Richard Branson have, but rumour has it that even he had his failures. He actually had a very poor academic record at school, but somehow was gifted with the ability to do things as a 16 year old that set him on course to success.

So how did you get on with the questions? Are you good to go? Do you have a green light to full steam ahead? Or do you have a desire lurking deep on the inside of you that you want to turn into a reality but need some extra help with?

Article by: Olive Bush

How To Start The Perfect Online Business

There is not the slightest doubt that people who are trying to build an online business usually have to struggle against an ever-expanding number of competitors.

When you stop to think about it, this is hardly surprising. As you get immersed in areas such as search engine optimization, web development and design, online advertising, video marketing, product creation, you soon discover that the hordes of other people doing the same thing and many of them are quite prepared to undercut your prices and push you out of the market.

Therefore the issue becomes - how can one build a business where there is virtually an unlimited supply of customers and in which there is limited competition?

The answer lies in marketing to offline businesses.

World-wide there is an astonishing number of offline businesses who either don't have an online presence, or if they do, it is ineffectual. This means that there is an equally astonishing opportunity to build your brand and become a recognized authority with the services that you offer.

It doesn't matter whether we are talking about web design, SEO or traffic generation, you can build a business with limited competition and minimal effort.

This incredible area of opportunity is sometimes referred to as "offline gold" and with very good reason. The challenge is to determine the needs of each customer and then offer services tailored to those needs. You then introduce them to a whole new world where they can harness the power of the internet to help them grow their own businesses. And guess whose business grows at the same time? You guessed right - yours! Offline gold is a very appropriate name

Let's imagine for a moment a small business owner in your local community who has no web presence. You come along and show him how you can help him grow his business through an effective online presence. This owner is spending over $3,000 per year in advertising in the Yellow Pages and is not getting any new customers as a result. You find out as much as you can about his business and then you set him up with a web site, auto-responder, email, articles and videos and you get his business ranked on the first page of Google. You do this for less than he is spending on his advertising. Do you think he would be interested?

And remember - you can do this with virtually no competition because the field is wide open. All you have to do is start looking around your local community.

Marketing to offline businesses is definitely the way of the future and the way to have the perfect online business.

Do you want to have the perfect online business? Surely, you can't say "no" to that question! That's why you should pick up your free report Getting The Word Out

Article by: Ian J Purdie

Job Search Tips - Three Key Steps to Follow Before You Write Your Resume

Finding a job used to be easy, and you pretty much followed the same process each time you tried for a different position at a new company. You would complete an application form, attach your resume, and get called for an interview. Then, it was up to you to sell your skills in person during the interview process. Unfortunately, it is not that easy to land a job in today's competitive economy.

Sometimes, there are literally hundreds of candidates trying for the same position, while a few years ago it was only a couple dozen running the race, so to speak. With so much competition for any type of job now, there has to be a better way of getting noticed amongst the crowd of candidates.

Successful job seekers know that they have to change with the times in order to be competitive. They understand the key aspects of a job transition, and they research and prepare for each stage of that transition.

A Job Marketing Plan is Necessary

There are many components to a successful job campaign today. It involves an entire marketing plan - not just circulating a resume that you put together using an easy template.  So, how is your marketing doing for you? Is your resume working today?

Every successful campaign follows a strategic plan. We develop a plan for everything else in life, so we should also follow a plan in a job marketing campaign.

Think about it - we plan details for many different things: running for office, planning a wedding, organizing a party, planning a vacation, remodeling a house, etc.

If we organize and prioritize for these events, we should do the same for a successful job campaign. Get your campaign in shape for maximum results during your job transition!

Here are three preparatory training phases to complete before you develop your resume:

Phase 1: Goal-Development

You need to know what you want in a career and how you are going to get it. Developing a job transition goal along with a strategic marketing and action plan will ensure you stay on focus.

Take some time to understand what you enjoyed in previous positions and what you would like to do in future positions. Sometimes, this will reveal skills that you excel in that could be used in different industries or positions. You do not always have to move to a similar position, and goal-development will help you think outside the box to new possibilities.

Phase 2: Company/Industry Research

This is a critical step that many do not take the time to complete; yet it ensures success as the process develops. Learn all you can about the companies that you would like to work for, so that you can better fit your marketing materials to what they are seeking.

Nothing speaks success better than being prepared for a job interview, ready to answer specific questions pertaining to the challenges or growth opportunities of that company. And, company research will reveal which of your accomplishments you should include in your resume to prove the value you can bring to that company.

Phase 3: Individual Analysis

Time for an honest evaluation! Most often, this phase will reveal how you are best suited for your ideal job in the future, based on how you successfully contributed value in the past.

Employers want to know what you will do to make their company better. Take the time to analyze how you helped your previous employers. Think through scenarios where you made a difference, and determine the best way to phrase this for your value-based resume.

After you have completed these training phases, you will be better prepared to develop a resume that will help you win the job race. And, preparing a value-based resume will also prepare you for acing the interview.

If you already have a resume, you may want to analyze it to see if it is fit enough to compete for positions with employers today. The traditional, chronological resume is no longer very successful. Employers want to see, in advance, the potential value you will bring to their company.

By now I bet you are wondering what you need to change in your own resume in order to land a job in today's economy? Then get your FREE Instant Access to a video series at http://www.HowDoIGetHired.com/getvideo

You'll get short, easy-to-understand videos outlining the components of a value-based resume, PLUS additional special reports to help you along your job transition and career advancement.

From Naomi Lolley - Helping You Stand Out In The Crowd During Your Job Search.

Article By: Naomi Lolley