Success - Do You Really Want It? (Or Are You Just Kidding Yourself?)

"Do you really want success, or are you just kidding yourself?"

This is the bold question that faced me when I recently reviewed a popular success product*.

It's a good question. Why is it we always want success and good things to come easily? Why do we think there is some magic formula or pill that will allow us to skip the 'hard work and focus' stage and go right into the 'wildly successful' stage - to enjoy the fruits of our labor without the labor?

There is no 'magic' pill or formula, and I have come to see that there are certain ways of acting, thinking and just being that cause a person to be successful.

The good news is, you don't have to be 'born with it'. There's actually no such thing! If there was, then anyone born into money and opportunity would be successful, and we all know of wealthy kids who are anything but happy and successful.

So, what does it take? Along with the following tips I can offer, the next step would be to check out the product (see resource box below) and decide for yourself.

• Mindset: Can you say unequivocally that you have the mindset for success? If you can, then you are well on your way. If you are wondering what this means, it's about qualities like perseverance, persistence, open-mindedness, opportunity-seeking, fair and ethical behavior, ambition and drive, focusd and dedication.
• Action-Orientation: People who succeed know what they want. They make firm decisions based on intelligent research and knowing their own limits and capacities. Then they ACT - consistently and with drive and passion. Until the job is done. Period.
• Learning: Despite all that has been said above, people on track for success are life-long learners. They realize they can't possibly know everything there is to know. They are constantly looking for ways to refine their way of doing things, and rather than resenting someone who has what they have yet to acquire, they choose to learn. They look at someone else's accomplishment as encouragement in what they can do themselves, and they look to see what they can gain from studying the success of others.

To learn more and accelerate your success in whatever areas you have chosen, be sure and take advantage of the resources and tools mentioned in the resource box, and remember, a wise man once said 'good luck' is when preparedness meets opportunity!

Three Home Based Business Ideas for Work at Home

Finding a way to create extra income from home can be confusing and overwhelming. There are dozens of work-at-home web sites with thousands of different money making ideas. Sorting through them all, you may soon decide that many work-at-home schemes are just that — a scheme. Most of the truly legitimate home based business ideas will fall into one of three categories: Direct Sales, Network Marketing/MLM and Service businesses.

Are you a good organizer? Charge clients for closet organization services. Are you a musician? You could teach private lessons on a part-time basis from your home. Other ideas would be baby sitting services, dog sitting, bookkeeping, housekeeping and landscaping. Word of mouth advertising will keep satisfied clients coming your way. The cost to start up may be less than fifty dollars.

If you choose to enter into a direct sales opportunity, be aware that many of these companies are those that encourage home parties for presenting the products to groups of interested people. Examples of direct sales parties that you may have have heard about or participated in would be costume jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, kitchen gadgets, travel discounts and pet supplies. Start-up costs for most direct sales companies will be less than $300. A small segment of direct sales, sometimes referred to as ‘top tier’, will have higher price points of entry. (Examples would be Liberty League, Wealthmasters and Global Resorts.)

Network marketing companies enroll independent associates, sometimes referred to as distributors or consultants, to market their products and services, in exchange for commissions. In addition, residual income can be earned off the sales volume in a down line sales organization. Learn how to use the internet to leverage your prospecting efforts and it is possible to build an organization of thousands. Typically, you will receive 4-8% of the monthly sales volume, plus most compensation plans reward associates for bringing new people into the business. Internet-based network marketing makes a large organization more attainable than in years past. With proper training, and execution of the techniques, internet marketing can replace the ‘friends and family’ approach.

Network marketing business opportunities are available in many different flavors: nutrition/supplements, beauty/skin care, electricity providers, travel, pet food and related products, financial services and debt reduction plans, health insurance discounts — there is even a healthy chocolate MLM company! The majority of the businesses do not require that you maintain an inventory; remember, though, that the income is based on sales and sales volume. Most will require that you maintain a monthly purchase amount of your own, in order to remain qualified for commissions. This monthly amount varies by company, but usually ranges between $50 and $150. Start up costs for most MLMs are less than $100.

How Good Is Your Big Business Idea?

Q: I want to start my own business. I have tons of business ideas that all sound great to me, but my husband is not so sure. He says that we need to figure out a way to test my ideas to pick the one that has the best chance of succeeding. I’m ready to just pick one and go for it. What is the best way to determine if a business idea really is as good as it sounds?
– Hannah H.


A: Heather, I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but your husband is right (first time for everything, huh): before you just pick a business idea and go for it you should test the feasibility of your ideas to make sure they really are as good as you think they are.

Every business idea, no matter how good it sounds while bouncing around inside your head, should be put to the test before you invest time and money into its execution. Success lies not in what you think of your idea, but what the buying public will think. Many entrepreneurs
find out too late that the public’s opinion of their idea differs greatly from their own. Wasted time and money aside, the last thing you want to do is hear “I told you so!” from your husband, so take a deep breath, slow down, and let’s look at the ways you can test the feasibility of your idea.

There are many ways to test an idea’s feasibility, though some ways are not nearly as effective or accurate than others. Most people start out by asking everyone they know what they think of their big idea. This is a good way to start the wheels turning because you may get feedback that you have not considered before, but be warned: this is NOT the best way to test the true feasibility of an idea. Never start a business simply based on what your friends and family think.

There are two things that will happen here. First, your mother will tell you what you want to hear and your best friends will be equally kind. No one who really cares for you will want to rain on your parade no matter how insane your parade might be, so take the wisdom you gain here with a hug and a grain of salt.

On the flip side, your coworkers and casual acquaintances will probably tell you the opposite of what they really think. If they think your idea stinks they’ll tell you it’s great and if they think your idea is great they’ll tell you it stinks. Please don’t preach to me about human kindness. Human kindness is often bested by human nature and we humans, by nature, are an envious lot. We hate to see anyone doing better than we are doing and we hate to see anyone who has the potential to leave us behind. Go watch the movie “Envy” and consider this: why would someone who is broke or stuck in dead-end job with no other prospects want to see you succeed? They wouldn’t. End of story.

Instead of conferring with friends and family you should run your idea past a number of neutral third parties who are knowledgeable about business and will give you an honest opinion. Contact the local Small Business Administration (SBA) or The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) offices and ask to speak with someone knowledgeable who has time to listen to your idea (don’t run it past the receptionist). Or speak with the small business liaison at the Chamber of Commerce. Or seek out a successful entrepreneur who is willing to listen and give you an honest opinion about your idea. Just remember, opinions are like belly buttons: everybody has one and they are all different.

A more accurate way to judge the feasibility of an idea is to create a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. A SWOT analysis will not only help you gauge the feasibility of your idea, but also help you build on your idea’s strengths, identify and correct the weaknesses, and spot ways to take advantage of potential opportunities while avoiding potential threats.

Here’s how to perform a simple SWOT Analysis. On a piece of paper draw a vertical line down the center of the page. Then draw a horizontal line through the center of the vertical line. The paper is now divided into four quadrants. Label the upper left quadrant “Strengths.” Label the upper right quadrant “Weaknesses.” Label the lower left quadrant “Opportunities” and the lower right quadrant “Threats.”

Now fill in each quadrant based on what you see as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your business idea. You should repeat this process for every idea you have and each quadrant should have something written in. If you can think of no strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for a particular idea, that means that you do not have enough information to complete the SWOT analysis, which means you also do not have enough information to effectively execute that idea.

Strengths are those things that make your idea a strong one. Strengths can be personal or product-oriented and may include: prior business experience and success; sufficient funding to start the business; having a customer in hand; having a unique product or service to offer; having an established market; etc.

Next list all of the weaknesses of your idea. It is important that you are honest with yourself and list as many weaknesses as you can. Don’t pretend that your idea doesn’t have any weaknesses because every idea does. You will hurt no one but yourself if you pretend that your idea is bulletproof. Weaknesses might include: lack of capital to start the business; lack of business or management experience; a crowded market place; large competitors; etc.

Opportunities are those things that you can tap into that might fast track your business idea. We’ve talked about opportunities before and how smart entrepreneurs seek out new opportunities rather than waiting for opportunities to come to them. Opportunities might include: a potential partnership with someone who sells products in the same market; a prime storefront location that is coming available; a competitor going out of business, leaving a hole in the market that may be right for you; etc.

Threats are those things that threaten the success of your business idea. Threats might include: uncertain marketplace conditions; strong competitors in the market with lower prices; possible laws or taxes that may impact your idea; etc. Like weaknesses, it is vital that you are honest when it comes to identifying threats.

Once you have filled in all four quadrants, you should have enough information to begin testing the feasibility of your idea. Do the strengths of your idea outweigh the weaknesses or do the weaknesses outweigh the strengths? Are the opportunities available to you ample or nonexistent? Are the threats many or few?

With this information in hand, you can move on to the most accurate method of testing your idea and that is the creation of a detailed feasibility plan, which we will discuss next time.

Here’s to your success!

How do I communicate with my virtual assistant?

A very valid question but also a very easy one to answer. First, you must remember that your professional virtual assistant is a human being, just like you, and just like someone who may sit in the office right next to you. She has feelings, morals, standards, kids, pets, and a life - just like you.


While I can’t speak for other virtual staffing agencies, at Team Double-ClickSM, we go to great pains to be sure our clients can communicate directly and openly with their virtual assistants. This ability is vitally important to any business relationship and especially that of a businessperson and his or her assistant. Without that communication, there is no exchange of ideas and tasks.
We do monitor communication between our virtual staff and our clients, but this is simply the mechanics of our business model in motion. We monitor these communications to first be sure the communications are there and second so that we can step in if we spot a problem or see something that can be done more efficiently. However, we encourage our clients to get to know their virtual assistants on a personal level as well. As with any relationship, the better you know one another, the better you’ll be able to anticipate one another’s moves, needs, and pet peeves. Now that the “why” is out of the way, we can talk about the “how”.

Of course, there are several options for communicating tasks, assignments, and other matters to your virtual assistant:

E-Mail is a very effective mode of communication when working virtually. It allows you to quickly attach a file and send it to your virtual assistant so that she may make changes, print a letter and mail it, or keep it as a reference. Be sure to talk to our Client Services Rep Denise Schrock or your virtual administrative assistant if you need help attaching and sending files.

Using the telephone to communicate with your virtual assistant, while obvious is quite underutilized and so simple to do. Tired of looking up your virtual assistant’s phone number each time? Simply program her phone number into your office phones and cell phone’s speed dial. One-touch dialing your virtual administrative assistant is a snap and no harder than buzzing a bricks-and-mortar assistant in the next room

Instant messenger is another example of a wonderful technology, which is underutilized when it comes to communicating with virtual assistants. There are several excellent instant messaging programs and they’re so easy to use.

With an instant messaging program you can, with just a couple clicks of the mouse, type messages back and forth with colleagues and your virtual assistant - all in real time. You type, she types, and before you know it, the questions you and she had are all answered and you can move on.

Caution - time wasting opportunity: It’s easy to get hooked into “chatting” with someone on IM, which can soak up a lot of time. IM should be used for quick questions and quick answers, and then back to your tasks. IM was not meant to take the place of the telephone for giving lengthy instructions or holding very involved e-versations.

Snail mail, while very retro, it is sometimes necessary. With so many technologies at our fingertips these days, there’s very little use for snail mail except for the most formal of business communications, marketing mailings, or sending supplies to your virtual assistant.

Faxing your virtual assistant is also a popular means of communicating tasks and lists to your professional virtual assistant. However, if the items you’re intending to send via fax are in electronic (editable) format already - it’s best to send it as a file attachment. That way your virtual assistant doesn’t need to retype everything and spend unnecessary client dollars. Check out eFax at efax for the latest in electronic faxing - there’s almost no need for a land line fax anymore.
VOIM (voice over instant messenger) is my new favorite communications toy. What VOIM allows you to do is simply pull up your instant messaging program, click your virtual assistant’s name, click the call button, and voila, it rings through the computer to her. Once the connection is established (which only takes a second or two) you can talk with your virtual assistant through the computer - no phone line involved). You can then quickly delegate tasks, give instructions, or ask questions without stopping to look up her phone number, and without typing out a lengthy email. At Team Double-ClickSM, we’ve begun implementing the Yahoo! VOIM program and with wonderful results. If you’d like to give it a try, go to messenger.yahoo and download the software - it’s ridiculously easy to use and best of all, it’s free!

Just keep in mind that VOIM will only work with other people who download the newest version of the Yahoo! software and have a microphone and speakers on their computer.

There are many great ways to communicate needs, likes, dislikes, tasks, and training to your virtual assistant. It’s all a matter of personal preference and what you’re most comfortable using. Professional virtual assistants are flexible and will be happy to use whatever mode of communication you prefer. As technology advances even further, well, who knows how we’ll be communicating next year or even next month!

Start-Ups Rely On Bootstrapping

New cleaning businesses tend to have few financial resources, so many rely on a technique called bootstrapping — learning to do more with less. This article has 12 techniques that have helped cleaning businesses grow and and become successful.

New cleaning businesses tend to have few financial resources. Before you sign your first client you need capital for supplies, equipment, basic start-up expenses, and perhaps even payroll. Where do start-up companies get the financing they need to set up shop? Some businesses use savings, some borrow from friends or relatives, and some get a bank loan. But many small start-ups rely on a technique called bootstrapping.

Bootstrapping means pinching pennies, cutting corners, and learning to do more with less. Using bootstrapping techniques also means carefully watching where your cash is coming from and where it is going to. Does this technique work for growing your business? You bet! Ernest & Julio Gallo, Domino’s Pizza, Hallmark Cards and Black & Decker are examples of businesses that started with $1000 or less and used the art of bootstrapping to grow and become successful.

In bootstrapping you not only focus on how revenues come into the business, but where you are going to spend the money that comes in and if there are other ways to obtain those resources.

The following are techniques that have helped businesses grow and expand.

1) Focus on the right customers. Some customers like to hold onto invoices as long as possible. Finding customers who pay immediately helps keep cash flowing into your cleaning business. Maintaining a good customer relationship will also help to get your customers paying as soon as they get their invoice.

2) Be frugal, but not cheap! Distinguish between costs that are necessary and ones you can avoid. Do you need to rent space for your cleaning business or can you begin by running the business out of your home or garage? Can you get by with used equipment? Do you need a cell phone with streaming video or just a basic model to make sure you do not miss any calls? On the same token, don’t be shortsighted (and cheap) with suppliers. Develop a good relationship with your suppliers and they will be happy to let you know when there are specials and if a lower priced item works as well as a more expensive one.

3) Create a high profile for your cleaning business. By taking on larger cleaning accounts your business projects an image of competency and that it has the skills and resources to handle the job.

4) Keep your salary as low as possible. The less cash that go out of your business the better. Cut back on your personal expenses while the business grows. Avoid buying that new car and that holiday cruise until your cleaning business has a good cash flow.

5) Get your customers talking about you. Word of mouth is the best advertising around and it doesn’t cost you anything. Ask your customers for referrals and tell them to mention your name if they know of anyone who is looking for cleaning services.

6) Keep good records and track every dollar. It is difficult to know if there are expenses that you can cut if you don’t know where your money is going or where your money is coming from. Keep more income by not giving preferential treatment or discounts to special customers.

7) There is power in becoming a partner. Find another business owner to share equipment, office space or even employees.

8) Trade for services. Are there individuals or businesses who would be willing to have you clean their offices for part or all of their payment? Large businesses and corporations may not have the flexibility to “swap” services, but your lawyer, graphic designer, accountant or other consultant may be happy to exchange services.

9) If you need employees, hire part-time or temporary help. Rather than having a full-time bookkeeper or marketing person think of hiring a virtual assistant that you can pay for just a few hours a month. Another benefit to a virtual assistant is that she will have her own equipment and be responsible for her own employment taxes.

10) If you are buying or leasing space and equipment agree to only short-term leases. This helps you control costs and keep your cash flow flexible.

11) How much inventory do you need to have on hand? Don’t tie up money in supplies and equipment that will just be sitting on a shelf.

12) If necessary, work nights and weekends while your business is growing. Many entrepreneurs will keep their full-time job and a part-time job until their own business is financially stable.

Using bootstrapping techniques mean that you are looking at more than just where your money is coming from. Earning a dollar in revenue may lead to only 20 cents in profit. But if you save a dollar in cost savings, that goes 100 percent to your bottom line. Being frugal at the start of your business can pay big dividends in the long run. Bootstrapping can be your best friend when it comes to the cash flow of your cleaning the business!

Empower Yourself As A Resourceful Entrepreneur

Sometimes we hesitate to move forward with our business because we're afraid that we just don't have enough experience or skills to implement our ideas.

Have you ever found yourself thinking I don't have enough experience to...

* Launch a website
* Send out a press release
* Set-up a joint-venture partnership
* Speak at a networking meeting



We all have doubts about our lack of experience running a business or expanding in some way. And while experience is important resourcefulness has a BIGGER impact on your long-term success. If you know WHAT needs to be done, you can get help on HOW to get it done.

Let me share how I discovered this to be true...

My career began doing product development and merchandising for the Gap, Banana Republic and J. Crew. About 13 years ago, while in-between jobs, an old boss and mentor asked me to take on a project that was completely outside the scope of my expertise.
He wanted me to open and run high profile stores around the country. It meant negotiating real estate deals, signing leases, overseeing the design of the space from fitting rooms to bathroom locations, to which computer systems we'd use, to actually purchasing the product. The scope was huge, overly awesome, nothing that I'd ever done before and crazily enough I was the only person he wanted for the job.

Why I wondered? What did he see in me that he had such trust I could do this?

For a month or so I felt like a deer in the headlights as I kept encountering new things that I was responsible for that I knew nothing about. I had notebooks upon notebooks with questions that I needed to get answered about all the parts of running these stores. Then, about two months into my job, a light bulb went off for me.

Knowing the "WHAT" is More Important Than the "HOW"

I understood why he chose me. I clearly saw what my gift was and why I was the right one for this job. I am very strong at knowing and figuring out WHAT needs to get done. I may not know HOW it's going to happen and how to do it (and in this case I clearly didn't) but I am resourceful and can connect with others who do have the expertise I may be lacking to get the job done.

This skill has served me well as an entrepreneur. Because there's nothing that truly prepares you-or gives you all the experience you need -to be an entrepreneur. You have to be willing to jump into unchartered waters, and trust that other experts can fill in your gaps. Especially as women, it takes a village and we should relish the fact that we can reach out for support.

Get a Support Network Behind You

As an entrepreneur it's so important to have a network of people you can turn to when you have questions. By getting other people involved in our business success, we'll not only get answers to our questions, we'll be inspired by their ideas.

You truly empower yourself when you involve people that will both cheer you on and provide valuable knowledge - people who can show you the "how".

What if you don't feel like you have enough people in your life that can give you the support you need? This is a big issue for mom entrepreneurs because we're home alone and it's difficult to find the business support we're looking for. I believe there's no need to go it alone, mom entrepreneurs are very generous in their support. Here's an example of example of this kind of generous support I see quite often.

Open Up and Share

I recently had a someone in my community approach me on the side and said, "Kim, I'm really struggling. I have a full-time business and a direct sales business that is just not where I want it to be. Times are tough economically, and it's just not working as I want it to be."

In this process, the woman opened herself up in a very vulnerable way to me. Because I understood her situation, I was able to connect her with some women I thought could support her. One of these women got her to think about something professionally she hadn't even considered.

This new idea allowed me to say, "Aha. I can make another connection for you." Together we were creating a spider web of connections for her. It was such a glorious experience to watch and to realize she had tapped into a handful of other people who could provide great support for her. That was thrilling.

This story really emphasizes the importance of opening up to others to find the right answers to your questions. You might feel vulnerable admitting that you don't know the answer but what better way is there to get support?

For myself, by asking good questions and finding the right people to support me and help me find the answers, I've been able to move my business forward. Don't underestimate your ability to get your business moving forward. With the right support, you can be empowered to be truly successful on your own terms.

3 Perfect Home Based Business

Are you looking for a Business you can Work at Home? Did you know that a Work at Home Business is the dream of millions of Americans, and millions more world wide? It is estimated that by 2010, over 68% of us will have some kind of Home Business to help supplement our income. Plus, numerous surveys show that a Business of your own is still the #1 way for the average person to achieve financial freedom and independence here are three perfect solutions:

1.Visit Free Affiliate Websites

Affiliate Marketers Benefits:

Make $40 each time a person you refer gets their own MONEY MAKING WEBSITE. Conversion rates are PHENOMENAL. See your stats LIVE 24/7 a day (and even on your Window's desktop). For example, if you refer 10 signups a day, you would make $400 a day or $12,000 a month. PLUS, you get a $5 bonus every time a person you refer refers another sign up. You can CUSTOMIZE the Money Making Website people get to feature different products so that you can differentiate yourself from other affiliates (and make more money)!

Website Owner Benefits:

Earn the SAME Commissions as above with some BIG BENEFITS: Since you have a website selling a product or service, you can feature YOUR WEBSITE in the Money Making Websites everyone you send gets. All you do is put up your unique link on your website. That means that EVERYONE you refer will make money selling YOUR PRODUCTS. They train, coach, and answer questions for the affiliates you refer. You can sit back, relax, and count your commissions. There tests show that this can increase YOUR website PROFITS up to 500%!

2.Visit The Automated Cash Formula

With this product, you get a step-by-step guide to duplicate what Dale did and start making money quickly and easily.These affiliate marketing methods, such as joint venturing with other websites is covered in the Wealth Prescription (Net Wealth Dr.), but Dave goes into more details specifically with this method.This works, and I make money every day using his methods.I only tried one project and I received a check for $688.53 eight days later! And this is all profit as it didn't cost me anything to do.I think the chapter on page 30 is a must read, and I'm certainly recommending this product to all my best customers.This really works! After taking a look at your course I decided to put it to the test.What would it mean to you to be able to go from nothing to having tons of extra cash each month just pouring into your bank account?You could pay off your debts, eventually buy that dream home or sports car, go on exotic holidays at the drop of a hat. Yes, this could mean so much more than just money - it could be you and your families ticket to freedom.

3.Visit The Wealth Prescription

This website was found in my testing to provide the best methods to make money online with affiliate marketing and other methods. The level of one-on-one coaching that we found was far superior to any other website that we tested. The videos and e book offered new methods that we had never seen taught before, and better yet, that worked very quickly for me! When you join the Net Wealth Dr. Membership program, make sure to take advantage of the free one-on-one coaching that you get. This made the difference for us because we had questions and the coaches helped clear them up for us and had us making money in no time at all.

Building Your Business

The high road to becoming a self-made millionaire in America is starting and building your own business. But this is not as easy as it sounds.

Most businesses started by inexperienced people fail.

Probably the primary reason why people don't start businesses is because they're afraid that they're going to lose their money and for good reason.

99 percent of businesses started by people lacking business experience fail within the first two or three years.

Why Businesses Fail

And why is that?

It's because they don't know how. They haven't the slightest idea how to make a business successful.

They may have an idea for a product or service, but they don't know all the things that they need to know to run a successful business.

Why Businesses Succeed

However, surprisingly enough, 80 percent of businesses started by experienced businesspeople succeed.

Now why should this be so?

The reason is because experienced businesspeople know what to do.

• They know how to purchase their products and their services.
  
  
• They know how to negotiate with their suppliers.
  
  
• They know how to raise money.
  
  
• They know how to negotiate leases.
  
  
• They know how to sell and to market.
  
  
• They know how to manage their finances.

In other words, experience is the key.

In order to start your own business and succeed, you have to learn how.

Control Your Costs

The second reason that businesses fail, 46 percent, is because of poor cost control.

They may be selling enough on the front end, but they're losing so much on the back end that they go broke anyway.

Sales and marketing, financing and cost control, both require experience.

And if you're serious about becoming financially independent, you have to learn how to do both of these.

Put Luck On Your Side

You must learn the skills you need to be successful.

Business success is not a matter of luck. Business success is a matter of application.

It's a matter of ability. It's a matter of experience and skill and intelligence, and wonderfully enough, you can learn what you need to know to be successful.

And you can start by learning through on-the-job training, which is called OJT.

Most successful businesspeople become successful because they get all their training by working for someone else.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to make sure that your business succeeds greatly:

First, take the time to get the knowledge and experience you need in business by working for someone else where you can learn a lot in a short period of time.

Go to work in an area in which you are interested and learn everything you possibly can.

Second, read and study in business, especially entrepreneurial business, all the time.

Read one or two business books per week and read every business magazine that is published on your subject. Never stop learning and growing.

Are you looking for Virtaul Assistance?

Today’s topic of conversation might not resonate with everyone but it will become more and more relevant to you as your online business grows and develops. At some point you will have to consider getting help or risk being stuck overloaded with work and just UNHAPPY about your work as you were when you decided to start it in order to get away from your 9 to 5 J.O.B

Yeah, I use the 3 letter word and I apologize but the truth is - most of us start with online business to get away from that nasty word and in process of development manage to overload ourselves to the point where we forget why we started!

Today’s guest - Amy Holding will give us the details you need in order to successful simplify your life - How And Why Consider Virtual Assistant!

Questions below supplied by me while all the answers provided by Amy.

1. What exactly is Virtual Assistant?

This is a great question as the exact definition of a VA continues to be a hotly debated topic among many within the industry. In my opinion, it is normal for the term virtual assistant to mean different things to different people. The functions and tasks that a Virtual Assistant perform is very much dependent upon their professional niche as well as the industry and needs of the underlying client they choose to join in partnership with.

Traditionally a Virtual Assistant’s focus was mainly on general administrative services. But this has and continues to change as entrepreneurs and small business owners rely more and more heavily on the visibility of their internet presence.. Virtual Assistants have expanded their expertise to provide assistance with internet marketing, copywriting, teleseminars and on-line video services ( just to name a few) so that they can provide a more complete package to their clients. But with this expansion in expertise, the lines get blurry for some. As an example, a VA with expertise in copywriting does not mean they are a copywriter, it means they are an expert in assisting with copywriting functions.

2. How would someone go about locating a VA that qualifies?

There are several VA associations that contain directories of their members and corresponding qualifications. The two that come to my mind as excellent starting points are the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA - http://www.ivaa.org/) and the VA Networking Forum (http://www.mediamage.com/va/). Both have search directories as well as the option to submit an RFP.

Another good method for finding a qualified VA is through social networks liked Linked-In, Twitter, Facebook and Ning. In my opinion, Linked-In provides a great platform for looking through a prospective VA’s work history, references, testimonials etc.

3. Why should I choose more expensive, US based VA over offers from Asia?

This is a tough question to answer as finding success with a VA is just as much about the partnership as it is the VA’s skill set. I don’t believe the country of origin has much to do with it at all, but rather the dynamics between you and the VA. I can tell you that in my experience, most US based VAs are solopreneurs and/or small business owners just like the clients they serve. They not only can be relied on as task-doers, but also as a faithful partner, sounding board and extension of your business. Being business owners themselves they understand that your success and gains ultimately result in their own success and gains.

4. Can you name some of the more instant benefits for Online Business from VA

The most instant benefit you will receive is time. Regardless of what you enlist the support of a VA for (i.e. internet marketing, analytic’s, general administration, project management etc. ) the immediate gain will always be the time you have to focus on your core business.

5. Any points you think will be beneficial to the readers of my blog in regards to the VA?

When looking for a VA, remember that you are developing a partnership. And the success of the partnership is not only dependent upon the VA’s skill set and expertise, but also on how well the two of you can work together at getting business initiatives into action and then completed. When entering into a new relationship with a VA give them sight of your big picture goals and be open to two-way straight-talk.

6. And last but not least - can you describe what do you personally offer and how we can find out more about you?

More Good Advice on Being Self-Employed

We’ve been saying for some time that many, if not most, of the 2.6 million who lost their jobs in the United States last year are never going to go back to full-time employment (meaning they’d be working for someone else).

We know scores of people who either already have, or will soon, attempt to start up their own business, or at least to find a gig as a “free agent” (to borrow Dan Pink’s term).

However, it’s clearly easier to talk about becoming self-employed than it is to generate a living that way. There are lots of guidebooks and blogs out there you can turn to - I’ll catalog some of them shortly.

But in the meantime, there was a good if short piece in last Sunday’s New York Times: “Smoothing the Way to Self-Employment.” It’s basically a homespun set of ideas and advice from some who have gone before.

But don’t be naive about it either. As the article points out, the vast majority of people who set out to be their own boss don’t make it:

Fewer than half of all start-ups survive five years, and only 25 percent last 10 years, according to Ari Ginsberg, professor of management and organizations at the Stern School of Business at New York University. Moreover, a failed stint in self-employment is not exactly a plus for a résumé.

So if you’re thinking about hanging out your own shingle, good luck. But don’t depend on luck - be thoughtful, take it very seriously, and treat your startup venture just as seriously as you would a job someone else is paying you to do.

Distraction Hurt The Home Business

Many adopt the idea of working at home because they like the idea of being with their children and their families. This can often be a problem.

If you do not take steps in the very beginning, you are going to be in big trouble later on. You must immediately set boundaries. You must ensure that business matters remain separate from family matters.

Remember that family and friends do not look at your new work at home venture like you do. Consider holding a family meeting so that you can discuss this right away.

Explain to them that even though you are home they still have to act as if you aren’t. In other words, they can’t call non stop with a passing thought and they can’t expect you to watch their kids while they run errands because you are home, and they can’t stop by uninvited.

Explain that you have a schedule to keep and this is how you get paid. You must make them understand that this is a business and must be managed as one.

You will have to put forth a lot of effort and time, especially in the developing stages. This could eliminate you from some family and social events for a while.

You must have an area of your home that is just for you to work in. This is your work space, not for the children to color in or to do their homework.

Explain that you have all of your work related materials and everything and it needs to stay organized. Even keep separate bank accounts, because if you merge bank accounts family with business bank accounts, you’ll be asking for a lot of problems at tax time.

Try as best as possible to maintain all hours worked and try to keep a schedule organized. You need a lot of breaks during the day to stretch.

It can be very difficult for children to understand that mommy or daddy is at home but can’t be bothered, especially for the younger ones. They can be quite distracting which can lead to you becoming aggravated.

You may need to hire a baby sitter for a few hours here and there. Even spouses and older children may find it difficult to adapt. Especially if you have only one computer, you will probably hear a million times, asking how long until you get off computer.

Multiple Streams Of Income

Many home-based business owners have a single service or product they provide. They may sell e-books or crafts or speech-writing services. Specializing in one area is good for many reasons. For one, it makes marketing easier and helps that business build a solid reputation in one area.

Although specialization has its benefits, businesses who derive all of their profit from a single area are overall more susceptible to economic fluctuations and less profitable long term.

Everyone has a passion or a hobby. You know more than the average person about your area of interest. It really is of little consequence what your passion or hobby might be (up to a point). If you are interested in fishing, boating, skiing, sports, home improvement, flowers, gardens, decorating, cars, juggling balls, saving money, travel destinations or whatever. You can turn your passions into multiple streams of income

As these examples show, multiple streams of income can be derived in a number of ways if you think creatively. The key is to look for ways that complement your existing business.

There is an old saying that “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” which is very useful for the home based business people. So follow the rules strictly when you are creating multiple streams of income.

Broadly speaking multiple income streams fall in to two categories active and passive. Whilst passive income streams are on the face of it the most attractive you should be aware that many of those you see advertised online are what they seem -too good to be true. You’d do well to be suspicious of any scheme that requires money upfront -not all of them are scams but many are. Do as much research as you can and never spend more than you can afford to lose unless you’re certain of success.

Catch a variety of clients. No matter what you offer, a part of your target market is not going to be interested in hiring you. Why? Because they’d rather do it themselves. Or maybe they don’t have the money to hire you. Or maybe they do the same thing you do and would rather learn from you to better their own skills. By offering a product or a class or a group option, you’re widening your net. Not only are you able to help more people, but you’ll also be making more money doing it.

Law of Attraction: How Women Get the Lives They Want

Is your life exactly how you want it to be? Most of us find there’s something we want more out of life. It might be your relationship, perhaps it’s your job or maybe it is your finances or your health. Millions of women from around the world use the law of attraction successfully to get the lives they want. Here’s how you can do it too.
The Law of Attraction - Rules to Live By
What is the Law of Attraction? In simplest terms, it is using positive focus to attract positive things into your life. If you want to attract more money into your life then turn your thoughts to money. It seems too good to be true but it is not a gimmick. On the other hand, if you focus on the negatives in your life, negative situations are all you will attract. No one wants that.
Focus on the Positive
For the law of attraction to begin to work, define your focus. You may want something that you don’t currently have, but the idea is to frame it in a positive light. For instance, if you have a mountain of credit card debt, don’t concentrate on the amount of debt or how long it will take you to get rid of it. Turn those thoughts to how you will feel as a financially free person who is creating wealth instead of debt.
Are you lying to yourself? Absolutely not! You’re simply focusing on being grateful for what you do have and letting yourself feel the emotions associated with gratitude. Imagine how you’d feel if you already had your deepest desire. If it’s your ideal job, financial freedom, a great body, whatever you’re really longing for you can attract by feeling gratitude for what you have and by allowing yourself to feel as if you already have what you want.
Let Go of some Things
Sometimes when too much emphasis is placed on a desire it becomes a need. For example, “I need to pay off this debt.” You may put a positive spin on it and say in your mind, “I need to be financially free,” however the need is still there. Need carries with it too much attachment. The Law of Attraction works when you can live your life as if you already have everything you want and let go of the ‘need’ for more. You can desire more and know that you’re going to get it; however ‘needing’ more just puts the brakes on the power of attraction. It’s a conscious roadblock you put up between you and getting what you truly desire.
First Steps
Here is the exciting part. What kinds of things do you want to attract into your life? Start with a list of the current things you are grateful for. Take it one step further. Instead of making resolutions like “I want to be debt free,” say “I have $500,000 in the bank for retirement.” Now your desire is an affirmation. How does it feel to have that much in the bank for your future? Remember that feeling and now have faith that you can attract what you want to you.
The Law of Attraction is a very powerful tool in helping you to attract and achieve the life you want.

Home Business Dreams Can Come True

If you want to earn cash online it is very likely that you have looked for legitimate ways to accomplish this and the results may have not been desirable. Many people are voicing a want and a need to work from home.
Gas prices are off the hook and for those who have little ones at home, there is the cost of child care. These costs are eliminated when you work at your own home office.
This is the era of people who feel they can do a job and be compensated for it while staying home. Just remember that when you are doing your research not to let a few bad apples ruin the whole bunch.
There are many people who earn very good money every day. Making this money will allow you to enjoy life in many ways. You will be able to live comfortably, go on vacation, and even perhaps save. The thing is to find something you enjoy, you’re good at, and that pays well enough. Once you realize that then you are golden. In the meantime, do not get frustrated while you are looking for.
Make yourself known online, get around! There will be lots of choices but you should stay away from anyone who claims you will get rich quick or those who ask you for money. There are many very reputable and legitimate businesses that are more than happy to pay you for your time and services. You are going to have to put in some effort and some time at least until you get established if you want to become successful.
Remember that the competition is tough so you must act in a positive manner. Be quick and efficient. You may want to explore a few options but then find your niche and stay there.
There are many choices, Google AdSense, a subsidiary of marketing, and even online casinos can appeal to a good harvest. Look in some forums and online search online opportunities; you will be surprised what you will find.
The possibilities are really endless when it comes to working at home, especially, when the Internet is your greatest tool. Self-employed workers can earn a lot of money doing some writing for other people and payment is made almost immediately after their completion.
Direct sales are great! You can select another product, market and when someone wants to buy you just pass the information along. They dispatch and you make a percentage of profits.