First Step Marketing

The following advice may be used for any occasion at which you need or want to market yourself and your business. The 15 essential elements of successful networking are: Read the rest of this entry »

• Ask your mother or best friend what they believe is your best quality.

Convert what you love doing into a profession.

• Ask yourself what job you would most like to do if you were a member of the crew on a luxury liner for 90 days.
• Your qualities tell you a lot about yourself.
• The biggest clue is to think about what you truly love doing. Read the rest of this entry »
  

Although mail-order exists, it is relatively small and undeveloped. The potential for growth is great. The market includes people who have neither the time nor the inclination to go shopping, as well as people living outside the major consumer centres. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the small-business ideas which follow, are familiar businesses which can be differentiated in innovative ways. Others are new ideas which have not been subject to thorough investigation. The intention of this listing is not to provide ready-made business ideas, but to set you thinking; ideas breed new ideas. Read the rest of this entry »

Creative thought does not end once a good business opportunity has been identified. For as long as the business operates, it will be faced with problems and opportunities that force creative thinking. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get into a rut and grow complacent. If this happens, good opportunities may be missed and many setbacks, which could have been avoided with some creative problem solving, could occur. Read the rest of this entry »

You often hear that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. When it comes to running your own business, obviously both are important, but with all the tasks you have on your plate, you may find that getting together with other entrepreneurs—who are probably as consumed by their businesses as you are—is something that doesn’t take priority in the course of your busy day. Read the rest of this entry »

If you can’t find exactly the kind of employee you want, you may decide to farm the work out on a contract basis, either to a business or an individual who freelances or moonlights for extra income.

The advantage of using independent contractors is that when times are tight employment-wise, you don’t need to look far for help. The biggest plus, however, is that the two of you agree on a fee for the project, the contractor performs the work, you pay her, and that is the end of your commitment, unless you provide her with more work. Read the rest of this entry »

The art of management once prescribed that a boss or manager should rule with an iron grip. Both employer and employee knew who was in charge. And the employee went along with these terms. But more often than not, the sly employee managed to get away with things whenever he could, did only what was expected of him, and never did anything more. Read the rest of this entry »

Where to Look

How will you find employees? Your opportunities are limitless. Many companies advertise in their local newspaper, but some studies have suggested that newspaper ads actually bring in the smallest number of qualified applicants when compared with other methods. Read the rest of this entry »

Hiring a staff of employees, or even deciding whether to take on just one in the first place, can be one of the most difficult decisions a new entrepreneur can make.

Labor (and all the associated costs: insurance, additional equipment, supplies) and employer- paid taxes turn the employment section of your budget into your single largest expenditure. Read the rest of this entry »