Although I am working as an employee, but I always try my best to adopt the entrepreneur mind set. It is important for an employee to think like an entrepreneur. This way, you program yourself to think out of the box. You will do more than an ordinary employee do. You will always do your best and be outstanding.

Recently I have come across a concept on earning 10000 in one hour. Dont be misunderstand, this is not to teach your how to earn 10000 in an hour. Rather this is a concept that we should adopt deep inside our mind. You see, normally we have the mindset of fix salary, simply because this is how we get our pay. This is especially true for employee. We are paid either hourly, weekly or monthly with a fix rate. For example we get paid 5000 per months, 20 per hours and so on. This has made our mindset fixed to what we get. For instance if we get paid 50 per hour, we are programmed to believe that what we do only worth 50 per hours. We like to get the pay regularly because we need the money to pay our bills. We are bound to the sense of security here because we get stabil income that enable us to live comfortably.

However this creates a problem where we totally neglect the possibility of earning more than that. We cannot believe that we are able to earn 10000 per month. But the fact is that there are plenty of ideas that allows us to earn more than 10000 per hours. We just need to conditions ourselves to be able sense and catch this type of opportunities. We need to have our minds open to be able to do this.

As an employee, I think a good strategy is to get a job, but at the same time try to look for opportunity and ideas that can generate big income. The point is not to limit ourself in the fix salary that we are getting now. Think of the fix salary an income that can be use to cover our daily expenses. At the same time, keep ourselves open to the opportunities or ideas that can make us rich.

While we are enjoying the regular income of 50 per hour from our job. Lets not ignore the posibility of earning more than 10000 per hour.

If youre frustrated by the conflicting and inaccurate information youve found regarding grant money for a small business, then dont worry. This article is your best source for the most accurate and up to date data. Read on and find out why!

Many people today searching for small business grant money to start their own for profit business assume that grants are nothing more than free money. Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but small business grant money is hardly free money at all. In fact, these grants are more like contracts with their own set of obligations and restrictions that you must comply with or risk suffering sanctions imposed by your funding resource.

In the case of government grants, the rules are even stricter. One of the first places that people often turn to is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, which is where all listings of government grants approved by Congress are announced. The problem with this resource is that there are very few programs available for small businesses.

These grants are usually awarded to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations having some community-based project in mind. Rarely will you find a government grant awarded to help set up a for profit business. That is why when searching for a small business grant you should not turn only to the government for funding resources.

A good source of grant money is the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). The AFP is considered the chief professional association for fundraisers. The association was formerly known as the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE). Their website at AFPnet.org offers sections on ethics, public policy, publications (including AFPs online bookstore), professional advancement, local chapters, jobs, and youth in philanthropy (along with a member gatewaydashboard).

Besides that, the AFP also provides a list of organizations (including their websites) that are among the top basic resources of grant money. Foremost on their list is the Foundation Center at FDNCenter.org, which publishes the revered Foundation Directory.

Consider contracts. Government money can sometimes come in the form of contracts. If you can demonstrate that your company can execute a budget line item, if you can shape part of your idea to what the government wants done for a particular project say something educational or construction-oriented if you can fill a need, you can compete, says Francie Ward, CEO of the Business Owners Idea Caf at BusinessOwnersIdeaCafe.com.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope that it has helped you and that you were able to find, through our research, the answers you were seeking.

When the experts tell you youre going to need a press kit for your small business Ill bet youre wondering why on earth youd need one. At least, I think youd wonder why if you think a press kit is just for the press. But the term press kit is misleading if you ask me because press kits arent just what their name implies.

I prefer to call them small business information kits or information packages instead because thats what they really are. They are meant to inform everyone, not just the press about you and your business.

Once you have a small business information kit, youll find youre often giving them when someone asks for information about your company–who you are, what you do, how you can benefit them. In fact, youll probably find youll give out almost as many of your information kits as your business cards.

Sometimes its more appropriate to simply hand out just your card, but other times, you might like to give someone more information than whats on your business card.

Say youre at a party and someone asks what you do. Youd probably just give them your business card. But your business card gives this business contact only the briefest information about your company.

So, you might also ask for their name and address, and send them an information kit the next day. Sending your information kit the next day also works as an important reminder of the evenings discussion.

On the other hand, if youre a plumbing company, you might want to contact construction companies in your area to see if theyre interested in subcontracting your company from time to time, or better yet all the time!

Sending them just a business card probably wont get you very far. Even sending a well-written letter introducing your company together with your business card probably wouldnt be as effective as a complete information kit.

You could think of your business card as the who and the where, and a little bit of the what of the 6 interview questionswho, what, where, when, why and how. Your card probably has your business name, contact information and possibly a slogan, motto or some saying suggesting what you do.

Your information kit on the other hand, answers all the questions. It tells people who and where you are, just like your business card does. But instead of one little line suggesting what you do, your information kit tells people exactly what you do. How well it tells them what you do depends on how good your copywriting is.

And it tells them how to buy, (with your convenient order form for example, or by phone or fax, with cash, check or credit card) and when to buy (today, right now, before the special offer expires).

Your business card doesnt have the room to tell people why they should buy from you, but your information package does. And not just by telling them youre the biggest, the best, and of course the most innovative either.

The real secret is convincing people they cant do without your product or service, remembering that along with a great description of your product or service, to consider your information kit from your clients perspective. Everyone wants to know how what you do can benefit them. How you can save them time or how you can save them money, or how you can make their life just a little bit easier.

One last word on presentation of your small business identity package. Its almost as important as what you say. A professional image can go a long way in assuring potential clients your small business is the one they want to do business with.

You cannot compete with big companies without one, and youll be miles ahead of the small businesses that dont have one. And while were talking about professional image, imagine how your small business will be perceived when you have the ultimate in professional image– a matching corporate identity package, information kit and small business web site.

Most home business opportunities are overdone and oversaturated. With most home based business opportunities that are promoted in magazine and websites the options are all the same; start a day care center, become a personal shopper, site at home and stuff enveloped and so on. While a dedicated person can make income, and sometimes great incomes, from such ideas, the market can only handle so many work at home personal shoppers. Ebooks however, are in a market that is only just starting to see entrepreneurial interest. Ebook authors are starting to be called info entrepreneurs. They compile high quality information or write their own fiction ebooks and sell them online. Some people are able to secure very comfortable full time careers from this, and yes, they do it 100% from their own home.

Ebook Entrepreneurship

Being an ebook entrepreneur is no easy feat. It will require long hours of research and writing, web design and gaining a little knowledge about ecommerce. However, the payoff could be huge. And unlike many other home based businesses you wont be limited to your region. The beauty about ebooks is that you can publish them and then distribute them throughout the world. You could get orders from Indonesia, Canada, USA, France and so on. This global opportunity doesnt apply to many other work at home opportunities.

Ebook Stores Dont Open & Close

Another defining feature of Ebook Entrepreneurs is that they dont have the regular 9-5 hours of operation. You will sell ebooks while youre awake and while you sleep. Not bad huh? Most of the work that goes along with setting up an Ebook business is done in the beginning stages. This industry is front heavy, but after you set up your infrastructure you can continue to sell with very little daily maintenance.

Not Just For Authors

Likewise, ebook authorship is not just for authors. Anyone who has an interest in anything could write about their interest and convert in into an ebook. Some of the best ebooks are actually from unknown authors and some of the highest selling ebooks have been written by unknown authors who have a knack for online promotion.

If nothing else, Ebook publishing it is something worth consideration. Ebooks may not replace traditional paperback books, but they certainly are gaining popularity at a rate that should make all authors stop to think about how they could use ebooks to their advantage.

Five Steps to Create a Budget for your Small Business

How I hate budgets!

Every time an accountant told me to put together a budget for my company, my response was – When I get the time I will! I just never seem to get the time.

For several years when I first started my company I never paid attention to a budget. I knew if I made money by looking at my financial statements and that was good enough for me. Also, every time I tried to put something together I never compared my actual financials to the budget numbers I created.

Two years ago, I decided to take a different approach. I developed a forecast for a quarter of what I expected income and expenses to be. I came up with the figures based on the previous year’s actual numbers. It was easy to look at last year and just add a percentage increase to the numbers. Then I took the time to review once a month the forecast with where we were at that point.

By using this system of creating a forecast and comparing that to actual financials on a monthly basis I was able to focus on income areas that were falling behind and stop expenses that I didn’t need to make.

I am an avid fan of informational products. I buy thousands of pounds every month. With the forecast in place I caught myself spending more then I allocated and was able to just cut back the next month. The great thing about this system is that you are not locked into a specific figure each month but yet you stay within guidelines of where you want to be before the year or quarter finishes.

The best way to set this up is to use a financial program such as Quickbooks or Peachtree. Track all income and expenses using the software. The next step is to print financial statements that track what you have done. Then take the numbers of your financial statements and increase your income by the percentage you want to raise revenue by. Then look at expenses and determine what categories will increase based on the sales increase. This will become your financial projections.

The last step is to review your actual financial statement (Income Statement or Profit and Loss) to your projections. Have systems in place to increase revenue and decrease expenses as necessary.

Common Mistakes Small Businesses Make and How to Avoid Them

Unfortunately very few start up businesses make it beyond their 3rd year. Failure is usually down to a number of clearly identifiable mistakes, which if small business owners are aware of, can increase their chances of survival.

Here are the top 10 common mistakes which small businesses tend to make.

Lack of Market Research

When a budding entrepreneur comes up with an idea for a new business he assumes that because he would buy such a product or service then everyone else will. This may be the case for day-to-day necessities but for other items this is usually not so.

Its important that when you start up you carefully research the market to check that:

There is demand at a level which would lead to a sustainable business

People are prepared to pay the price required for you to make a decent profit

Undertaking market research may appear time consuming but the effort will pay off.

Poor Record Keeping

Some business people are not born administrators; they feel more comfortable getting out there and doing the business. Paperwork is too easy to ignore but can never be put off indefinitely.

Sales, purchases and other expenditure must be carefully documented, so you know whether you are making a profit or not. Invoices must be issued on time and chased up promptly if there is a delay in payment. Its all very well having the sales but poor record keeping can hold you back.

Having your paperwork in order will also save you time when it comes to your accountant doing your year-end books!

Insufficient Capital

When starting off its easy to decide what capital is required for fixtures and fittings, machinery and stock. What many new business owners forget about is the cash needed to fund day-to-day requirements, i.e. cash to pay expenses before your customers pay you. This is known as your working capital requirement.

Small businesses can fail because they have insufficient cash to start off to meet these immediate expenses. If you wish to survive make sure you set aside enough cash to meet all your needs for the first few months.

Ineffective Marketing Or None At All

You cannot afford to treat the cost of marketing as an unnecessary expense. A business with no marketing is like waving in the dark you know you are doing it but no one else does!

There are many ways to promote your business on a small budget; its just a case of being inventive and creative. What ever you do, dont assume that people will quickly know you are in business they wont, unless you tell them.

Ingoring Changes In The Market Place

As a small business owner its very easy to get immersed in your business and not see what is happening around you in the market place. Always keep your eyes and ears open to what the competition is doing and what your customers want. Dont get left behind.

Owners Attitude

Attitude is everything in business. Dont forget that the real boss in your business is the customer. Running a business may make you feel important but dont let this develop into an I am better than you attitude. Do this and you will quickly chase your customers away.

Spending On The Wrong Things

Being in business can be exciting, especially as the cash starts to roll in! However, dont be tempted to spend it on a new car, a house or just a good time. If you are to own a successful business then you have to keep some cash back to fund future growth. A business cannot grow without cash, so commit to spending business money on the business.

Dependent On A Small Number Of Customers

Dont fall into the trap of setting up a business just because one person says they will buy from you every week or month. Setting up and running a business, which is dependent on one customer, is not a recipe for success. What happens if, one month after you have spent all your cash to set up your business, that customer says he has changed his mind and has decided to buy elsewhere? Unless you can find other customers very quickly you are faced with closure.

Before embarking on a new venture make sure you have a sufficient number of customers such that if a few go elsewhere you can still continue trading.

Growing Too Quickly

Surprisingly, growing too quickly can be a problem. You have to be disciplined enough to only take on work you can handle. If you are tempted to accept too much you could end up disappointing not only the new client but also your existing ones.

Also, dont under-estimate the impact rapid growth can have your administrative burden. As I mentioned earlier, getting behind on the paperwork can have an equally damaging effect on your business.

Trying To Do Everything

Finally, the problem most small business owners have is the fact that everything falls on their plate. Inevitably this is how its likely to be in the beginning, when the limited budget means that staff are a luxury, but as the business grows be aware that you cannot continue to do all tasks. There will come a point when you become inefficient and not have enough time to complete everything in sufficient detail. Taking on an extra pair of hands will increase your costs but you will be surprised at how much time will be saved, allowing you to do what you do best getting the business in.

Take a look at each of the mistakes and make sure that you dont fall into these traps.

What is the most effective way to deal with the anxiety that a home-based business entrepreneur experiences? The quick answer is to realize that this is part of being a business owner and to learn to live with it. The anxiety will not go away over night and you may be experiencing it for many years as you look at the profitloss margins that occur with starting a business and moving to a place where it is stable and successful.

Many people are drawn to the idea of being self-employed,and not having to work for a boss and also because they think that there are many freedoms with this type of business. They soon find out; however, that this is not the case and they will actually be working long, hard hours for a few years as they try to get their business on its feet. The difference in being self-employed is that everything rests on your shoulders. When you were working for someone else, you had to deal with things you probably did not want to but the entire weight of the financial success of the company was not your concern now it is. You are now concerned if there will be enough profit to pay your employees, your vendors, and your bills.

Remember that simply because you are feeling pressure does not mean your business is going to fail. It simply means you are now in business for yourself and are facing the same pressures that all business owners experience at some time or another. Anxiety is a great motivator. You may wake up and not want to do any work, you would prefer to make an early round of golf, instead you realize that if you choose this option you will only be making it more difficult for yourself and you will lose money as opposed to making money. I would actually be concerned if you started a new business and had absolutely no fears at all, that is being arrogant and has a great chance of leading to failure.

There is a difference in being confident about your business venture and arrogant. Arrogant is thinking nothing will go wrong and you do not have to make an effort or sweat over the financial affairs of your new business. So how do you deal with the pressure? Make sure you have a financial plan. Talk to those who are involved in your business and make sure everyone knows their goals. Talk about the risks and whether-or-not, they are worth taking. Do not stick your head in the sand and pretend they do not exist they do and you need to face them head on and when you do,you will be successful and your anxiety will lessen and will eventually go away.

Are you a small business owner? If you are, are you interested in getting health insurance coverage for yourself and your small business employees? If you are, you will need to find a small business health insurance plan to buy. In the United States, it is also common to hear a small business health insurance plan referred to as a group insurance plan.

When it comes to buying small business health insurance for you and your employees, you may want to first focus on insurance companies. In the United States, there are a number of different health insurance companies that you could do business with. Many of these companies offer multiple health insurance coverage plans, like plans that include just medical coverage or plans that include medical coverage, prescription coverage, as well as dental coverage. Many health insurance companies have health insurance plans that are designed for small business owners, just like you. As previously mentioned, these plans are often referred to as group plans or small business health insurance plans.

If you dont already know of a number of health insurance companies, you can easily find and familiarize yourself with a number of health insurance companies by performing a standard internet search. Your standard internet search will likely direct you to the online websites of numerous health insurance companies. You will want to take the time to thoroughly read through and examine each companys website. By examining the online website of a health insurance company, you should be able to determine, often right away, whether or not they offer group insurance or small business health insurance. If they do, you may want to ask for more information.

What you do not want to do, when looking to buy small business health insurance for you and your employees, is buy the first group or small business health insurance plan that you come across. Different health insurance companies offer different insurance plans and at different prices. To prevent yourself from wasting your money and the money of your employees, you will want to make sure that you carefully choose which group or small business health insurance plan you purchase. You will want to purchase one that is affordable, but you also want to make sure that it is a plan that you and your employees can benefit from. In fact, if you have less than thirty or so employees, you may want to think about allowing your employees to have some say in the type of insurance purchased, especially since they will likely end up helping you pay for it.

Once you have decided to purchase a small business health insurance plan for you and your employees, you will be given additional information, like when your insurance premium payments are due. There are some health insurance companies who require that their payments be made in advance, like at the beginning of each year, while others do not mind receiving monthly payments. Whichever approach you take, it is important that your payments are made on time. Your small business employees and their families may rely on their health insurance and you dont want to end up letting them down.

As you can see, from being outlined above, finding and buying health insurance for you and your small business employees is actually a relatively easy process. In most cases, you can find, research, and buy health insurance online, without ever have to speak to a company representative. However, if you do have any questions or concerns, it may be worth your while to contact a health insurance company representative for more information.

If you are looking for a business opportunity, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has an excellent website, including a search option for small businesses for sale in the United States. They also have financial options for those who are looking for a business opportunity to consider.

Small businesses consistently employ fifty percent of the workforce in the United States. Fifty-three percent of all small businesses are home-based, while three percent are franchises. You can always find a business opportunity that has to do with franchises. Franchises are a worthwhile consideration, simply because in most cases, the name and products are well known. If you take advantage of this type of business opportunity and buy a successful franchise, you usually dont have to worry about it folding in the first year. Franchise.com has a list of franchises offered for sale in the United States, as well as in other countries. You can look at a list of franchises and decide on the one you are interested in, and then learn more about it. The website also lists the franchise fees and investment required.

According to the SBA, there were 24.7 million small businesses in the United States in 2004, the last year for which figures are available. 580,000 new small businesses opened in 2004 and 576,000 closed in the same year. The competition for any small business to succeed is ferocious, but with more than 24 million in existence, its clear that they do succeed.

If you are going to be working in the business yourself, its important that you buy a business that you truly care about. If however, this business opportunity is purely an investment for you, then certainly the best business deal financially would make sense. Some people who open new businesses work 14, 16 or even more hours per day until the business really gets off the ground. This would be almost impossible to do if you didnt like what you were doing.

Home business opportunities are as far and wide as your imagination. You can start your own business or buy an existing one. You could have an online business, or a more conventional store or office. If you select a business opportunity that will have you doing something that you love, the money will likely follow.

Its not difficult to find a business for sale. There are listings all over the Internet, as well as in almost every newspaper in the country. What matters, obviously, is finding the right business – one that will meet all of your needs, not just your financial ones. How much time do you have to devote to this business? Will this be your only business or one of many? Will you run it yourself or will you hire people to do that for you?

You can do, or you can hire others to do, some sophisticated market research to ensure that your product or service will sell in certain areas. Of course, if its an online business opportunity, you can do plenty of your own research quite easily. You can look at what other websites are selling, whether it is a product or a service, and to a degree, you can see how popular they are.

If you need to get a loan for your business opportunity, you have several options. The SBA can direct you to several loan options, although they dont lend money themselves. The SBA is a great place to start anyway, simply because they do have so many resources. They have a lot of statistical information that you might find helpful in your market research, and they have several free publications to help you along in your small business journey.

Probably the most important thing you can do before buying a small business is your homework. Investigate more than one business before settling on a specific business opportunity, and above all, make sure it is something that you enjoy!

http:www.bizseller4u.com

News reports often tell of the struggle to lift Africans out of poverty. One entrepreneur is doing her part to bring hope to that continent through a business endeavor that is now bringing its products to the world market.

The desire to help others is what originally led South African Elmare Lombard to leave her successful psychological practice after 15 years to start a natural aromatherapy line.

From experimenting with essential oils and plant-based oils in her kitchen to eventually seeking international markets for the line, Lombard has made her dream a reality today. Her Molo Africa line is now being distributed in the U.S. by BioPharmetics Inc.

But her company, founded with family members and community leaders, also helps establish farming projects for disadvantaged people in her native South Africa. Molo Africa has a proactive employment policy that helps single parents get jobs with the company or affiliated businesses. This initiative is designed to promote self-sufficiency and brings a sense of pride for individuals.

Molo Africa supports the independent farmers of Africa through advice and assistance; the purchase of raw products at fair market prices; and through education initiatives that help impoverished South Africans develop skills in agriculture, basic education, entrepreneurship and computer training.

The company’s product line includes pure essential oils, natural aromatic room sprays, massage butters, shea soaps and scented candles. Molo is an African greeting meaning “hello.” Bearing evocative African names such as “Hamba Suka” and “Sefako,” the products contain essential oils that were extracted from exotic plants farmed and processed naturally in African countries.

Gertrude Mewy is an example of the kind of success story Lombard’s company helped to create. The single mother from Guguletu, Cape Town, was raising her four children on a small salary as a domestic worker. But she dreamed of being an entrepreneur. With the help of the Foundation for Economic and Business Development, she started her own pottery business.

Her hard work paid off when she became a supplier of ceramic beads to Molo Africa. Its contract with Gertrude enables her to employ two full-time workers, both of whom are single mothers. Her business now supports nine people and there are plans for more business deals between Gertrude and Molo Africa.