What the heck is going on?

Sometimes I crack myself up.

I started out my day thinking I would get caught up,
go to the store do some gardening, work on some new styles...

The problem is, my list of potential activities was too long.
We have house guests and we leave back to LA in less than a week.
So on my way to taking a shower I made a mental list
of things to get at the store. But didn't end up going.
On my way to the car I remembered I wanted to finish a gardening
project and started looking for the shoes I wanted to wear for that
(gardening in flip flops, renders black sooty feet that you can not
scrub clean!) So while I'm going for my shoes I notice my digital
camera and remember that there are a bunch of photos I wanted
to download. So I did that and sat down at my computer to organize
them when I remembered I had wanted to go to the store and do some
gardening.

Oh for Pete sake!

Ya know how some people do lots of stuff, pretty well but not great. And some people focus and do one or two things really well. Well today I have managed to do nothing particularly important. And I didn't even do it very well.

Sometimes you just have to write the day off and start over tomorrow.

Trouble is, it's only 2:00 pm.

The Tremendous Loss of Buzz Wilson

The following is important to me because it shows how living a good life, full of generosity is so rewarding. By helping others you feed your soul. His generosity of spirit was uncommon, and to lose a person with those qualities is a loss greater than the obvious physical and emotional void. It's a loss of humanity. He will be deeply missed.

Founder of the Traverse City Film Festival, Michael Moore writes:

It is with the deepest regret that I tell you of the passing of our good friend, Buzz Wilson. Buzz died unexpectedly on Monday on the beach of Lake Michigan, a place he truly loved.

I first heard of Buzz Wilson when Deb told me a few years ago that someone had just offered to sponsor the nine films for which we had no sponsor. They were the "difficult" films -- controversial, experimental, or forgotten: a film where Kevin Bacon played a pedophile released from prison, a documentary that questioned the Christian Right, a Stanley Kubrick classic that remains banned in some countries to this day.

Buzz just called up and said, "I'll sponsor all of the films that don't have a sponsor." And he continued to do that each year. He was a big believer in the First Amendment and he knew the importance of never backing down in the face of censorship, bigotry, or fear.

I need to tell you that there were moments early on when I asked myself if it was worth all the trouble -- the initial opposition to the festival, the "counter-fest," etc. After all, I came up here to live in peace and quiet, to have a place separate from the more public life I live. Then I undertook a grueling two-year-plus negotiation/pleading/cajoling with Rotary Charities to take a leap of faith on the Guy from Flint, to allow me to re-open the State Theatre for the community. At the Ciccone's opening festival party for sponsors in 2006, I asked one person -- one "angel" -- to please step forward so we could re-open the State. And one person came forward. Buzz Wilson.

But Rotary still wasn't convinced, the talks dragged on, and I went off to make my movie. It wasn't until Buzz Wilson asked to speak to them privately that things turned around. As a Rotarian for many years, he knew what assurances they needed and they responded positively. Within weeks, we sealed the deal.

There were a few times when I wanted to say, "Forget this. Who needs the grief?" And there was one man who wouldn't let that happen. He kept his eyes on the prize, he believed that right would prevail -- and within months after Buzz got involved, the State Theatre was open again! He oversaw its entire construction with me. He wrote checks, he supplied workers from his business, he sent over the materials we needed. I'd say, "How 'bout a balcony?" and he'd say, "Done!" I am convinced there would be no State Theatre -- and no sponsors for the truly provocative, edgy films at the festival -- if it weren't for Buzz.

For a 67-year-old guy, Buzz played heavy metal music louder than anyone I know. I hadn't yet told him of the big heavy metal surprise we were going to announce for the festival this Friday. I was so looking forward to getting him up on stage with one of the great original metal bands in a few weeks, right there in the auditorium of Central Grade School!

And after of all his months and years of work on the festival and the State, for him not to see our first film fest that will take place in the new State Theatre, it only deepens the sadness I feel tonight.

Buzz has suffered for many years from Parkinson's, a disease he often said had a chance of being cured through stem cell research. Last year, Buzz and I were at dinner with his wife, and good friends, Thom and Becky. He told us how hopeful he was on election night 2000 when it was announced that Gore (who supported stem cell research) had won. "I went to bed thinking, 'I'm going to get to live.' When I woke up and heard that Bush had won, I realized my death sentence had been sealed." Upon hearing this, tears came to my eyes. I was now face to face with the results of decisions I made back in 2000. I told him how sorry I was. He would have none of it. I won't repeat his comments here; let's just say the man respected those who stand up for what they believe in, and he was a living example of that to all who encountered him.

I last saw Buzz a week or so ago when his 1949 Packard Woody stalled outside the State Theatre. I went outside and pushed the car down Front St. with Thom and a few others, Buzz behind the wheel, until it finally started. As he drove off, the people dining outside at Amical gave him a spontaneous round of applause, and I gave him a wave, never thinking it would be the last time I would see him. Monday morning, just hours before he passed away, he was at the State, working on the sprinkler system we would soon put in. Yeah, he was paying for that, too. "I'll take care of that," was his mantra.

Buzz had a wonderful wife, and three grown sons he adored -- He didn't know how much longer he would have in this life, but he knew he had lived it fully and without regrets, and he will continue to be an inspiration to all who knew him.

I'm sorry I never got to sit and watch "2001: A Space Odyssey" with him. He wanted to watch "Spartacus" at the State with me. It didn't happen. I will never forget Buzz Wilson, and we as a community are better, much better, for having been graced by his presence.

Yours,
Michael Moore

P.S. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that people make a contribution to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. I would also ask that people contribute to the ballot initiative this fall that would allow stem cell research in Michigan. Buzz was thrilled that the public will finally be able to vote on it. And we will plan a celebration of Buzz's life in the State Theatre sometime soon, in conjunction with his family.

Back Up North for the Summer

Working from paradise this summer. In more ways than one. R is with us for the whole summer, which hasn't happened for a few year in a row. That means camping and beach trips and hikes.

How the heck am I supposed to get anything done?! Somehow he worked into his contract that should he decide to come back, he wanted the whole summer off. Naturally this ginormous corporation that he works for said,

"You can't have the whole summer off, in the middle of production!"
R: "Then I'm not coming back."
GiantCo: "You HAVE to come back!"
R: "Then give me the summer off."
GiantCo: "You can't have the summer off!"
R: "Then I'm not coming back."
GiantCo: "You HAVE to come back!"
R: "Then give me the summer off."
GiantCo: "You can't have the summer off!"
R: "Then I'm not coming back."

Yeah and it went on like that for a little while. R was in a nifty position of not really needing the GiantCo job but wanting to work on the project, but REALLY wanting to go Up North for the summer since he had missed out on that too many years in a row. Obviously he was not getting anywhere with GiantCo so he hired an agent. He had wanted to get one to negotiate higher pay anyway... Next thing we know there is a contract with a pay raise and time off from June 15 until August 18th.

What the?! Ok, so the agent is worth her 10%, which is the increase she managed to get him.

What's the moral of my story? Well I didn't start this post with the intention of finding a moral, in fact when I sat down I didn't even have an idea of what I was going to chat with you about, but I did had a few nice pics I wanted to post.

The moral I guess would be, if you aren't getting anywhere with a tactic you are employing, switch it up. Bring in some heavy guns or try another angle. Just saying you are doing something isn't the same as actually doing it.

Now go have a terrific day.

So you have a great idea... Now what?

Great inventions come from inspiration. You have done the first step, which is to look around for people who might know how to do the parts of the process that you don't. Or gather information to arm yourself for what lies ahead.

Your first step would be to get a prototype made. I would try here in the US. China is fantastic in helping with development but I say "in the US" because the communication and information turnaround is much faster during the development stage. I have never used them but there is a company called Pattern Design Unlimited.

Check out their website. They are a full service development company from what I gather. They would be able to work with you to get your prototype made. Once you have that, looking for a good manufacturer is next. Stateside... $$ but smaller runs... Overseas... more cost effective per unit but much higher volume, bigger runs.

I would recommend you shop your prototype around to specific stores that would buy it, before you go producing it. Tradeshows are where buyers go to find new products. Do some searching on the internet for specific tradeshows that would be a good fit for your product. Then you would contact the shows as a potential exhibitor and show your product there, by paying for booth space and setting up a display. Tradeshows are great because all the buyers from everywhere come to you.

Or you could try to get a sales rep who already carries other silimilar products like yours, to add your item to their stuff. They take a commission (10%) but it saves you tradeshow expenses and they already have client relationships with buyers, so that is a good route.

The internet is your key to finding a rep and tradeshows to expose your product. I would have at least $50,000 set aside to properly develop and pitch your idea. That does not include production costs. That is start-up and marketing, so you can create materials to go with the product (brochure, business cards, product brand name registration, patent (if applicable)? Consider setting up a limited liability company to protect yourself from liability resulting from product usage etc.

Think of the product as a small piece to a bigger puzzle. If you are serious about investing in your idea, it's not just about developing a product, but also about what to do with it once you have it. Development can be expensive and it would be a waste of time and money to create something without also considering what you will do with it once it's created, in order to get a return on that investment.

Good luck with it! And don't forget to have fun!

How To Deliver Effective Presentations

"O, it offends me to the soul, to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters..."
William Shakespeare: Hamlet - Act 3, Scene 2

Giving presentations to audiences, large or small, can be a daunting and anxiety-ridden task. You’re going to be in front of a group of people, some you may know, some may be total strangers. You’re on stage, all eyes are on you, the audience has high expectations or they wouldn’t be there. Every word, every nuance, your appearance, the tone of your voice, not to mention the content of your presentation, will be scrutinized in every way. You know what you want to say – you know the material – but there’s that nagging feeling that you’ll say the wrong thing or you’ll have a spot on your suit or there will be some errant distraction.
Business presentations take many forms. Some are extremely formal with highly detailed information… how do you make sure the audience doesn’t get lost in the detail and focuses on the overall message? Some are informal and the difficulty is controlling the cross-talk. What about the technical aspects? What will you do if the projector goes out; do you have a backup plan? The outcome you want is that when the audience leaves, they will remember the information and be impressed with the overall presentation. These steps offer some guidelines on how to accomplish that purpose.

Steps

1. Know your audience and understand its perspective. Whether your goal is persuasion, or simply to inform, you need to understand your audience, its level of expertise and how your message will resonate. Crafting a presentation for a group of high school interns would be very different compared to an executive report to management, pitching a sales idea, or addressing a hostile audience about why the company needs to cut benefits.
   
2. Research thoroughly. You absolutely must be an expert on the subject. Okay, you don’t have to be the world’s leading authority, but you have to know the critical facts as well as much of the little-known information. Just talking about things everybody already knows is a recipe for boredom. It’s not at all unusual to spend weeks, or months, getting the facts, alternate opinions and comments from reputable sources as well as what the general community may think.
   
3. Document your sources. Where you get your information is as important as the information itself. Without solid, peer-reviewed data, you’re just a person with an opinion. The audience, in this exercise, is expecting facts and projections. Your personal opinion may very well be important but it must not be the only thing you present. You won’t be listing the sources ad nauseum (you will bore them silly) but you do want to be able to give citations when asked.
   
4. Write your speech. Off-the-cuff talks are fine if you’re on a soap box in a park. In a large room with hundreds of attendees, you just can’t afford that. You might not exactly "read" the speech, but that’s certainly not uncommon, especially if you’re going to be using a teleprompter. Print the speech in large print so you can easily see it at a glance without appearing to read from it. You want to give the appearance of talking to the audience instead of reading to them, but you also want the words and phrases to be precise and predetermined.
   
5. Prepare the slide show. If you're going to use a slide show, the visuals you will show to the audience need to be designed to support what you’re saying. Avoid showing a slide that has an inordinate amount of detail – the visuals are for impact. A spreadsheet with dozens of rows and columns will be basically meaningless. Titles on the slide should reflect the content of the slide and support what you’re saying. Do not read the slide! Assume the audience can read. The visuals should support your words, not duplicate them. There are very few things you can do that will have a worse impact than reading what the audience can read on their own. If all you’re going to do is put up slides and repeat what’s on them, then they don’t need you.
   
   • PowerPoint slides, overhead projectors, blackboards, and whiteboards are "visual aids" and should be treated as such. First, they should be visual, focusing on graphics, illustrations and plots rather than text. If your slides contain large blocks of text--or even a few sentences in bullet points--your audience will spend their time reading instead of focusing on you and the points you want to draw attention to. Second, they should be aids--don't rely on the slides to make the presentation for you. Your speech should have more content than the slides.
     
   • Don't pack slides too densely. If you put too much information up at once, the audience will lose focus.
     
   • Don't use too many flashy graphics and animations. They distract attention from the information content of the slides--and they will distract attention away from you, the speaker, and what you are saying.
     
   • Time your presentation to fit the information. If there is a time limit, be sure you stick to it including time for questions, if that is planned. It is better to pare down the material rather than to rush through it more quickly. Time your visuals to coincide with your speech. Avoid unnecessary or redundant slides such as outlines that describe the presentation to follow.
     
   • If you have more material than you can fit in the time limit, push that material onto "extra" slides after the end of your presentation. Those slides might come in handy if, during Q&A, someone asks you for more detail. Then, you will look extra-well-prepared!
     
   • Make sure the color schemes of slides are appropriate for the presentation venue. In some situations, dark text on a light background looks best, while sometimes light text on a dark background is easier to read. You might even prepare a version of your presentation in both formats just in case.
     
   
   
6. Rehearse alone. Do this repeatedly. Read your speech and watch your presentation dozens of times. This needs to be so familiar to you that you know what slide is next; what you’re going to say about each one, how you will segue between slides… this must be second nature to you. When you begin to get completely bored with doing this and you know it by rote, then you’re ready for the next step.
   
7. Do a dress rehearsal. Enlist some people that you trust to give honest opinions. These should be people that are reasonably representative of your expected audience. Give them the whole presentation. Have them make notes during the rehearsal – where are you confusing; what is particularly good? Have them also concentrate on you: Are you moving around too much; too little? You don’t want to appear "hyper" but you also don’t want to come across as a monotone statue.
   
8. Tweak the presentation. Take what you learned in the dress rehearsal and make modifications. Try to put yourself in the audience when you do this. What will they hear when the slides are on the screen?
   
9. Prepare yourself. So far, the steps have all been about preparing your presentation. Now, it’s time to think about you. Unless you do this for a living, you’re going to be nervous. Do some visual imagery of yourself in front of the crowd; doing a perfect job; getting applause, oohs and aahs. Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and go over the presentation, imagine yourself being completely in control without any stumbling. This is a very, very important step. Professional athletes use this virtually every time before they go out to perform. It’s a proven technique.[1][2] Use it. You should also be doing this immediately before you go on stage.
   
10. Introduce the presentation. You’ve done a great job preparing, you know the material, you’ve rehearsed, you’ve visualized perfection – in short, you’re ready. One of the very important things to which you must pay close attention is your physical demeanor. You don't want to look too stiff, and you don't want to look too casual. You should have already gotten the right stance and movement in your dress rehearsal.
    
11. Present the material. Obviously, this is the meat of the subject. Remember you are the expert. Also remember… you will be nervous. How to avoid "stage fright" varies from person to person (you have heard the "imagine them in their underwear") but one serious tip is to use eye contact. Present to one person – then another – then another. Don’t think of it as a large crowd… you’re talking to one person at a time. Remember that YOU are the presentation.
    
12. Question and answer. This is optional, but can be an important way to clarify key points and be certain that your audience received your message. How to do a Q&A session is worthy of an article in itself but there are a few things you should consider.
    
    • You must be in control. Some questions will undoubtedly be less than friendly. When you get those, answer them factually and move on. Just don’t call on that person again.
      
    • You also might get "soft" questions that don’t really ask anything new – be careful with those. They’re easy and don’t deserve a lot of time. Don’t dismiss them or brush them off, but don’t spend too much time rehashing what you’ve already said. Answer factually, bring in some new information, then move on.
      
    • Open the QA with, "before I close, are there any questions". This allows for a strong close and not a presentation that withers away with poor audience participation.
      
    • When you get a question, first repeat the question to the audience so everyone can hear it, then proceed to answer.
      
    • Take a few seconds to formulate a clear answer before replying to a question. Failing to do so can lead to wandering or vague responses that do not reflect well on you as a speaker.
      
    
    
13. Exit the stage. Thank everyone for their attention, tell them the presentation is available in printed form. If you will be available for personal consultation, make sure you mention that. Don’t spend a lot of time in the exit; you’re finished – exit graciously.
    

Small Group Events
The previous steps are oriented primarily towards more formal presentations. In a less formal setting, consider the following:

• Remember adults are self-directed. You are a facilitator and not a grade school teacher.
  

• Ask your audience to share their experiences with the group; adults need to connect learning to their knowledge base.
  

• Help your audience see the importance of your topic to their work. Adults are goal-oriented and will appreciate an educational program that is organized and has clearly defined elements.
  

• Remember to show your audience respect. They bring a wealth of experiential knowledge to your presentation and will, if allowed, contribute richly to it.
  

• Control the cross-talk. In these evironments you can lose control of the presentation if you do not maintain the focus of the audience. This does not mean adopting Draconian-style dictatorship, but do make sure everyone is aware that you are the presenter and keep control of the other participants.
  

Tips

• Dress for the event. Plan what you’ll wear and lay it out the night before. Is it formal dress; business casual; jeans and t-shirt? What you wear depends in part on the audience and in part on the material. Whatever you wear, make sure it’s clean and looks nice on you. Clothes that are too tight or too loose for your body shape will distract the audience from your presentation. You want them concentrating on the material – not how you look. Avoid clothing with distracting designs, as listeners may go on more "mental vacations" and miss important aspects of the presentation.
  
• Walk as you talk. Move around a bit, but not so much as to be distracting. Your movements and body language can evoke interest, reinforce the emotions of your stories and punctuate a change of pace or topic.
  
• Prepare handouts. You will want printed copies of the slides, and perhaps notes, to be available to the audience… after the presentation is over. You can also use these as a backup to hand out in case the technology you’re using fails. If the projector goes out, you can quickly distribute the printed material.
  
• If you stumble. Recover and move on. Don’t dwell on that. It’s perfectly OK to correct yourself, but don’t focus on it. Don’t try to turn it into a joke – just account for the error (if necessary) and proceed as though it didn’t happen. Focus on the present and the future – not the past.
  
• You might start with a humorous anecdote. If you do this, be very sure you try this on your dress rehearsal group and pay attention to their feedback. This often works to get the audience, and you, relaxed. But if you bomb on the joke, it will take time to recover.
  
• If appropriate, honor some attendees by name. Cite individual audience members by name as positive examples of the points you are making. Interview the meeting planner well in advance, sharing your main points and gathering examples that involve people in the planned audience. If you do this, make sure you pronounce the names correctly.
  
• If the audience will be seeing multiple presentations in one session, focus on what your audience should remember most from your presentation.
  
• On bullet slides, set up the slide to start blank and to add bullets one by one only after a mouse click. Dim (gray) the previous bullets that you've already covered, so only the new bullet is highlighted. Having a slide full of bullet items in front of the audience is an invitation for them to read ahead or get distracted by re-reading old material, instead of listening to you. By dimming the previous bullets, they're still readable should someone (or you!) need to refer back, but they're also "in the background" enough to direct the focus onto the current bullet.
  
• Confidence! It's the magical charm that makes others want to listen. If you've followed the steps so far, everything will be fine with nothing to worry about. So look straight at your audience members, speak clearly and keep the pace of the presentation.
  

Warnings

• Do not hand out the presentation in advance. This is a very, very common mistake. If you do that, the audience will read and not watch. You will lose their attention and the impact will be gone.
  
• Strictly avoid "pause" words. "Um" or "uh" are things you must avoid. A pause is better than an inappropriate conjunctive. When used appropriately, pauses can be highly effective. Winston Churchill was supposed to be famous for dramatically pausing during speeches, then blurting out what he would have said anyway, giving the audience an impression that the phrase had just occurred to him.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Speak Confidently in Public
  
• How to Be a Great Speaker
  
• How to Give a Speech
  
• How to Improve Your Speaking Voice
  
• How to Lead a Discussion
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-19990501-000018.html


2. ↑ http://healthjournal.upmc.com/0405/MentalTraining.htm

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Deliver Effective Presentations. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Find a Manufacturer

I found an exciting link this morning that I wanted to let you know about.

I make absolutely NO guarantee of the quality of the facilities listed but man, what a great resource for finding a manufacturer!

The Export Bureau

The great thing about it is it gives you a terrific selection of companies in every category from all over the world and provides some info on each company. If you click on the tiny bar graph to the left of each company name it gives you a breakdown of what the company does so you can see if they are just private label or of they design from specs or what.

It appears to be a non-biased, not for profit group. Bonus. I have not confirmed or researched it though, I just found it and hastily posted the link, perhaps exposing you to fraudulent rubes and thieves.

You're welcome. (read: Tengas muy cuidado!)

And as a complete non-sequetor, here is a new picture of Mr. Bubbles cause he is just so darn cute. Do I have time for another pet? No. But here we are Wobert.*



* Edna Mode said that in "The Incredibles". We use it all the time. :o)

I'm off to somewhere to find a pressie for the hubster. Our 14 year anniversary is tomorrow.

Have a lovely day.

Holy Time Warp Bat Man

I guess I had a busy March. Last I looked up it was, well, what I thought was two weeks since my last post.

HA!

But the dated blog post doesn't lie. So, how was your March? I know in Michigan, March is downright miserable. Folks are tired of being cooped up. The weather teases you with shades of spring then dumps more freezing rain on your hopes and dreams of sun and fun. Here in So Cal however, I must say March is grand. Trees budding and flowers poking up in places.
I had several shows in March. One in NY and one in the Bay Area. They went ok, considering no one is spending due to all their money ending up in their gas tanks. I'm thankful I drive a hybrid.

Here is a new addition to our family... Yep, It's a pig. And yes, he will be a city pig.
His name:

Mr. Cobra Bubbles

Understanding the Core of Strategic Partnerships

The definition of a strategic partnership is "a formal alliance between two commercial enterprises, usually formalized by one or more business contracts, but falls short of forming a legal partnership or, agency, or corporate affiliate relationship."

Whew! Does it really have to be that hard? Absolutely not. You form strategic partnerships all the time without even realizing it. A strategic partnership simply takes the resources that a person or company has to offer and combines them with the equally valuable, but differing resources of another person or company in order to save time, money or energy - or all of the above.

The easy analogy of strategic partnerships

Have you ever borrowed something from someone? A power tool, a ladder, something you didn't have, that you didn't necessarily want to spend your time and resources to acquire because you weren't sure that you would need to use the item often? Well, that's a simplified form of a strategic alliance. Your neighbor provided you with a resource that you didn't have and didn't necessarily want to acquire. Chances are you'll reciprocate in some fashion at some point in time.

Typically, when two companies form a strategic partnership, each business has a particular asset that the other company doesn't want to spend the time and energy to develop for themselves. For instance, manufacturing companies form strategic alliances with inventors. The manufacturer provides the product materials, production, and distribution. The inventor provides the creative or technical expertise. Normally, it's a win-win situation for both parties because it saves them time and money, while allowing each party to focus on what they do best.

Finding a strategic partnership balance

Strategic partnerships are often seen in between companies who are in the same industry, but who are not in direct competition. A small car dealer may develop a strategic alliance or partnership with bank who can offer financing to the dealer's customers. The dealer wins because he doesn't need to be licensed for loans, but he can service his customers and sell cars. The bank wins because they are being sent customers that they didn't have to solicit.

Think about service and product providers in your industry who are not in direct competition with your business. Who offers a product or service that could be beneficial to your business that you do not have the time or resources to develop? What would be an area of your business that could be beneficial to them?

In one example, a marketing company that specializes in strategy developed a strategic alliance with a graphic design firm because they included collateral development as part of their strategy. However, the marketing company did not want to develop a design department. They felt it wouldn't be cost-effective given their strategic niche. The design firm often had people looking for a more comprehensive marketing plan than what they chose to offer. Obviously, this was a strategic partnership that worked well for both companies.

Take a look at your business and begin to think about areas that are not your focus, but for which you continually hear requests. Now, take a look and find a company that services that area. You may need to "try out" a company or two before you find the right fit, but when you do, it will have been worth the time and effort.

Here is a great link to a specialist in joint ventures.

---

Christian Fea is a Collaboration Marketing Strategist. He empowers business owners to discover how to implement Integration, Alliance, and Joint Ventures marketing tactics to solve their specific business challenges. He demonstrates how you can create your own Collaboration Marketing Strategy to increase your new sales, conversation rates, and repeat business. He can be reached at: http://www.christianfea.com

Copyright © 2008 Christian Fea

It Pays to Poke Around

Good morning my cheeky monkeys. (I love Craig Ferguson)

A friend of mine sent me a link in an email to "click here and join this website and we will plant a tree". Well I clicked, just to be a good friend but then it started asking me my personal info and I'm thinking, "hang on a second, what am I signing up for and how much junk mail will this mean. I don't need any more male member enhancing advertising sent to my obviously female named address..." So the clicking quest stopped there.

The main problem is that my friend had sent the link to my main e-mail address which happens to be the one I use for business. I have had to kill my main address before due to spam and it was a nightmare because it was on all my business cards. And Amex sent me $800 in chargebacks for fraudulent internet orders because I never answered their inquiries because I forgot to update my contact info with them after killing that e-mail even though I implemented redirecting autoresponders and mail forwarding for over a year! OUCH!

Mid-Story Moral: Have a different address than your main business contact, for personal e-mail!! DUH!

I digress... So I didn't sign up for this site from that e-mail, BUT I did go to that website directly. The website is called Mamasource.com. I liked the name and thought there might be something to it.

Boy am I glad I went in search of. This is a terrific site. One of the best things I like about it is it connects local people. All the moms asking for advise are right here in the city I registered as mine so it has a very local flavor. I was surprised how many responses post so rapidly from many qualified, intelligent people. People post a concern or question and get an onslaught of advise and comments very rapidly. What a fantastic resource.

I'm trying to think of something I want advise on so I can post in that capacity. In the meantime I'm enjoying my daily, brief newsletter and browsing people's questions. Some, I lend advise to and others I just look forward to reading what other folks have to say. It's a very inspiring and encouraging community. I also listed my business, since I'm a mompreneur and business owner and they naturally support that kind of thing.

Do yourself a favor and check out Mamasource! It's also on my side bar.

Carry on my cheeky monkeys.

Qualities Required to Start Your Own Business

A lack of skill, ability and experience in certain business areas need not be a barrier to success and starting your own business. The personal qualities exerted by a small business owner overcoming deficiencies over and over again are vital and present in many entrepreneurs much more so that specific technical knowledge.

Not everyone is a master of all business attributes in fact very few are. Certainly being a master of all is a fantastic position but unrealistic while certain personal qualities are essential to fight the inevitable battles to come. Business battles the successful entrepreneur wins.

Businesses that have grown and become medium sized and bigger are not reliant on the business owner entirely. Employees are engaged with specialist skills and abilities to develop and grow the business. A sole trader just starting out has to settle for a comfortable living or have the ability to grow the business to the point where more specialist abilities can be added to the business.

Most small business owners who start a new business do so in an area where that small business owner has some knowledge, experience and skill. It is a natural progression having acquired the business knowledge and experience to use those abilities to build the business under self employment rules rather than earn profits for an employer.

The personal qualities a small business owner possesses are more likely to determine the level of success. Abilities such as hard work, determination, persistence, intuition, tolerance and aggression can be the bedrock of success. But the road to success is not all slam wham bang for the entrepreneur.

Small business owners invariably work longer and harder than employees. An employee works for wages and an adequate work performance is enough. A small business owner is more likely to be on the job at first light, miss the coffee and dinner break and twelve hours later announce he has to finish off for the day because he has to go home and do the business accounting books that he started on Sunday.

Determination and persistence go hand in glove with success. Every new business runs into problems at some time or reaches a stage where the business owner needs to be completely focused and stick with a strategy to make the plans work. Things go wrong from time to time; its normal, determination and persistence are valuable qualities to see through these times.

Aggression in forcing through a business plan may sometimes be the only viable option. Not physical violence but the heightened state of anxiety to push through the plan and make it work with controlled aggression and passion. On the other side of the coin there will be times when the small business owner has to exercise tolerance and just go with the flow.

Many small start up businesses go out of business within 2 to 3 years of starting a new business. A major cause is under capitalisation which basically means they run out of money. Liquidity is a major area of concern for every small business entrepreneur and a cautious approach to a new business can be of considerable value.

There is a strong tendency for a new business start up to borrow money and buy new equipment just to get started. Such businesses are taking a major risk the plans will work. Some plans do work but rarely it is a smooth path and a better option is to build the business and reinvest profits made.

A more cautious approach would be to start a new business without borrowing substantial funds because if the small business owner has the ability to make a success of the business and make money then they can usually do so without external funding and use the profits made to build the business in the future. The sound reason for a small business or a start up business to borrow money is to already be showing a good financial performance and use extra funds to speed up future success while borrowing funds with no track record is a gamble.

Here is a good source for accounting and payroll!

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Terry Cartwright, DIY Accounting qualified accountant designs Small Business Accounting Software on excel spreadsheets and Payroll Software for small to medium sized business providing a complete accounting and bookkeeping solution and also supplies Company Formation packages for new limited liability companies

Shipping Ports

Who knows what kind of readers that heading will pull in. Organized crime bosses, kingpins, oh hey, maybe first time manufacturers struggling to make sense of it all.

I was scared to death of importing when I got started. How was I supposed to master the container shipping industry and import tariffs and dockside management and and and... I just want to design baby clothes!

DELEGATE - and I don't mean the presidential kind... find someone who knows how to do a specialized service you need and PAY THEM to do it for you. You actually save money by spending it. With that attitude I should work for the Federal Reserve. I'm not republican but at first glance, I kinda like Huckabee's idea of doing away with income tax and replacing it with a 23% national sales tax. Tax on what you spend, not what you earn. I'm sure there is a way to easily corrupt it and the rich get richer and poor get the shaft, just like any idea that starts out as a nice thing... oh that's just me being an optimist...

But I digress... FedEx holds my import bond and they do everything for me, door to door. It's lovely. The reason for this shipping port post, quickly before I endure the masses of Los Angeles County at Costco, which is an unfortunate but necessary trip I must make this morning, is because I was in Long Beach yesterday and I saw where my goods come in when they arrive from China. Grizzly shipping dock by day, seedy shipping dock by night but awfully pretty at sunset.

So they make their way here via LCL in a 20' container shared with who knows what else. LCL meaning Less Than Container Load. It's much more cost effective but more risky because if someone else's goods, with whom you are sharing the container, runs into problems, your shipment can be held up indefinitely. And you generally can't pick your container roommates. Logistically it's complicated.

Then the goods get off loaded and put on a train and rail across the US to Detroit where they are put on a truck that takes them to the warehouse in MI. And all that happens with one phone call. Then an e-mail that tells me the goods have been checked in. Ahhhh efficiency. It's yummy!

Even though we are now out in Los Angeles... 35 minutes from where the goods arrive, it is more cost effective to truck them around, house them and drop ship from the Midwest.

But why, you ask? But how? Well insurance is very reasonable as there are no natural disasters there. The zip code they reside in is a benefit because there is virtually no crime. And they are centrally located so it is cheaper to ship to all places from the middle than to every place from one coast or another. Plus we have a house in the dreamy little town where the warehouse is and we can write off our visits... SO THERE.



The container cranes through a porthole cause I'm artsy-fartsy.

The lovely town of Long Beach... home of the Queen Mary

And NO Time Life Magazine, you may not use this picture without paying me huge royalties that will help fund my company... You can look at it but you can't have it. :-) It made me all patriotic and stuff.


Off to Costco... Wish me luck.

Seize the moment

Ya know when someone suggests something and you think,
"Oh I really SHOULD do that but I just don't feel like it?" or
"That sounds like fun but it just seems like too much trouble."

Well, I suffer from this kind of thinking. Luckily my hubby just says, "Come on, we are doing this." And I drag along until I get with the program. If this sounds like you, do your best to find the energy to experience what is in front of you.

If I hadn't climbed to the top of the peak (which is something I only half wanted to do) I would have missed this view.

Now that would have been a pity!



This is Lake Tahoe. Not a bad place to grow up.

Have a great day!

Happy Holidays

Moving weeks/days before Christmas is something we have done for two years in a row. I'm very glad to be in a new house with more room but it makes the normal Christmas groove a little challenging.

Luckily our kids don't seem to notice. We have the Las Vegas, all white Christmas tree up, half decorated. But hey, we are going up north for Christmas week anyway. Ya know, when you are spinning burning plates at both ends in the air things get re-prioritized.

Hu?

One bit of holiday advice I have for you is:

DON'T IGNORE THE WRENCH!

Our 2006 Honda hybrid had the little orange wrench show up on the dash board. This means something needs attention. We knew that the oil needed to be changed so we assumed that was the problem and just kept driving around for a day or two... then we began lurching around the neighborhood floored, going 4 miles an hour. Even with my hazards on because my hamster powered car was OBVIOUSLY having "issues" people were honking at me and swerving around me like I was some kind of hundred year old Sunday driver from Pokipsy.

I'm quite sure being behind me was like following a street sweeper being driven by someone who was reading the paper while talking on the phone between bites of a big mac but Jeeze people! I honestly could not go any faster. Eventually we rolled backwards into a parking place, engine dead. 8:00pm on a school night, two kids in the back seat, one coming down with a cold, the other asking, "Is the car dead? What happened? Will we have to get a new one? Idon'twanttowalkhomeWhenarewegoingtoeatMomI'mhungryIsthecarok
IwantnoodlesWhenarewegoinghomeArewegoingouttoeatI'mcoldIhavetogopee

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

I figured since it was a hybrid and the assist battery gage was gone, just plain empty, that it was a battery thing. And not the kind you can jump and get on your way... But the expensive kind. The hybrid kind.

I kept saying, "In a normal car, it feels like the carburetor isn't getting any gas, likes it's a clogged fuel filter." My main point of reference being our "other" car, my 1971 Volkswagon bug that was a birthday present for my 16th birthday. Now THAT car I expect to break.

But you pop the hood on the hybrid half expecting to find Tinker Bell and her friends sprinkling fairy dust in there and it just mysteriously running... the engine doesn't even turn over when you start it, it just kind of - goes on - then hums, does not ever shift gears, the engine completely stops when you slow down but kicks in when you take your foot off the break. That's NORMAL operation so how the hell was I supposed to know what the wrench stood for? What on earth could go wrong with the magic-mobile? Was Tink caught in a fan belt? Did it even have a fan? Or a belt?

Well apparently it does have a fuel pump, JUST like one of them regular type cars! ... and a faulty fuel pump at that. Just like a regular car. So much for my romantic, exotic manifestation of some new fangled Jetsonesque repair. Sigh.

So the kids and I took a taxi home while R dealt with the car.

So when your little wrench goes on in the dashboard of life, don't ignore it or it will likely bite you in the butt at a most inconvenient time.

That reminds me, I need to make an appointment for a physical.

Have a very happy holiday.

Here is a link to a fantastic post by Mamanista.com. They offered Stylease as a contest prize. I love seeing which outfits people liked best. I will make a note of it when designing the next line. Thanks Mamanista!!!

http://www.mamanista.com/2007

Why Trying to Fit In Doesn't Work

With the holiday season upon us, and the stress some are faced with, yet again this year, just like every year... dealing with the in-laws or long lost crazy uncle, being forced together to have a happy holiday season, let's face it... It's a stressful time of year. But it shouldn't be! I have a little story for you...

I've been taking voice lessons on and off for the past couple of years. In my last lesson, I was having some trouble. I just wasn't singing well. I wasn't hitting the right notes and my timing was off. I was annoyed with myself and my frustration was building. Finally, my voice teacher said to me, "Stop thinking, stop trying so hard, and just sing." So I did.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let go. Suddenly I was singing again, and sounding great. Afterwards, it occurred to me that I was just trying too hard.

I was trying to hit the right notes,
trying to breathe in the right places,
trying to project my voice...
I was caving under the pressure.

But once I stopped trying so hard and started trusting myself, the pressure went away. My performance improved greatly, I felt relaxed, and I had fun.

If you're trying really hard to live life the way you're "supposed" to, then chances are you're stressed out, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Stop trying to fit in and start embracing your differences. Trust yourself and do what works for you, not what works for everyone else. Some examples include:

* Feeling comfortable taking care of yourself, even if that means saying "no" to people or taking a day off just to relax

* Doing whatever it is you have to do in order to pay attention, even if that means doodling in a meeting

* Organizing yourself in ways that are comfortable for you, even if that means being a little disorganized compared to most people's standards

* Refusing to stress out about the little things, even if that means running a few minutes late sometimes

Don't try to be good at everything. Don't try to conform to other people's standards. Set your own principals and standards and stick to them for you, not someone else.

Success isn't all about money and material gains. It's about feeling comfortable being yourself, and finding solutions to your challenges on your own terms. It's about enjoying your life, and having confidence in yourself.

Most entrepreneurs aren't afraid to be the "odd one out" because they know that following other people's rules doesn't always work. It leads to stress, frustration, anxiety, and pressure. Breaking those rules and making your own is sometimes a much better fit.

Wouldn't you rather be happy and successful than waste energy trying to fit in?

So go ahead and let your relative attempt to guilt you about whatever their hang-ups are... how you aren't good enough for your spouse or you don't cook right or whatever... They're going to do it anyway. Bring it on. If you refuse to let their standards be imposed upon you, then *POOF* no worries. Once you don't let them get to you, it's kinda fun to watch them try.

Here is a good book if you suffer from a little "Trying to Fit In Syndrome"... Apparently some adults with ADD are especially vulnerable to this. Even if you don't have ADD, most of us have so much crammed into our brain that sometimes it's a challenge to stay organized and prioritize what's important. And that is taking care of yourself.

If you don't have much cluttering your gray matter, congratulations! What's that like?!

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Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder of the ADD Management Group, Inc. and the author of the new book Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD. Jennifer and her team work with ADD adults who are overwhelmed with everyday life in order to help them simplify, focus, and succeed. For free resources and information on adult ADD, visit http://www.ADDmanagement.com .

Setting SMART Goals

Happy November!

We all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different outcome. So if you resolve to re-commit to any unfulfilled goal (lose 10 pounds, quit smoking, find a new job, etc.), I have some suggestions for taking the struggle out of the process.

Write your goals down. You can write them in your journal, in your Palm Pilot, or on a cocktail napkin. The physical act of writing anything down commands that “Google search engine” that is your subconscious mind to attract resources, information, anything you need to attain that goal. Further, as soon as you attain one goal, create another. Keep a constant “Things to Do List” for your life.

When writing your goals down, make them SMART:

Specific and Simple. The subconscious, which is where all behavior comes from, needs clarity and precision. Broad goals such as “I will be happier in 2006” are too vague. Ask yourself what specifically would make you happier? A new career? Make that your goal. The subconscious is a doer, not a thinker, and it must receive the bottom line, crystal clear bulleted targets: “I’m enrolling in law school.” Or I’m being promoted to vice president.” Or “I’m becoming a non-smoker.” Don’t flood the engine of the subconscious with TMI (too much information) such as complex business plans and financial projections from the data processing department.

Measurable and Meaningful. How will you know when you’ve gotten your goal? Make it easy for your subconscious to help you attain your goal. “I’m making $250,000 this year.” “I’m doubling my sales quotas.” These are “idiot proof” measures that anyone (including your subconscious) can recognize and applaud.

Your goals should be meaningful to you. I can’t tell you how many people think they have no willpower or that they constantly self-sabotage. Actually, at the root of it all, they simply don’t want that goal. Perhaps they keep failing the Bar Exam because they really don’t want to be an attorney…they’ve been trying to please their parents, or someone else. Make sure your goals are in line with YOUR dreams, because it will show up in your work, in your health, in your heart, in your face, and in your life.

Achievable. All Areas of your Life. Act as if you have it now.

There is no point in chasing after a goal that is unachievable (although with quantum physics, the unachievable is beginning to be a thing of the past). It’s an unachievable goal for President George W. Bush to hold a third term. (Thank God!) There are certain professional standards and limitations that we must honor, and allow them to guide us setting our goals.

Act as if you have it now, and it is simply a matter of time before it becomes reality. This is not delusion …unless of course you are constantly affirming that you are the Queen of England. You begin calling yourself to a higher level, clearing fears and obstacles out of your way, and summoning all the forces of the environment to fall in line with the new you. It is rehearsal. It’s training your subconscious to draw its attention to your goal to manifest it. You will be shocked and amazed at how many “coincidences” begin occurring when you stand in your commitment.

Realistic and Responsible. Our goals must be realistic. I can hardly expect to become an attorney if I have not completed law school and passed the Bar Exam. Our goals must be in line with our training, experience, as well as our desires.

Set responsible, ecological goals. It may not be responsible to open a liquor store if your spouse is an alcoholic. Rethink any goals that may damage the environment or cause others to suffer.

Timed and Toward. Give your goal a deadline (first quarter of the next year by March, in 5 years, etc). If you miss the deadline, no need to beat yourself up. Simply reset it and re-commit. Quantifying and qualifying goals keep us in action and fosters a fun, sportsmanlike spirit about it. When we simply say: “I’m becoming a better golfer,” then losing just one stroke has technically made you a better golfer. Setting a specific goal (“I’m consistently scoring within 3 points of par by the end of this year” gives you a healthy sense of urgency in attaining your goal.

You might consider designing a goal that moves toward something positive or pleasurable as opposed to moving from something negative or painful. When we want a new job just because we hate our current one, we will probably recreate the same misery, if not worse. This is because we get what we focus on. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream was not based on moving people away from racial injustice, oppression and discrimination, but rather it was toward brotherhood, equality, and freedom for everyone. Use this as a map for a world of difference and power in your goal attainment.

So rather than focusing on losing 20 lbs. because you feel like a fat pig who can’t get your clothes on, focus on overall health and fitness and fitting in that ideal suit size again. The first mindset has a limited, negative charge (down) and the latter is positive (up) and limitless. Where are there more possibilities: in outer space or in the ground?

Now go out and get your goals!

If you are interested in some interesting links to get and stay motivated, check them out below they seem a little infomercial-ly but taken in small doses, they provide some good info -

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Dr. Irwin is a psychotherapist/therapeutic hypnotist in private practice in Los Angeles. She is also an author, public speaker, and avid goal setter.

http://www.hypnotherapistlosangeles.com

http://www.youtube.com/DrNancyIrwin

7 Minute Marketing Plan

Could you really create a marketing plan in just 7 minutes?

If you want to win in any field of endeavor, you need a better plan than your competitors.

In business, the lack of a good marketing plan is a key reason why most businesses fail in their early years.

Most business owners create a product or service then they go out to the world effectively saying to everyone 'buy mine, buy mine' and hope to succeed.

Yet it really doesn't have to be like that.

The problem is that most people make the idea of having a marketing plan so complicated that it just never happens.

The truth is a marketing plan has to be easy to develop and implement. Otherwise you will either never start on it or never do anything with it.

It has to meet some basic standards. For example, it should be

written
resourced
measurable
and timed

But it doesn't have to be a large document and it needn't take long to create.

If you are disciplined, you really could create an effective marketing plan in seven minutes or less.

Seven minutes is better than no time at all.

And it's better than spending seven months planning without taking any action.

If you spend just one minute thinking about each of the following seven issues, you'll already have the basis for a strong plan.

1. Without a clear sense of direction in your business, you'll be unfocused and uncertain about what to do. So you need clear 'objectives' for what you want from your marketing.

2. The first and most obvious secret of successful marketing is having a product or service that people want to buy so you need to be clear about your 'proposition'.

3. The most successful businesses usually don't try to be something for everyone. Instead they recognize the value of focusing on a specific part of the market – so you need to be clear on your 'niche'.

4. You need to stand out from the competition in a way that is attractive to your market. This is your 'positioning'.

5. You need to have a consistent 'message' that appeals to people and that you communicate effectively.

6. When you know your message, you have to choose the right 'tactics and tools' for getting it across.

7. Finally you need to pull these tactics together into an easy-to-follow 'calendar'.

With the right approach, this really is possible in just 7 minutes. But the truth is you'll get the best results by investing a little more time. Try 7 minutes on each of the 7 issues. The secret is to follow the process quickly and then keep coming back to it regularly to improve your answers.

Of course, having a plan is only the start.

The most important thing is just to take action.

If you do that on any of the points covered here, you'll be amazed at how quickly you see results.

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Robert Greenshields is a marketing success coach who helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals develop the success mindset and marketing strategies for a better lifestyle. For his 7 top tips on earning more and working less, visit http://www.MindPowerMarketing.com

Essentials in Baby Clothes

Baby Clothes 101: Needs and Proper Care

If you are a first time parent to-be, there are numerous tasks that must be accomplished before your new baby's arrival. One important, and fun "labor of love" is purchasing baby clothing. However, with such a large selection of baby clothing, you may be asking yourself which of these adorable little items are essentials. This is crucial information to know, as well as their proper care.

Onesies

"Onesies" are basically baby t-shirts and are a necessary baby clothing purchase. To keep the onesie from creeping up and exposing your baby's belly, most onesies have snaps in the crotch. They can be worn alone or as an undergarment. Onesies, also known as rompers, come in basic white, colored or patterned varieties. For your basics, you should have between 5 to 10 onesies.

Sleepers

Sleepers are one-piece items with long legs and long or short sleeves. They usually have snaps down the legs for easy accessibility for late night diaper changes.

When preparing your basics, you should have between 5 to 8 baby sleepers. These are necessary as it is recommended that a newborn not sleep with thick blankets. This could inadvertently cause suffocation. The best material for both your baby's warmth and comfort are cotton or fleece sleepers.

Baby Socks

For your baby's requirements, you should purchase between 6 to 8 pairs of baby socks. Although socks are not necessary in warm weather, they should be worn if taking your little one outside in chilly temperatures. They are also indispensable at night if your baby is wearing a sleeper without feet.

Baby socks are made of either thick or thin weaves. You should purchase a combination of both, as thin socks are desirable if your baby is to wear shoes.

Hats

Hats are baby clothing essentials for your little bundle. When taking care of your newborn, it is important to keep them adequately warm. Newborns often have difficulty regulating their body temperature and much of their heat escapes through their head.

It is recommended that your newborn wear a hat through his or her first month of life. After that, it is not as crucial unless you are taking them outside on a chilly or cold day. For this purpose, you should have 1 or 2 fairly snug, but not too restrictive, hats for your baby.

Proper Care for Baby Clothing

When caring for baby clothing, there are two schools of thought. The first is that your little bundle of joy's clothes should be washed in special detergents to alleviate the risk of skin allergies. There are numerous varieties of mild laundry soaps that are scent and dye-free. Many of these detergents are aimed at the baby market, such as Dreft that boasts "A gentle clean. Just for baby".

The other school of thought does not believe that "gentle" laundry soaps are required for baby clothing. If your baby's skin does not react adversely to certain detergents, then a special detergent is not necessary.

Stain Removal

Your bundle of pink or blue will not think twice about staining their cutest outfits. Certain formulas, baby food and stains caused by leaking diapers are often difficult to remove from baby clothing. If pretreated before washing, some of the most stubborn stains can be eliminated, leaving the clothing both clean and in pristine condition. One tried and true stain remover is Oxi-Clean. You may want to "audition" or try different stain removers to find the one best suited for your laundry needs.

Wash New Clothes Before Wear

Before dressing your baby in new clothes, it is essential that you wash them first. Although baby clothing may look fresh and clean on department store hangers, many have come into contact with dirt, little four legged creatures and bugs during the shipping and packaging process.

Minor skin irritations may also result from sizing placed on many pieces of baby clothing. Sizing is used to keep items looking nice until they are purchased.

Getting prepared for your little one's new arrival is both a joyous and stressful time. Knowing what baby clothing is essential in your little one's layette and how to properly care for their clothing is one of the many tasks that lay before you. Knowledge is power and being prepared is half the battle.

And of course, when they get a little older and you are looking for something more stylish than the layette t-shirts and onesies, pick up a Stylease outfit or two for their wardrobe. You still get the convenience of that one-piece, and all the style of separates! Shameless plug, I know.

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If you are in the region, visit Paul Easton of Jack and Abby, a baby clothes store in Auckland, New Zealand. Even if you aren't lucky enought to be in New Zealand anytime soon, you can sign up today for their free email newsletter, and get first pick on their special offers, plus you'll get great exclusive VIP specials and FREE gifts too!! http://www.jackandabby.co.nz/

The magic word...

It's not what you may think.

One, tiny word can bring about massive changes in your life. It's a word that we hate to hear, and hesitate to say ourselves. Have you guessed it? That's right, the word is 'no'.

Don't worry; I'm not going to tell you to become a negative, selfish person who refuses to help others. What I am going to share, however, are effective strategies for saying 'no' when it really counts.

Most of us are kind people by nature. We really want to help others, whether we're volunteering our time at a charitable organization or being supportive to our friends and family. But sometimes our good intentions can get the best of us. We end up taking on more and more obligations, and feeling uncomfortable when someone asks us for a favor.

How do we say no without offending them? Will they get angry at us? What if we really WANT to help, but it would be a great imposition to do so?

It can be helpful to first figure out why you hesitate to turn down requests. Do you believe they'll stop liking you if you do? Do you believe that making life easier for other people is more important than your own peace of mind? What is the worst thing that can happen if you say no?

When you start thinking about the answers to these questions, you'll probably realize some surprising things about yourself that you may not have been aware of previously.

Then, come up with a simple response to use when you really have to say no. Here's one that works well for me:

'I'm sorry, I'd love to help you out but I just won't be able to at that time'.

Notice I don't try to defend or explain my decision. I don't promise to do something else for them in the future to make up for not helping now.

When it comes right down to it, it's not up to you to save everyone. You have every right to help when you can and refuse when you can't! And you don't have to explain why or justify your decision.

Surprisingly, most people won't freak out over your refusal. They'll just accept it and move on. Some people might get annoyed, or even a little angry at you - especially if you usually bend over backwards to make their life easier. They won't be pleased that you're not willing to do it anymore.

But ultimately, what is more important to you: keeping them happy or keeping your sanity?

Saying no definitely requires a bit of inner strength and determination - but so do most positive changes in life.

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If you want a good resource for dealing with this kind of thing, Robert Greenshields is a marketing success coach who helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals transform their business results by changing their mindset. Sign up for his free tips on Calming the Chaotic Life

Women in Business

Women are taking control of their financial destinies and careers by starting and running their own business. Women owned business opportunities are often of the work-at-home type due to several reasons.

When you work from home, there is usually little start-up costs involved in getting your business going. You already have a living accommodation that can double as your office, so you save from paying office rental.

There's the freedom to set your own work schedule. No more having a boss telling you what, when and how to do your work. You don't need to travel in bad weather or be stuck in a traffic jam.

You don't have to pay childcare costs or travel expenses such as gas and automobile maintenance. Many women in business are deciding to work from home so that they can spend more time with their children and family.

Potential Setbacks

Due to the fact that you have the flexibility to set your own schedule, it can be very tempting not follow it at times. You may become distracted and lose track of time. This will put you behind in your work and set the stage for stress and aggravation. Other distractions, such as the television, radio or telephone can interfere with your ability to maintain a schedule and get your work completed on time.

There may be household distractions such as the dishes that need to be washed or the floor that needs to be mopped and this is why it is important to prioritize. You can be distracted by friends dropping by unannounced to hang out because they don't understand that even though you are at home, you still have a business to run.

Overcoming setbacks

You must cultivate a strong commitment and self-discipline when running a home based business. Set your hours that you are going to work and stay as close to your schedule as possible. With a small child you can expect to have some unplanned interruptions so allow extra time for your projects to account for this. When the workday has ended, spend some quality time with your family even though you still have unfinished work.

Don't overload yourself with work. Once in a while you may receive a big project that will take extra time, but keep this to a minimum. You don't want to do this on a regular basis where you are constantly struggling to keep up. Remember to take breaks. It is easy to get so wrapped up in a project that the day is gone before you realize it. You can get really burned out this way. Divide up your workday with breaks by going for a walk, having lunch outside or have a special time set aside where you play a game with your child.

Be sure to keep in contact with others. Networking is an essential part of running a successful business. The rapid rise growth in women owned businesses is due to women placing more emphasis in building a business relationship, thus increasing customer loyalty and referrals.

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Online opportunities are now more abundant than ever for women entrepreneurs wanting to start their own home-based business, since all that is needed is a computer with an internet connection.

If you would like some tips on how to get started www.ehome-basedbusiness.com caters to women who are seeking business opportunities. They cover 6 areas of starting a women owned business and provide match-up opportunities.

Categories in Licensing

There are endless categories in licensing. Some are appropriate for some brands. Some are not.

Pierre Cardin is a good example of how you can dilute a brand by licensing it poorly. According to an article I read, the brand owner doesn't care because he is making money.

Remember when Pierre Cardin was a high end men's fragrance? A logical place to go with licensing would have been high end men's wear and accessories, auto accessories and all things to do with the upscale male. And they did that successfully. But then you started seeing it everywhere, on cheap shirts and flip flops in drug stores, next to Suave in the grocery store. The brand became diluted and lost its cache. My husband just brought back two kids backpacks from China with the Pierre Cardin label. They just happened to be cool backpacks, he didn't buy them because of their label. But how did they get from high men's items to kids backpacks in an airport?

Licensing to every and any category. Maybe the brand has enough staying power to not be completely destroyed by this stunt but in general, as brand management goes, its not a good idea.

Examples of a good brand extension for the Kleenex brand (for instance) outside its main category of paper products might be cold remedies or other "comfort" areas concerning personal care. But would you buy a copy machine with the Kleenex brand on it? That would be a poor choice for them to try to forge that category because the public perception of that brand isn't likely to go there.

Victoria Secret could probably generate some good royalties licensing Nascar's #8 but they (thankfully) wouldn't do that because Nascar and expensive lingerie are generally not thought of in the same sentence.

So if you are thinking of looking into licensing for your brand, consider which categories would be a good fit.

That's my two cents anyway.