Its no secret that the United States has a nursing shortage, one that promises to grow to alarming proportions. Too many nurses are retiring, and too few are entering the profession. To compound the problem, within the next 5 to 10 years, over 76 million Baby Boomers are scheduled to retire from the workforce, with only about 44 million Generation X’ers available to pick up the slack. This will soon place unprecedented demands for services on a health system that is already stretched thin.

This shortage of allied healthcare professionals, especially nurses have a created a new boom to the nursing agency registry business, supplemental staffing agency for medical professionals, permanent placement medical recruiter, or starting a business in homecare and staffing pool. The medical staffing industry will continue to grow because of the upcoming baby boomers, and the current supply of nurses are dwindling. The average age for nurses are in the forties, and they are not being replaced by the new generations. Entrepreneurs have made lucrative business in nursing agency, nursing registry, homecare business, medical recruiter recruiting, or as independent contractor in their own field.

The time is now for entrepreneurs to start a nursing agency,nursing registry business, operate a homecare business, or as a medical recruiter or just become an independent healthcare contractor. By being an independent healthcare contractor, you are bypassing the agency and are self employed. Healthcare facilities are the clients. Homecare are regulated by all levels of goverment from local to fedeal level. Homecare levels of regulations depends on the category of service provided to clients. Homecare services ranges from providing just companions or the more medically needed clients such as terminally ill clients. Homecare services can be in the form of social service, non-medical, and medical services.

A growing number of small businesses that have previously faced obstacles getting working capital now have a practical solution they can bank on. They’re taking a cash advance on future credit card receivables. This method of getting needed capital is gaining momentum, particularly in light of the inundation of Small Business Administration loan requests during recovery efforts on the Gulf Coast.

The cash advances taken by these credit-worthy businesses are called Merchant Cash Advances and are completed without the time, documentation and availability issues associated with a traditional loan.

Here’s how it works. Companies such as AdvanceMe (www.advanceme.com), the nation’s leading provider of merchant cash advances, purchase a portion of small- and mid-size businesses’ future credit card sales. These assets, which traditional lenders and investors do not value, help business owners to access capital quickly and easily without leveraging their homes or other personal assets. Businesses simply sell AdvanceMe a portion of their future credit card sales at a discount in exchange for a lump sum of working capital today.

The process has a number of advantages for merchants:

• It helps small businesses manage their cash flow throughout the year. This is especially valuable to businesses whose day-to-day operations are impacted by seasonality, such as those in small college towns. It gives them access to the cash necessary to weather the seasons, whether or not it’s their busy season.

• Often, a Merchant Cash Advance is preferred over a traditional bank loan because payment of the obligation is directly tied to the merchant’s revenue. In this way, the Merchant Cash Advance Vendor only gets paid when the business gets paid.

• It provides business owners with the capital to fund marketing and advertising campaigns, purchase equipment, train employees andor attend industry seminars, which they might otherwise not be able to do.

As a small business owner, you are a risk taker. There is excitement and challenge in such a venture, but to succeed you need good management information, an ability to be a good manager of people and the intelligence and inner strength to make the right decisions. From unnecessary risk taking, thousands of workers die each year and many suffer injury or illness from conditions at work.

How often does an owner or manager actually see work-related deaths, serious injuries or illnesses in the workplace? In some small businesses, the answer is rarely. For this reason, many owners or managers do not understand why there is controversy about the government having occupational safety and health agencies with enforceable laws. But others have learned why; unfortunately, they have experienced a loss. These ownermanagers will tell you that it is too late to do anything once a serious accident happens. They have learned that prevention is the only real way to avoid this loss and unnecessary risk taking.

Reducing losses and risks are goals that you as an owner or manager must set in assuring the safety and well being of all in the business. Small business owners and managers place a high value on the well-being of your employees. Family members and personal acquaintances may be part of the business and even hired employees will become almost like family as time goes by.
Investing in safety and health activity now will better enable you to avoid possible losses in the future.

Nobody wants accidents to happen in the workplace. A serious fire, a permanent injury, or the death of an employee or owner can cause the loss of profit or even an entire business. To prevent such losses, you dont have to turn your business upside down. You may not have to spend a lot of money, either. You do need to use good business sense and apply safety prevention policies. There are reasons why accidents happen. An accident always has a cause and a reason why. Once you know why an accident happened, it is possible to prevent future incidents.

The business needs a plan to prevent accidents. Not all dangers at the workplace depend on an accident to cause harm, of course. Worker exposure to toxic chemicals or harmful levels of noise or even radiation may cause gradual illness over a long period of time. There needs to be a plan that includes prevention of these unseen health hazard exposures. There needs to have a safety and health management system. It is not difficult to develop such a plan. Basically, the plan should address the types of accidents and health hazard exposures that could happen in the workplace. Because each workplace is different, the program should address the specific needs and requirements for the business.

There are four basic elements to all good safety and health programs. These are as follows:

1) The manager needs to lead the way, by setting policy, assigning and supporting responsibility, setting an example and involving employees.
2) The workplace needs to be continually analyzed to identify all existing and potential hazards.
3) Methods to prevent or control existing or potential hazards are put in place, maintained, and updated.
4) Managers, supervisors and employees need to be trained to understand and deal with worksite hazards.

Regardless of the size of the business, the plan should use each of these points to prevent workplace accidents and possible injuries and illnesses. Developing a workplace program following these four points is a key step in protecting you and your workers safety and health. If you already have a program, reviewing it in relation to these points should help you improve what you have.

Following this four-point approach to safety and health in your business may also improve efficiency. It may help you reduce insurance claims and other costs. The plan will certainly give you a way to express and document your good faith and commitment to protecting your workers health and safety.

This approach usually does not involve large costs. Developing a health and safety protection plan does not have to be expensive and generally does not require additional employees, especially in smaller businesses. Safety and health can be integrated into your other business functions with modest effort on your part and will become part of the daily routine.

The key to the success of a safety and health plan and program is to see it as a part of the business operation and to see it reflected in the day-to-day operations. Once implemented, the safety program will become second natured to the owner as well as the employees.

Mom Entrepreneur Mentors: The Things I Wish I Would Have Known While Working My Business and Raising My Family”

Moms are busy people. Raising a family makes you busy, but when you throw in the added responsibilities of running a business, you may feel like a professional juggler trying your hardest every day not to drop the ball. Todays Mom Entrepreneurs are so busy juggling their family and business, some days it may be difficult to find time to breathe. The Business Mom believes the benefit and good advice of Moms who have already raised their families is priceless and will help you to set our priorities. A special thank you goes to the following Moms from NAFEs For You Network for taking the time to share their thoughts and stories.

Reminder #1: Children grow up quickly
Meli Van Nattas son was seven years old and her daughter was four when she got into the real estate business. Meli of Prudential California Realty says, I learned that children grow up quickly and you can never recapture the time that you miss. If she had it to do over again, she would have arranged her schedule to spend more time with them even if it affected her business. Now that she is older (and wiser), Meli realizes that she could have delegated some tasks, maybe taken on a partner, and she didnt have to attend all the social events that went along with the business. But, she was young, having fun, and feeling very powerful and successful with all the money she was making.

Melis kids dont seem to feel that she neglected them. After all, they had time to go to Disneyland, the Zoo, and other places during the week when all the other mothers were at work. So, they didnt mind too much if she worked weekends because of her schedule. They often helped her by stuffing envelopes, going with her to knock on doors, and sitting with her at Open Houses when she couldnt get a sitter.

Both of Melis children are now happily married, well-adjusted adults with kids of their own. Her daughter has chosen to be a stay-at-home mom and is expecting her third child. Her son is the entrepreneur in the family. After a brief foray into the real estate business himself, he is now the proud owner of two successful businesses.

Melis Top Tips:
Learn when to turn off the phone and learn the difference between merely important and urgent. Take those vacations and make your days off sacrosanct. It may take you a little longer to reach your business goals, but youll be happier for it!

Reminder #2: Mom entrepreneurs can take advantage of their flexible schedule to share great times with their children

Robbie Motter of Contacts Unlimited was a single parent who raised her three children (who are now grown). Robbie loves being an entrepreneur. Robbie says, If I had known then what I know now, I would have left the corporate world earlier so I could have had the quality time with my older children that I had with my younger daughter. Robbie took a break from work each day when her daughter came home from school for about an hour and a half so that they could spend time together before returning to work and while her daughter completed her homework.

Robbie recalls that it was she had some hard challenges when she first became an entrepreneur. It took awhile for things to start to move forward and times were tough. Her two older children were not too supportive at first, as they were use to the big corporate paycheck. Many times they told her to go get a regular job, but she was determined to make it work. Before long it did, and they truly loved having her work from her home office. They shared great times together.

Robbie used to have her children help in the business. They stuffed envelopes or jobs like that, and they loved it. As they got older, Robbie let them answer the phone so they could learn the right way to do that.

Robbies son is an entrepreneur. He and a partner have owned a company for 18 years. Her two girls are not entrepreneurs–they like having a big paycheck, the perks, and all the benefits that a corporate job provides. Today all of her children are very successful, own beautiful homes, and make a fantastic salary with lots of benefits. They do not take their work home with them; they leave it at the office and come home to be totally with the family.

Robbies Top Tips:
When you run your business, and if you work from home, make your children feel a part of it. When it is family time, stop worrying about business and give your children quality time.

I spotted a van on the interstate with Too Blessed to Be Stressed emblazoned across its back windshield. How appropriate that the driver divined that this mantra might be relevant for others to meditate upon while they navigate the freeways.

Stress is considered an occupational hazard for entrepreneurs. Having positive mantras as we navigate our business lives is one way of dealing with stress. But there are times when positive phrases are not enough to manage stress or anxiety. Emotional self-management techniques are helpful in these instances.

After the birth of my first son, I was diagnosed with post-partum depression and suffered from severe anxiety. My husband and I not only held full-time jobs, but were managing our business which included processing orders for our new online sites.

It took every fibre in my being to fight and work through the malaise of depression with all the means available to me. This included visits to medical doctors and cognitive therapists. One of the most successful treatments I found was an emotional self-management (EMS) technique recommended to me by a psychologist. The theory and techniques are explained in Instant Emotional Healing : Acupressure for the Emotions. It combines the principles of cognitive behavioral techniques along with those of Oriental medicine and the bodys energy system. My inelegant explanation is that there are physical and emotional blocks in ourselves that can be relieved by tapping certain parts of the body that correspond to meridian points in the bodies energy sytem, as in accupunture, while simultaneously repeating positive phrases that penetrate the sub-conscious mind.

The information in the book was easily accessible to me at a time when I the most stressed and unable to concentrate. I was relieved to find a technique that I could self-administer and utilize to take control of overwhelming and unproductive stress. All independent business people would benefit from techniques such as EMS to not only relieve unproductive emotions, but to optimize performance.

Whether you are starting a manufacturing company or opening up a coffee shop, SBA loans are the way to finance your small business. Small business loans are loans that are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration, which was started to assist entrepreneurs in forming successful small businesses. According to federal government research, small businesses employ fully one-half of Americas private sector workforce and over 99 percent of all employers in the U.S. are small business owners.

There are several benefits to SBA loans, including the many licensed lending partners nationwide. The SBA establishes guidelines, reasonable loan terms, and is able to offer better interest rates and options to businesses in the early stages of development.

There are some difficulties in obtaining a small business loan, however, beginning with the requirements for potential borrowers. Lenders will consider the size of your business, including number of employees, and your companys average revenue in certain industries, such as construction or wholesale.

When you call your lender to be considered for a loan, plan on answering a lot of questions about your business. Some information they might ask you for is a business profile (type of business, sales revenue, number of people you employ, and how long you have been in business), a description of the money you need and how you plan to spend it. Also be prepared to provide collateral and explain how you plan to secure the loan.

There are several different types of SBA loan options available, including:
Basic 7(a) Loan Guaranty
Certified Development Company (CDC), a 504 Loan Program
Microloan, a 7(m) Loan Program

More information about these types of loans can found through your private lender, or the Small Business Administration.

To learn more about the www.sncloans.comsmall-business-loan.html SBA Loans offered and to see if you qualify for one, visit www.sncloans.comSecurity National Capital today.

There are three basic ways of earning money which include trading time for money, trading money for money and trading expertisevalue for money.

Society and the formal education system promote the first method of earning money which involves trading time for money. In other words, you work for someone else for a specific amount of time and then they pay you. Working for someone else drains your energy and you dont make much money.

The second way to earn money is utilized by a small portion of the population and involves trading money for money. In other words, you are earning money through investing. Investing can be risky because if you lack additional funds then how can you invest any money in the first place? Therefore, many people cant even try this option because they only have enough money to pay their bills.

The third way to earn money is the best option. This entrepreneurial option involves trading expertisevalue for money. This is the strategy of entrepreneurial experts. You have a flexible schedule, work less, and earn more. You can make thousands of pounds a day in this option.

In order to earn money through trading expertisevalue for money you need to first figure out who you are and what you can give to others. What information do you know that could help others? You can find value from previous work experience or even from your hobbies. From this you can create your intellectual property.

What is Intellectual property? How big is the market for Intellectual property? Is there room for you in the Intellectual property market? These may be a few of the questions you have when you are investigating the information marketing business. First of all, anyone can create intellectual property. You dont need to be a Rocket Scientist. You just need to have an area or expertise, or access to an expert, and a drive to succeed.

Intellectual property combines e-commerce and book publishing. For example, you can write and sell an eBook. Recent research has found that approximately 6 out of every 10 American adults surf the Internet on a daily basis seeking out entertainment, education, and to shop for products. People are more comfortable buying online then in the past. The market through the Internet is global and encompasses millions of people. Therefore, the information marketing business has room for everyone!

When you market on the Internet, you market to your niche. Therefore, you dont have to worry whether or not your neighbor will want to buy your product. The Internet opens the niche market for you.

If creating and selling intellectual property on the Internet is so simple, why isnt everyone doing this? The formal educational system and previous societal beliefs are to blame. In school, we are taught to finish school and then become an employee at a company. The entrepreneurial spirit is not promoted; in fact it is almost shunned.

Dont let societal beliefs stop you. The intellectual property market is wide, diverse, and ready to fill your pocket book with cash.

Mail Forwarding Service: Great for Small Business Owners Working from Home

Mail Forwarding Service: Great for Small Business Owners Working from Home

Each day there are multiple individuals who think about developing their own small business. A small business can include selling merchandise or offering personal services. With a goal and a great business plan it is possible to develop a small business, but due to financial reasons may business owners make the decision to work from home. Owing and operating a small business from home has its advantages, but there are disadvantages as well.

One of the biggest disadvantages to developing a small business from home is how it looks to other people. It is hard to explain why, but there are some people in the world who have a difficult time understanding that it is possible to work from home. A common myth associated with home workers is that they dont always work when they should be. Of course this myth is untrue, but it could have a negative impact on your business.

There are many cases where a customer will not be able to tell whether or not a small business is being operated out of a home. If items are being mailed to and from a small business then the mailing address might give the business location away. Before going any farther it is important to note that not all people have a problem doing business with a company that is home operated, but there are some who do. To prevent your home business address from becoming a problem you could use a mail forwarding service.

A mail forwarding service is a service that is typically offered by an individual or company that specializes in promoting a healthy link between businesses and clients. Each mail forwarding service is likely to differ; however, many mail forwarding services are able to give a home based small business owner a new business address. This address will likely to be an address for a large city, which is something that may appeal to many clients. Having an address in a large city may allow you shed the working from home image.

Providing a new address is not the only aspect of a mail forwarding service. Since you are using an address that you are not located at you may wonder how your mail will get to you. This is where the forwarding part comes in. The individual or company running the mail forwarding service will forward your mail to your real address where you will be able to receive it with only a day few days delay. The exact amount of delay it will take for you to get your mail will all depend on how far away you are located from the mail forwarding service.

As a small business owner you must take the appropriate steps to protect your business and its assets. That is why it is important to considering using a mail forwarding service, especially if you are a small business owner who works from home.

Opening a new business in the real world or online in cyberspace requires thinking beyond all the money you will make. Most small business owners are clear on their ultimate goal, yet often many fail to spend time planning their marketing image. To succeed, first impressions are critical, or you may violate what I call My 5 Second Rule:

When a new prospect finds your web site, you have 5 seconds to convince them to stay.

The rule applies in the physical world, also. Your printed materials may be dumped in the trash just as quickly, or a visitor to your company may browse briefly while in fact the no sale decision was made in those critical first few seconds.

Regardless of your business, your image as a professional and credible source for a product or service depends on making a positive first impression. While most people don’t realize the subconscious dynamics that occur during an introduction, how you are perceived is clouded with prejudice.

In a face to face meeting, subconsciously your prospect will categorize you immediately by sex, age, and race. This fact may be hard to believe, however, individual life experiences connect your combination of these 3 characteristics into a fixed profile based on past encounters. Overcoming any negatives begins when you speak. A warm and friendly approach while being prepared to offer the benefits of doing business will help you succeed.

In print, your business card, ad, or brochure tells a similar story without the subconscious human preconceptions. The message will still elicit a reaction, good or bad, so how you present your company in print needs to get past My 5 Second Rule. This is equally true for the home page of your web site. Here’s some advice.

Customers have a need (problem), and you provide a product or service (solution). Matching these 2 for a successful sale is easier than most people realize. Front door selling, printed ads, or online web offers should all address the benefits (solution, again) and not the features (it’s about the customer, not about you).

Your marketing materials need to project a mental image in the mind of the viewer. Stimulate their imagination so they picture themselves enjoying the benefits of your offer, and you can overcome My 5 Second Rule. Here’s an example that was created for a used car dealer. How do you glamorize a business that is the subject of so many disparaging jokes?

This client had a featured monthly special vehicle that they wanted to promote on their web site. The photos taken in a chain link enclosed parking lot didn’t convey the excitement or mental picture necessary to stimulate the viewer. The chosen vehicle was an upscale Jeep, and the client specialized in exports to Puerto Rico. To add pizzazz, I did an edit of the photo to remove the background, and placed 2 views of the monthly special on a bluff overlooking a gorgeous beach in Puerto Rico. If my descriptions succeeded creating your mental image referring to the chain link and gorgeous beach, the subtle difference in presentation should be apparent.

Bonus Tip: What to Say When a Customer is Wrong
As a small business owner, you know your business and as an expert, reacting to an email or face to face comment that you know is absolutely wrong will work wonders if you answer with two magic words: “You’re right!”. This works for several reasons. Most importantly, your customer may be expecting an argument, so they will only hear half of what you have to say if you reply saying they are wrong. The listener will be busy mentally sorting comebacks and supporting evidence, and may not hear any of your expert advice.

Telling someone “You’re right” will have them on the edge of their chair waiting for your next comment. Shifting your argument to what you know to be the truth is easy. With a brief pause after your magic two words, continue with “…and there are many people who feel the same way. From years of experience, I’ve found that in fact (insert the truth based on your expertise here)… etc.” and you give them the opportunity to accept your slant on the subject without having their opinion challenged. It works. For those concerned about ethics, the phrase “You’re right!” is simply an acknowledgement that they have one view, and it is valid because that’s how they feel.

In summary, a professional image includes a wide range of materials for making a positive first impression. Consider the feelings of your prospect and how your product or service will benefit them, and you’ll do well in converting first introductions into sales.

Many people think operating an online business is good idea to make some extra money or to provide them with a way to work anywhere they want. An online business can be a very lucrative way to make money. A online business can provide you with more income and more freedom with your time.

The key to having a successful online business is to find one that you believe in and that suits your style. For instance, if you don’t like selling things or contacting people face to face or by phone, then you probably need to choose a online business that does not require these things. If the online business is selling a product that you, yourself would not use, or don’t believe in, then it makes it very difficult to make a believable presentation to others.

A online business is not going to run by itself, either. Most successful online business entrepreneurs would tell you that their online business got to be successful by working at it, putting in the time and the energy to make it a success. There is no online business that does not require some work. There are, however, some that do not require a large financial investment by you.

The best way to find the perfect online business for you is to do some research about the many different online businesses out there. This way, you can feel confident that you have chosen a online business that you will be good at and will generate the income you are hoping for.