How To Use Virtual Assistant Services To Develop A Business

As we come into a new year, 2010, you will find me promoting my virtual assistant business, sharing tips on how a virtual assistant can help businesses . . . move to the next level! Are you ready? . . . I am! Please visit my site, Dena's Tools and Tips, http://www.denastoolsandtips.com . . .
How To Use Virtual Assistant Services To Develop A Business Source: businessmanage.coolblogsite.org

Home based Businesses You Can Start In Your Pajamas in 2009 | Inc.com‏

11 Businesses You Can Start in Your Pajamas

For
the above entrepreneurs, wearing pajamas for a day at the office isn't
far from reality. From pet care to virtual assistants and even online
dating, we found entrepreneurs who are not just enjoying work from
their living rooms and bedrooms, but they are also making a good living
at it. In one case, a business owner grossed $10 million in a year, and
cleared half that amount. Here's a look at the hottest industries for
home-based entrepreneurs -- illustrated with some fun CEO
self-portraits.

Pet Care -- Paul Mann, Fetch! Pet Care

Approximately
two-thirds of American households own pets, making the pet industry the
sixth-fastest-growing industry in the nation -- with $43.4 billion
projected to be spent on pets in this year alone. It's no wonder then
that Fetch! Pet Care, a Berkeley, Calif.-based company that provides a
wide range of pet-sitting and dog-walking services is thriving. The
2008 Inc. 5000 company brought in revenue of $3.5 million last year and
operates on a franchise model that includes 200 locations nationwide
with a network of more than 3,800 pet sitters. "Pets don't know that we
are in an economic downturn, and it's been proven that pets are
therapeutic for people," says founder and CEO Paul Mann. "You don't
stop feeding your pet in bad times."

Virtual Assistant -- Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com

As
business owners have become more comfortable working virtually, and
work/life balance has increasingly become a necessity, the demand for
virtual assistants has grown significantly. Tawnya Sutherland would
know -- five years ago she started VAnetworking.com, the largest online
social network for virtual assistants, which has seen membership triple
in the past year to over 10,000 and revenue exceed $150,000. She
created the site as a space for fellow virtual assistants to share
information, exchange ideas, and discuss industry best practices.
Sutherland maintains that "VAs are a really diversified group that can
do just about anything." And, in addition to saving business owners the
cost of having an in-office employee, "it relieves you as a business
owner to work on the thing that you're most interested in doing."

Bargain Hunting Website -- Karen Hoxmeier, MyBargainBuddy.com

With
just a computer and an Internet connection, virtually anyone these days
can start their own website and market their products and services from
home without spending a lot of money. But despite the low barrier to
entry in this industry, not all businesses have worked out the model
for success quite like Karen Hoxmeier. The stay-at-home mom founded
MyBargainBuddy.com, which publishes hundreds of daily deals and coupon
codes for shopping sites all over the Web. "My business happens to be a
hobby that pays me," she says. "I love shopping and I love bargain
hunting. And if what you do helps someone else, that makes it even
better."

Accounting Services -- Melissa Nash Andrews, Accounts Receivables

In
a tight economy, one of the primary goals for a business owner is
staying on top of cash flow. But let's face it -- nobody likes having
to ask for the check. That's where Melissa Nash Andrews and her
company, Accounts Receivables, come in. A full-service collection
agency, Nash Andrews stays on top of her clients' accounts receivables
and provides a range of bookkeeping services for business owners
looking to outsource accounting. "If I can help another small business
person to stay in business and to keep their business, then I've met my
goal," she says.

Technical Staffing -- Bill Foster and Ruben Santana, XRoads Consulting

As
more companies contract out specialty services like recruiting,
staffing companies like Atlanta-based XRoads Consulting are seeing an
upturn in business. Founded in 2006 by neighbors Ruben Santana and Bill
Foster, XRoads specializes in placing people for technical positions at
companies located primarily in the southeastern United States. They
also help companies select and implement information technology
solutions that will best meet their needs. Both Santana and Foster have
leveraged their prior experience in the industry to grow their revenues
to $5.58 million in the first two years of business. "There are
definite financial rewards to being home-based and not having the
upfront overhead needed to start a business," Santana says.

Home Improvement and Organization -- Allan Young, ShelfGenie

Those
who are making money in the beleaguered housing industry these days are
people like Allan Young, founder and CEO of ShelfGenie, a company that
designs and installs custom-shelving units for the home. "A high
percentage of our clients are people who are staying put in their homes
but want to do an affordable upgrade," says Young, who recently began
franchising the sales model in April. Because the shelving systems are
customized for the client, there is no inventory for the franchisee,
and appointments are handled through a call center, making it very
feasible for the franchisees to get their business up-and-running and
achieve positive cash flow quite quickly.

Green Construction -- Nic Darling, Chad Ludeman, and Courtney Ludeman, Postgreen

When
it comes to purchasing products and services, consumers are
increasingly making their decisions with the environment in mind. One
company that has capitalized on this growing consumer awareness is
Postgreen, a Philadelphia-based real-estate development company whose
mission is to build green homes that are affordable for the average
family. Founders Chad and Courtney Ludeman, and marketing director, Nic
Darling, are working on a line of LEED-certified homes that will sell
for $100 a square foot -- a cost equal to a regular home without green
efficiencies. "We are making consumers look at houses differently,"
says Darling. "Instead of just a monthly payment, they are starting to
look at all the costs that go into owning a home, and we have a
distinct advantage in being much less expensive [to maintain] than a
normal house."

Graphic Design Services -- Sam Feuer, Mindsmack.com

The
way a company represents itself on the Web is becoming increasingly
important, and no one understands this mission better than Sam Feuer,
founder of Mindsmack.com, a full-service Web-design firm whose projects
include everything from iPhone application design to commercial
animation. From his home based in North Brunswick, N.J., Feuer manages
a staff of 44 along with a network of freelancers, some of whom work
globally. "The real key is doing the work at an elite level," Feuer
says. "It doesn't matter where my employees are -- I don't care if they
work from the moon -- as long as they get the job done and they are two
steps ahead of what the client is looking for."

Resume Writing -- Kathy Sweeney, The Write Resume

Given
the dismal job opportunities at many companies right now, job-seekers
are looking for any and every way to distinguish themselves from the
competition. Kathy Sweeney, founder and CEO of resume writing service
The Write Resume, is busy like never before, with revenue growth of 21
percent in the past year alone. Sweeney, who is recognized as one of
the foremost experts in the industry, has written resumes for people
all over the world, most of the time just from information that she has
gleaned from phone conversations with the client. "It's really about
relationship building and I believe you can do that without meeting
someone. If I can develop a bond with people then I know I'll be
successful in helping them."

Corporate Educational Services -- Joseph Pickett, Experts Briefings

Complying
with federal regulations is a tricky business, especially for companies
in the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries, where many will
spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to send their employees
to required educational conferences. Joseph Pickett of Experts
Briefings has found a way around this big expense by offering companies
the same experts and packaged information through his teleconferencing
business. Pickett lines up the speakers for the teleconference and then
hosts it from his home computer, charging companies $400 a head.
Pickett purchased the company in early 2008 and has increased revenue
from $25,000 to $300,000 in less than a year. "My price for customers
and for most pharma companies is chump change, but for me working out
of my house, it's a lot of money."

Online Dating Site -- Markus Frind, PlentyofFish

A
new ecosystem of free software and low-cost Web services have made it
possible for Web start-ups with a little bit of traffic to bootstrap
their growth without raising tens of millions in venture capital. No
one has done this as effectively as Markus Frind, the founder of
PlentyofFish, an online dating site based in Vancouver, British
Columbia. Frind launched his company in 2003 by himself and with no
idea how to run a Web business. Five years later, PlentofFish is the
largest dating site in the United States, according to Hitwise, and the
company pulls in $10 million a year. You can read more about Frind, who
still works only a few hours a week, in Inc.'s January/February cover
story, The Money Comes Rolling In.

The Virtual Assistant: Important For Businesses

The virtual assistant is emerging as an important . . .

Published on December 14, 2009

by Lawrence Perry

LONDON, ENGLAND -- (NewsPR.us and OfficialWire) -- 12/14/09 --

Although the virtual assistant is a relatively new phenomenon, it is becoming a very important aspect of the business landscape.

Administrative tasks are repetitive tasks that form the bulk of what
need to get done in the work place.  These tasks include setting of
appointments, typing documents, filing, answering phone calls and other
tasks. These tasks may be time-consuming but they are necessary to be
able to run a successful business.  To ensure the success of a
business, a company must make sure that all tasks- big and small get
performed efficiently in the workplace. 

Virtual assistants are workers that can do these tasks for your
business without reporting to your office.  Because virtual assistants
provide these services for a good cost to the company they really help
companies achieve more in their business.  This is why the virtual
assistant can be one of the important employees in your business.

Whether they work for your business only part-time or full-time, the
virtual assistant can really help your company in achieving its
business goals.  You should consider the virtual assistant as nothing
different than your office worker that do tasks for your business so
that you can deliver products and services effectively to your clients.

Even if they are not physically present in the office, they form
part of your workforce and definitely form part of your business' back
bone.  An efficient virtual assistant with good skills can help you
achieve business success. They can help you fulfill your business's
full potential with nothing more than their fees as your investment. 
Human resources matter a lot in business and hiring virtual assistants
can be the best way you can gain good work force without the need to
invest extensively on the workforce.  The virtual assistants invest on
their own office space, equipment, training and development.

So you are essentially paying for the skills and gaining benefits
from the virtual assistant's skills without really investing on them. 

If you want have new ideas for your business but do not have the
time, the energy and the manpower to implement them, a virtual
assistant can easily implement your news ideas for the business.

Visit our virtual personal assistant sponsor: www.catchfriday.com

Hitting All The Right Keys--great story from Success magazine http://tinyurl.com/ylyyhzy

What It Takes to Be Number One Movie http://tinyurl.com/yh8f6tg

Daily Inspiration

Only you can make you happy.~Marty Martinson

A Veteran's Day Tribute

A local veteran who served three tours in service stated in the local newspaper today that "he went so that others wouldn't have to"; this is a true veteran. Please watch this slideshow . . .

http://www.military.com/veterans-day/slideshow/2009/

The Fate of California . . .

There's hope for the state of California . . . and the nation! Read on: http://bit.ly/YlqKB a

Sneezing Baby Panda

This is a great wake-up call . . . !



Was momma surprised . . . were you? Enjoy!

Great series on the history of latin music . . . loved it, recommend it, watch it with your family, remember old times . . . http://bit.ly/3OD141

I love cats, and will lots to keep them happy . . . at least for my babies! http://bit.ly/1FreNY

A great article on businesses being social savvy--Online Retailers: 99% Plan to Have Facebook Fan Pages - http://bit.ly/5NMhG

Need some inspiration? There's No Place Like Hope. A nice cover story in Success magazine's Nov. issue. See it here: http://ow.ly/rHZf

This is a retweet; I just love maps! Smarter Transportation: 10 Social Media Tools to Navigate Your City - http://bit.ly/JuAnL

From her first debut album . . . Susan Boyle! http://ping.fm/NoIKZ

Woman revolts and won't pay credit card--mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, http://ping.fm/BztU1

Sharing positive inspirations--a resend from earlier-http://ping.fm/4deKT

Sharing positive insights with those I know--this really works, when we put our minds to it, think it, visualize it, put it in writing . . . what is your passion? link http://ping.fm/dprCD

Just watched this video on "The Elegant Man." I do love a man who dresses sharp and smells good . . . that Old Spice kinda smell . . . ummmm! http://ping.fm/ZIgyZ

How We Survived A Double Layoff

This article came from The Women's Conference, a LinkedIn group:

In today's ever-changing work environment, it makes sense to have a back-up plan, a Plan B. If you don't have a back-up plan, now is a good time to start one.

People don't plan to fail, they just fail to plan.

http://ping.fm/fZlrl

The History of Labor Day, http://ping.fm/RjbbA

SUCCESS — What Achievers Read. On Newsstands Now!

They say that you can never lose in real estate, you just need to be in it for the long term investment. Let's get educated on how real estate works for you . . . similar to what is called compound interest, if you know what that is . . .
SUCCESS — What Achievers Read. On Newsstands Now!

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Produce Greatness | SUCCESS Magazine | What Achievers Read

Sharing this article about two famous music leaders . . . get inspired and follow your dreams!
Produce Greatness | SUCCESS Magazine | What Achievers Read

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The Leadership Vacuum, a not so much thought . . . will you lead or follow? http://ping.fm/EWzar

On To Becoming Official Virtual Assistant

I am so excited over becoming part of Eydie's Office Success Team . . . I'm beside myself! Thanks Eydie!

Visit Eydie's Office

Con't from previous post--Bouncing Back from Tough Times w/ Self-Encouragement, Pt 2 in a 3-part series, http://bit.ly/1wRSLW

Bouncing Back from Tough Times w/Self-Encouragement Pt 1. A 3-part series of articles, http://bit.ly/I1IdE

Don't Mess With Texas

This is a continuation from a previous post, I Love Lucy . . . gotta love it!

Don't Mess With Texas!

Work Ethics--for those of you who either don't know what ethics are or just need a reminder. What do you rate on your work ethics? http://ping.fm/W3lLl

SuperVision--it's always good to read about the positive side of being a boss; and, there are those bosses out there who make coming to work a joy--and my boss is one of them. http://ping.fm/xyr8F

Daily Inspiration

Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~

In an effort to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, I share this message: http://ping.fm/Pwcy7

I Love Lucy

So cool!

Please read this article from Success e-zine blog.

Cubicle 101: 15 questions to ask during a job interview, decoded--how prepared are you for the job market? http://bit.ly/LGgBc

Who says politics can't be fun? Do you think we could do this in San Bernardino County (Calif.)? http://ping.fm/RnZ8K

Blog title...

I am getting familiar with ping.fm and networking my social networks. I have signed up with Google Adsense and am getting some interesting information. Right now I would like to share this article: Power in the USA: political string theory in US politics, http://ping.fm/3g9sV Ping it!

How I Do It: Linda and Richard Eyre | SUCCESS Magazine | What Achievers Read

How I Do It: Linda and Richard Eyre | SUCCESS Magazine | What Achievers Read

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Quote For The Day

"To solve any problem, there are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, whom could I ask?" —Jim Rohn

Daily Inspiration

Information conveyed in a clear and timely fashion empowers a team to perform…at every level.~Scott Beare

The Power of Team Work

Watch The Movie

Town Hall Meeting 7-14-09

Please see attached flyer on upcoming town hall meeting to meet the new city manager and police chief.

Town Hall Meeting Flyer

This is open to the public. All are invited.

Difficult Conversations

The 9 Rules of Engagement

1. Each to his own without judgment


2. What you want for yourself, give to another


3. Change your perspective and you’ll change your perception


4. It’s not what you say, but how you say it


5. Perception is reality until proven otherwise


6. The path of least resistance is avoidance


7. Feelings aren’t right or wrong – they just are


8. Put others’ needs ahead of your own by treating them with dignity and respect, and expect them to respond in kind (“selfless leadership”)


9. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone ...

Remember Michael Jackson

Sharing a song . . .

With A Child's Heart

Does anyone remember?

More On Twitter

Do you twitter? . . . would you like to? . . . let me help you!

10 Ways Twitter Will Change American Business

How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live

Very interesting . . .

How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live

Good Things Come to Those Who Ask

Please forward these articles to people you know who could use some positive insight. If you would like to receive more articles like this, please sign up to "follow" this blog at the bottom right of this blogspot.


Good things come to those who ask!Asking for what you need is probably the most underutilized tool for people. And yet, amazing requests have been granted to people simply because they've asked for it!

Whether its money, information, support, assistance, or time, most people are afraid to ask for what they need in order to make their dreams come true.

They might be afraid of looking needy, ignorant, helpless, or even greedy. More than likely though, it is the fear of rejection that is holding them back. Even though they are afraid to hear the word no, they're already saying it to themselves by not asking!

Do you ask for what you want or are you afraid of rejection?

Consider this: Rejection is just a concept. There is really no such thing as rejection! You're not any worse off by hearing no than you were before you asked. You didn't have what you asked for before you asked and you still don't, so what did you lose?

Being rejected doesn't hold you back from anything. Only YOU hold yourself back. When you realize that there's no merit to rejection, you'll feel more comfortable asking for things. You may just need a bit of help learning how to ask for what you want.

How to Ask for What You Want

There's a specific science to asking for and getting what you want or need in life. And while I recommend you learn more by studying The Aladdin Factor, here are some quick tips to get you started:

1. Ask as if you expect to get it. Ask with a positive expectation. Ask from the place that you have already been given it. It is a done deal. Ask as if you expect to get a "yes."

2. Assume you can. Don't start with the assumption that you can't get it. If you are going to assume, assume you can get an upgrade. Assume you can get a table by the window. Assume that you can return it without a sales slip. Assume that you can get a scholarship, that you can get a raise, that you can get tickets at this late date. Don't ever assume against yourself.

3. Ask someone who can give it to you. Qualify the person. Who would I have to speak to to get...Who is authorized to make a decision about...What would have to happen for me to get...

4. Be clear and specific. In my seminars, I often ask, "Who wants more money in their life?" I'll pick someone who raised their hand and give them a quarter, asking, "Is that enough for you?" "No? Well, how would I know how much you want. How would anybody know?"

You need to ask for a specific number. Too many people are walking around wanting more of something, but not being specific enough to obtain it.

5. Ask repeatedly. One of the most important Success Principles is the commitment to not give up.

Whenever we're asking others to participate in the fulfillment of our goals, some people are going to say "no." They may have other priorities, commitments and reasons not to participate. It's no reflection on you.

Just get used to the idea that there's going to be a lot of rejection along the way to the brass ring. The key is to not give up. When someone says "No"-- you say "NEXT!" Why?

Because when you keep on asking, even the same person again and again...they might say "yes"...

...on a different day
...when they are in a better mood
...when you have new data to present
...after you've proven your commitment to them
...when circumstances have changed
...when you've learned how to close better
...when you've established better rapport
...when they trust you more
...when you have paid your dues
...when the economy is better
...and so on.

Kids know this Success Principle better than anyone. They will ask the same person over and over again without any hesitation (can you relate!).

Getting a good perspective on rejection and learning how to ask will make a world of difference for you as you work toward your goals. Practice asking and you'll get very good at it! You'll even speed your progress by getting what you need, or improving yourself in order to get it later.

Make a list of what you need to ask for in all areas of your life, and start asking.

Remember, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE... if you dare to ask!


Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

The Race - You Have To Watch This!

This is an inspiring presentation--please watch!

Just click on the link.

The Over-40 Abs Workout - MORE Magazine

"A good workout to do at home!"

Try this workout to flatten your abs and build core strength.

View >>

Choices to Live By

1. The Two Choices We Face by Jim Rohn

Each of us has two distinct choices to make about what we will do with our lives. The first choice we can make is to be less than we have the capacity to be. To earn less. To have less. To read less and think less. To try less and discipline ourselves less. These are the choices that lead to an empty life. These are the choices that, once made, lead to a life of constant apprehension instead of a life of wondrous anticipation.
And the second choice? To do it all! To become all that we can possibly be. To read every book that we possibly can. To earn as much as we possibly can. To give and share as much as we possibly can. To strive and produce and accomplish as much as we possibly can. All of us have the choice.
To do or not to do. To be or not to be. To be all or to be less or to be nothing at all.

Like the tree, it would be a worthy challenge for us all to stretch upward and outward to the full measure of our capabilities. Why not do all that we can, every moment that we can, the best that we can, for as long as we can?
Our ultimate life objective should be to create as much as our talent and ability and desire will permit. To settle for doing less than we could do is to fail in this worthiest of undertakings.

Results are the best measurement of human progress. Not conversation. Not explanation. Not justification. Results! And if our results are less than our potential suggests that they should be, then we must strive to become more today than we were the day before. The greatest rewards are always reserved for those who bring great value to themselves and the world around them as a result of who and what they have become.


2. Vitamins for the Mind by Jim Rohn

Influence/Association

There are two parts to influence: First, influence is powerful; and second, influence is subtle. You wouldn't let someone push you off course, but you might let someone nudge you off course and not even realize it.

We need a variety of input and influence and voices. You cannot get all the answers to life and business from one person or from one source.

Attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association.

Don't spend most of your time on the voices that don't count. Tune out the shallow voices so that you will have more time to tune in the valuable ones.

"No" puts distance between you and the wrong influence.

You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?

Don't join an easy crowd; you won't grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.

Some people you can afford to spend a few minutes with, but not a few hours.
Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn


Vitamins for the Mind is a weekly sampling of original quotes, on a specific topic, taken from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn (TTOQ). TTOQ, a beautiful, burgundy hardbound book with gold foil lettering, is a collection of over 365 quotes on 60 topics gathered from Jim's personal journals, seminars and books spanning over 39 years. To order the TTOQ by Jim Rohn or Excerpts from TTOQ by Jim Rohn or Brian Tracy, please go to Jim Rohn's Online Catalog

Training Managers to Behave - The Future of Work - TIME

Training Managers to Behave - The Future of Work - TIME

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Finding Your Road to Riches

10 Ways the Wealthy Do It

Ken Fisher April 24, 2009

WHAT does rich mean to you? A million? 10 billion? What’s plenty to some, falls far short for others. You need to decide what’s rich for you. And then it’s just a matter of making one of the 10 roads that lead to big wealth work for you. There’s a right road here for everyone who desires riches, if you can navigate the common pitfalls.

1. Start a successful business. Have a compelling vision? Leadership skills? An understanding spouse? You just might be a visionary founder. Founding your own fi rm can create astounding wealth. Half of the 10 richest Americans did this, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Google wunderkinds Sergey Brin and Larry Page. This road works with scant restriction by industry, education or pedigree—Ph.D.s and college dropouts are equally welcome. Be warned: This road is not for the fainthearted. It requires courage, discipline, strategic vision, a talented supporting cast and Tefl on skin.

2. Become a CEO of an existing firm and juice it—a very mechanical function. Responsibility and running things come easy? But you’re no visionary founder? Some of our finest CEOs didn’t found the fi rms they lead—like GE’s Jack Welch. Non-founder CEOs can take firms to unthought-of heights. Fully half of America’s largest-fi rm CEOs make in excess of $8.3 million. Warning: Heavy is the head wearing the CEO crown. CEOs must be tough—more now than ever. Failed CEOs don’t just lose their jobs— they frequently end up vi l i f ied by the media, even indicted.

3. Hitch to a successful visionary’s wagon and ride along—it’s high value added. Good at picking winning horses? Think being boss is tough? Your destiny could be to ride along. Ride-alongs rise high, play critical roles, are well-respected leaders and get rich, but never bear a CEO’s pressure. Some famous ride-alongs ride high on the Forbes 400—Buffet’s sidekick Charlie Munger, for one, with about $2 billion.

4. Turn celebrity into wealth or wealth into celebrity and then more wealth! Seeking fame and fortune? Don’t mind abdicating privacy? Try cruising the rich-and-famous road. This road has two forks: One is talent, like Cameron Diaz or Derek Jeter; and the other is mogul, like Ted Turner or Rupert Murdoch—who run and own media empires.

5. Marry well—really, really well. Seem ridiculous? Then this isn’t your road. See it like this: You wouldn’t marry someone physically repulsive to you, so why marry someone fi scally repulsive? If money moves you, shop among the rich. If you don’t like the notion, fi ne. Leave the rich to those who care.

6. Steal it, legally. No guns necessary. Ever wish you could just take the money? Would you like some to see you as a hero? And others fear you? You can legally steal and be a hero as a plaintiff ’s lawyer, today’s Robin Hood. Idolized by Hollywood, plaintiff’s attorneys posture themselves as crusaders for the helpless—fi ghting big bad business to save the little guy. My apologies to other lawyers and law students if this sounds harsh, but it’s true: Most plaintiff law is a perfectly legal twist of thievery and thuggery. With targets the media loves skewering—big business, pharma, tobacco—your odds improve.

7. Capitalize on other people’s money (OPM)—where most of the rich are. Like telling folks what to do? Have nerves of steel? This road is paved with fees from other people’s money—money management, private equity, brokerage, banking and insurance. Some OPMers end up heroes, some in prison—there’s ample room for conflict of interest. But a good OPM richie effi ciently and ethically makes his (or her) clients rich at the same time.

8. Invent an endless future revenue stream—even if you’re not an inventor. Have wild imagination or none at all? Here you make an annuity-like future cash fl ow from something you create, own or patent that just keeps spewing cash. A gadget, book, song, movie or even experience. The big money is in getting rights, licensed or patented, for future reuse and generating reuse.

9. Trump the land barons by monetizing unrealized real estate wealth! Dream of building skyscrapers? Collecting rent? Don’t let the recent residential hoopla dissuade you—there’s huge money in being a land baron. Like other roads, it’s not easy. Successful land barons don’t just have a knack for fi nding tasty, unappreciated land and willing investors. They have the strategic vision of successful firm founders. They borrow!

10. Go down the road more traveled—save hard, invest well—forever. Like boring, predictable paths? The least sensational, but the most reliable, road to riches is saving linked to good investment returns. The road is wide enough for anyone with a paycheck. This road is not sexy. Frugal isn’t known for sexy.


Excerpts from The Ten Roads to Riches: The Ways the Wealthy Got There (and How You Can Too!), by Ken Fisher ( John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2008).

Email Etiquette Tip

When it comes to the Subject field of your e-mail,
Always be brief and concise. For example if you
sell widgets, for a first time contact or Web site
request you could use: "Widget.com Information
You Requested."

The person on the other side should be awaiting your
information and recognize that Subject field as being
your response.

Typos, all caps or all small case can give the
impression you are a spammer - or worse yet,
someone who isn't literate enough to want to do
business with.

If the conversation is ongoing back and forth and
the focus changes direction, make a point of changing
the SUBJECT: field to reflect the conversation's new
direction.

This E-mail Etiquette Tip is provided as a
courtesy by: http://www.NetManners.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Success In A Pot

From Dr. Anthony Fernando's Dare To Dream, Practical Inspiration For Achieving Your Life's Goals.


Success In A Pot

I've shared this before, but it's worth sharing again.

Don't Quit!

Put Yourself On The Right Side Of Compound Interest

A great article for those who need to get their finances in order. Let me help you put a plan together. I can provide you with a complimentary financial needs analysis!

For many years, we have been a society of "buy now, pay later," often spending more than we made. People burned through any savings they may have accumulated, retirement planning was neglected, and credit cards were charged to the hilt. When property values were rising fast, many used their home like an ATM, taking out equity for cars, boats, motorcycles and other toys. [Read more . . .]

The Formula for Failure and Success

Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.

Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.

On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.

If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives. And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!

Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter. Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year... because it doesn't seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time. Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices - choices that didn't seem to matter.

Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don't seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing. In fact, sometimes these accumulated errors in judgment occur throughout a period of great joy and prosperity in our lives. Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next, repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices. The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.

But we must become better educated than that!

If at the end of the day when we made our first error in judgment the sky had fallen in on us, we undoubtedly would have taken immediate steps to ensure that the act would never be repeated again. Like the child who places his hand on a hot burner despite his parents' warnings, we would have had an instantaneous experience accompanying our error in judgment.

Unfortunately, failure does not shout out its warnings as our parents once did. This is why it is imperative to refine our philosophy in order to be able to make better choices. With a powerful, personal philosophy guiding our every step, we become more aware of our errors in judgment and more aware that each error really does matter.

Now here is the great news. Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It's a few simple disciplines practiced every day.

Now here is an interesting question worth pondering: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.

Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don't more people take time to ponder the future? The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn't seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.

But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct. Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success-oriented disciplines. In other words, by disciplining ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.

One of the exciting things about the formula for success - a few simple disciplines practiced every day - is that the results are almost immediate. As we voluntarily change daily errors into daily disciplines, we experience positive results in a very short period of time. When we change our diet, our health improves noticeably in just a few weeks. When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence. Whatever new discipline we begin to practice daily will produce exciting results that will drive us to become even better at developing new disciplines.

The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to read the books, keep a journal, attend the classes, listen more and observe more, then today would be the first day of a new life leading to a better future. If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence – not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance!

"Only human beings can reorder their lives any day they choose by refining their philosophy." Jim Rohn



Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. To subscribe, go to www.JimRohn.com All contents Copyright © JimRohn.com except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cookie Monster

What's wrong with this picture? I don't see why the Girl Scouts organization is banning this young lady from selling Girl Scout cookies online, considering that sales are down this year, and I believe the intent of this organization was to teach young ladies that they can achieve anything they are willing to tackle in life.

Cookie Monster

You go, girl!

Barbie Turns 50!

I love Barbie and can remember she was the rave of the dolls for many years. I was fortunate that my mom worked for Mattel Toys and had a lot of dolls, clothes, house, fashion show. I still like the older Barbies over the more updated versions. Check out the link on some of Barbie's career choices. Barbie was one talented lady, if we would only believe that we can be that talented!

Barbie's Careers

Why We Should Use Public Transit

Read this interesting article on public transit.

Is this the wave of the future, or are we just going back in time? They say there is nothing new under the sun . . . do you remember the street cars? I remember riding the buses in my younger days . . .

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29597893/from/ET/

The Art of Nagging

Who would have thought . . . this is something that I'm good at, or at least my husband tells me I nag him all of the time! Read on . . .


The Art of Nagging
by Tina Forsyth

I was talking to a colleague of mine yesterday who was sharing that she loves her Virtual Assistant, but in her words:

“the one thing that she won’t do is nag me to get stuff done… I need someone to nag me like my mom does!”

Now this may make you chuckle, but it really is a very common complaint that I hear from business owners… they really want someone who is going to keep them on task. Someone who will follow up with them to ensure that they are doing the things that need to be done - and perhaps nudge them along or hold them accountable when they don’t stay on task. I like to call this being a ‘professional nag’ for your clients.

And yet many VAs out there aren’t doing a very good job of this. Even when their clients specifically ask them to ‘be a nag’ they still aren’t doing it.

Where is the disconnect? I am a natural nag (just ask my husband, haha) so I think that I take for granted that this is an easy thing to do. But when I step back and look at it from an objective perspective I have to wonder if part of the problem is that

a) people just don’t know how to nag and

b) they aren’t comfortable doing it.

So let’s break it down a bit and take a look at how we can lovingly nag our clients.

1. Understand why nagging is important! At face value it is easy to think that our clients shouldn’t need to be nagged - after all, we are all adults and it is their business right? Shouldn’t they already be motivated to get things done? Even with the best of intentions, most business owners are simply too busy or distracted and they forget about or lose track of priorities in their own business. They want someone who is going to remind them of what is important and help them keep it front of mind. Once you *get* this you can see where nagging is actually a very important benefit to your clients.

2. Ask them for regular updates on project X. Sometimes the simple act of knowing that you are going to be asking them on a regular basis about X is enough to get people moving. Make sure to give them a deadline for completing X or remind them of a previously set deadline… people are more likely to complete a task when they know they have a deadline (it’s human nature).

3. Ask them where they are stuck. If something isn’t getting done it is usually symptomatic of an underlying issue. For example, let’s say you are waiting on your client to write an article for the newsletter. It could be that they can’t think of a topic to write about (brainstorm with them) or they know what they want to write about but haven’t had the time to sit down and do it (start the article for them and have them edit/finish it). In some cases it could be that priorities have shifted and project X is no longer as important as it was. Regardless of the cause, if you ask where things are stuck then you can look at ways to help move things forward or let things go.

4. Look for ways to clear their plate. Alot of times our clients get busy or distracted with things that they actually shouldn’t be doing. If your client seems overwhelmed to the point where things aren’t getting done take a look at where they are spending their time. Chances are that there is some stuff that you or another team member could take off of their plate to free them up to focus on other things.

5. Ask them how the want to be nagged. You might have it in your head that it needs to be some big elaborate nagging solution, when all they actually want is for you to ask them once a week about X. Or maybe send them a weekly list of ‘projects on the go’.

Nagging is actually more of an art than a science - there is no one way that is going to work for all clients. And a certain approach that works really well with one client may not work for another. So look to be a bit creative when you can, consider different ways that you could help your clients get things done and aim to have some fun along the way!

For example, I have a running joke with my business partners where i’m ‘The Boot’. In our relationship i’m the one responsible to do the nagging, and so we have some fun and joke about it - ‘Oh no! Tina is putting on The Boot to kick our butts into gear - watch out!’ LOL

The heart of nagging is about providing a constant reminder to your client about what is important - so that they can refocus themselves to do the things that are important. Regardless of what that constant reminder looks like, be sure to do it.

Tina Forsyth is the author of Becoming an Online Business Manager: Playing a Bigger Game with Your Clients and Yourself. She writes and consults in advanced online marketing and business systems for business owners and their support teams. www.OnlineBusinessManager.com

Will Your Life Work the Way You Want It to in 2009?

Is your life working?

As I mentioned earlier, 2009 may bring greater uncertainty and more unsettling economic news than recent years, but these circumstances should compel us to take a deep breath, and pause to think about our lives.

When things happen in the world that seem so far beyond our individual control, it can feel unsettling.

Don't give up on your goals and dreams just because "the time isn't good"... you can still make 2009 the year you uncover a whole new you for the better!

Even in tough times, you get to decide how to respond to certain conditions, opportunities, and outcomes--both good and bad.

Life will always be a series of choices and YOU get to decide on what will move you closer to your goals, or farther away from them. External forces will always be part of the equation, even during the good times when the world is thriving.

When people ask me about the single most important ingredient to success, I always share the same response: realizing what's making you achieve success, and then realizing what is stifling your success.

Sometimes recognizing the things that are NOT working in your life can be painful, yet VERY powerful to shaping the life you want.

Don't try to rationalize them, make excuses for them, or hide them. This is when it's even more critical to take personal inventory and evict those excuses, rationalizations, and hidden habits that don't serve you. These things will keep you from the life you want to be living. Let me give you some examples. Ask yourself if you relate to any of these questions:

Do you want to be active, fit, and strong? Then you have to stop making excuses about your weight, diet choices, and lack of exercise.

Do you want to be in a loving relationship based on friendship and respect? Then you have to stop rationalizing why you and your partner are not communicating well.

Do you want to embrace Monday mornings and feel excited about going to work every day? Then you have to stop hiding your true passions and go after whatever it is you really want to be doing day in and day out.

Do you want to lose the debt forever? Then you have to stop ignoring your spending habits and get real about a creating budget that will pull you out of debt and allow you to reach financial freedom.

Do you want to feel more connected to the people in your life, such as your children, friends, and colleagues? Then you have to stop complaining about your poor relationships and figure out why you don't feel as connected as you'd like to be.

These things can be painful to look at because the truth is that you have to do something about them in order to make it work in your life.

You'll have to say no to the second helping of dinner and the dessert to follow and go through the awkward stage of getting into shape... You'll have to confront your partner about the areas that need work... You'll have to get past fears about changing your job or professional path... You'll have to cut back on your spending and be frugal... You'll have to take a good hard look at your personal relationships and perhaps consider your own shortfalls and weaknesses in communicating your needs and concerns.

Plain and simple, you will have to do something uncomfortable.

Successful people don't waste time in denial (or complain or make excuses for that matter). They face situations like a warrior. They look for the warning signs, they find out why things aren't working, and they go about fixing them- even when fixing requires problem solving, hard work, risk, and a level of uncertainty.

It's okay to identify a problem even though you haven't a clue about how to go about solving it right away.

The first step is just recognizing the issue, and then having faith that you'll figure it out with careful attention to it. That's how successful people live--in constant focus on goals, on results, on problem solving, and on the actions that get them to where they want to be.

Following are three things to do constantly in pursuit of your goals and dreams, however big or small:

* Awareness: Keep your awareness on the feedback you are getting from life and decide to address the situations immediately. Don't bottle up feedback, cast it aside, and avoid it like you would a pile of dirty laundry or a stack of unopened bills. Life tells you things every day. Do this. Don't do that. Think about this. Try me. Forget that. We live in a world that seemingly encourages us to live on autopilot. Successful people fly manually every day and so should you. When those feedback signals come in, listen to them and use them in planning your next step.

* Commitment: Commit to finding out why things aren't working and learn what will fix them. Once you start the process it will be much easier to continue. Nothing fruitful stems from inaction.

* Trust: Trust that making changes to the situation will ultimately bring about the best results. Sure you might go through a bit of discomfort during the change, and some unlikely or unwanted outcomes, but in the end you will triumph!

So are you ready to admit the things that just are not working out?

Make a list of the things in your life that are working against your success and ask how the situation can be improved. Commit to tackling just one of those issues and be brave!

If you need help organizing those "things" in your life, try using the following list of categories. I recommend reflecting on each of the 7 areas and ask yourself, what's not working here in each one and then brainstorm 3 potential solutions.

1.) Financial Goals, 2) Career/Business Goals, 3.) Free Time/Family Time, 4.) Health/Appearance Goals, 5.) Relationship Goals, 6.) Personal Growth 7.) Making a Difference

Remember, by facing what is not working, you can only improve your life!

Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Break the Bottled Water Habit

An interesting article--I really do hate those plastic bottles:

http://www.newdream.org/water/index.php

My Wordle

Click Above for Clarity - This is fun!

http://www.wordle.net/create