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February 5, 2009

Financing a Small Business – What Alternatives are There to Finance Your Business?

finance
David S. Stratton asked:


A lot of reasons exist why you should not only get into business, but also endure in business. You may want to take any of these decisions because of the love of a particular business, because of a need to do so, because you are bound to continue from where someone stopped or because you simply have a feeling to do so. In almost every country of the world, people are looking at the business sector as one of the bests. There are always statistics of these found in all countries. For example, the United States Department of Labor produces statistics which indicate that for almost the first three quarters of last year, unemployment was very high and a lot of people resorted to doing business.

There is no need to trouble yourself on the way your business is going to look like. All that is necessary for you to do is to develop a plan and seek for any of the so many options of securing finance for the business. The following lines are meant to encourage those coming into business and even those already in business to seek for means of financing their businesses:

Loans

This type of finance for a business is common all over the world and it can easily be gotten. In some cases, there is often a belief the loans can easily be gotten by everyone who applies for it. This may be true or false. It all depends on your business plan, the lending policy of the bank and the type and value of security you have. What makes this source of finance much considered is that interest rates on the loans are also reasonable. It should be warned that you should not get into taken of loans without seeking for proper recommendations from experts. Remember that it is always good to know the ins and outs of every type of loan ahead of getting into it.

Angel Financing

This is also another common source of finance that is common among new businesses and even those that are already in existence. What obtains here is that there are so many people who have the willingness and ability to pump finance into any business which have potentials to grow. Angel financing can be a family type. This will involve members of the same family pulling their resources together and investing it to develop a business plan. This is good but not preferable because of the close ties that the members may attach to each other, which may not be best for the health of a business. Angel financing can also be an affiliation angel. This will involve an association of friends willing to see a business plan from conception to completion. Another strand of angel financing is idea angel. These are financiers who are involved at the conception and actual progress of the business. Whatever the form of angel financing that you may opt for, you must get into the set of connections that these angels operate before you can benefit from financing.

Equity Financing

This involves raising money for the business by using what the business owns and can give out to the public. There are individuals willing to pay for equity in the business and even take part in the running of the business. Although this type of financing is common, it may not be available to every type of business. This is the more reason why every business owner must always carry out enough research in order to get the appropriate financing for his or her business.

January 15, 2009

Financing a Small Business – What Alternatives are There to Finance Your Business?

finance
David S. Stratton asked:


A lot of reasons exist why you should not only get into business, but also endure in business. You may want to take any of these decisions because of the love of a particular business, because of a need to do so, because you are bound to continue from where someone stopped or because you simply have a feeling to do so. In almost every country of the world, people are looking at the business sector as one of the bests. There are always statistics of these found in all countries. For example, the United States Department of Labor produces statistics which indicate that for almost the first three quarters of last year, unemployment was very high and a lot of people resorted to doing business.

There is no need to trouble yourself on the way your business is going to look like. All that is necessary for you to do is to develop a plan and seek for any of the so many options of securing finance for the business. The following lines are meant to encourage those coming into business and even those already in business to seek for means of financing their businesses:

Loans

This type of finance for a business is common all over the world and it can easily be gotten. In some cases, there is often a belief the loans can easily be gotten by everyone who applies for it. This may be true or false. It all depends on your business plan, the lending policy of the bank and the type and value of security you have. What makes this source of finance much considered is that interest rates on the loans are also reasonable. It should be warned that you should not get into taken of loans without seeking for proper recommendations from experts. Remember that it is always good to know the ins and outs of every type of loan ahead of getting into it.

Angel Financing

This is also another common source of finance that is common among new businesses and even those that are already in existence. What obtains here is that there are so many people who have the willingness and ability to pump finance into any business which have potentials to grow. Angel financing can be a family type. This will involve members of the same family pulling their resources together and investing it to develop a business plan. This is good but not preferable because of the close ties that the members may attach to each other, which may not be best for the health of a business. Angel financing can also be an affiliation angel. This will involve an association of friends willing to see a business plan from conception to completion. Another strand of angel financing is idea angel. These are financiers who are involved at the conception and actual progress of the business. Whatever the form of angel financing that you may opt for, you must get into the set of connections that these angels operate before you can benefit from financing.

Equity Financing

This involves raising money for the business by using what the business owns and can give out to the public. There are individuals willing to pay for equity in the business and even take part in the running of the business. Although this type of financing is common, it may not be available to every type of business. This is the more reason why every business owner must always carry out enough research in order to get the appropriate financing for his or her business.

August 18, 2008

The Art Of Career Planning

Careers
Jason West asked:


Do you plan your vacations? Do you plan your weekly activities? It would make perfect sense then, to create a plan for a successful career, right? The term “career planning” is foreign to most people, but it is a very important process by which we reach our goal of attaining the career we desire.

The definition of career is “a person’s progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking” (striving for a goal). What is the definition of planning? Planning is “a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance” or “a specific project or definite purpose” (such as preparing for the future). So, for our purposes, let’s say that career planning is “A goal that you desire to achieve in a selected field or occupation with a well thought out plan to get you there”.

Why is it important to decide on a career goal?

A career goal can:

Help you focus and make decisions on what it is you want to do for a living.

Function is a motivator and therefore helps you accomplish your goal.

Assist you in discovering hidden abilities or skills you might not have otherwise realized you possessed.

Keep you from wandering from job to job.

Once a specific job (such as a teacher) or area of expertise (such as business) has been chosen, steps need to be taken to reach that goal. A goal is “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed”. We would like to see our efforts result in having the career of our dreams.

Now,” why is career planning important?” We must consider that the world around us is constantly changing. In order to meet new challenges as time goes by, one aspect of career planning is to look to the future to see what additional training or knowledge is necessary to continue to excel in a specific field. Most people today are constantly learning throughout their careers.

Six steps are taken in the career planning process:

1. Self-Assessment – evaluate and judge your abilities
2. Career Exploration – researching different careers
3. Targeting – deciding on what goals to set
4. Career Preparation – workshops, seminars, internships
5. Marketing Yourself – a professional resume, dress, and attitude
6. Career Management – “rolling” with the trends in your particular field and realizing when our own needs or interests change

It is possible that these steps will be taken several times throughout a lifetime.

Something else to consider is to find a mentor in your field who is willing to assist you as you achieve your goals. They can be invaluable to you!

Goal setting is a learned skill and crucial to success in a career. Just as with any sport or hobby, “practice makes perfect”. Those who are successful in achieving their life’s dream (career) set both short-term and long-term goals. If it is helpful to you, write them down. The long-term goals will need to be re-evaluated from time to time as interests or circumstances vary.

Why is career planning an ‘art’? Because it is a skill that we obtain through study, practice and/or observation. Gather your information, set your goals and go after the career of your dreams!

August 16, 2008

Don’t be an Economic Casualty; Recession Proof Your Business

economics news
Michael S. Brooks asked:


Ok, I have gone and used that dreaded ‘R’ word. RECESSION. Whether you believe we are in one or not, you must think about how to recession proof your business and fast.

Even the experts cannot agree whether or not we are in one, for sure. But regardless, all the talk is driving consumer confidence way down. And consumer confidence is truly the driving factor when people make buying decisions.

So how do we protect ourselves from these troubling times. Well, the truth of the matter is that businesses go out of business all the time. There are layoffs all the time. Stocks go down all the time. Now I am not saying to not be concerned, but I am saying that if you are on a ledge, come back in, shut the window and take a deep breath.

Bad things happen in the best of times too. So lets just do what we do (or should I say “Should do”) no matter if these are the best of times or the worst of times. And what we should do is prepare.

Always remember to “Don’t be scared; Be PREPARED!”

Even during the great depression there were still people making lots of money. Often times in economic down times comes great opportunities.

So how do we prepare? The key to success during these times (or any times for that matter) and in any business, is to be something people need, not something people want. Consumers are starting to tighten those purse strings when it comes to things they want. But they will always seem to find a way to get what they need.

Take a good hard look at your business. Do people want it or do they need it? I run a martial arts business. If just teach martial arts, no matter how great it is, they just want it (I hope). But if I am the reason kids are getting better grades in school, coming off ADD medication, learning to deal with bullies, then I am all of the sudden something parents need and they will find the money to get it.

If the bad economic news keeps proliferating all over the media, it will certainly and increasingly become more and more challenging to attract new customers. You will need to prepare to work a little harder and a little smarter to get new ones. They will still be out there. I promise.

However, they will be harder to find, harder to convince to check out your good or service and harder to get to pull the trigger and buy. But they are there. I can feel them.

So we roll up our sleeves and do twice as much as we have in the past. Or even more. Whatever it takes. Does this mean to spend twice as much or more? Of course not. But it may mean go to that business after business chamber meeting, make more cold calls, kiss more babies or whatever low cost, hand to hand combat style marketing you can think of. If you do 15 things in a month to attract new business, the reality today is that won’t be enough to sustain what you had before.

If you have become something they need, you will have a much easier time convincing them to call you and turning them into your loyal customers. And I don’t care what you sell, there is a way to position yourself as a necessity. Get out a pen and paper and start brainstorming.

Don’t sell DVD players. Sell systems that will save the consumer hundreds of entertainment dollars compared to the movies. Don’t be a pizza restaurant. Be the place that people can go to still have a good time for a lower cost than many other restaurants. Think about ways to become an absolute necessity to your prospects.

But remember, more than new customers, this is paramount to keeping your current customers yours. It is bad enough when we cannot get new customers. But if you do not keep the ones you already have, it is time for a life vest.

When your customers start to think about what they can do without or who’s service they can cut, if you are a ‘nice to have’ it is all over for you.

The same way you market to your prospects, you have to market to your current clients. Don’t assume that they know what you do, how great you are and why they buy from you. You must continually remind them. Send newsletters, write a blog, call them to say hi. You must continually educate them as to why they needed you once and will continue to need them.

Don’t let the bad economic news, fact or fiction, get you down. Be prepared, be a necessity and do more than you have ever done before, and you can whether the storm. There are no grantees in owning a business. But success leaves clues. And this is what successful business owners do.



August 15, 2008

2008 Economy Buy Silver-Real Money-Bullion-Silver Eagle

2012woman asked:


visit http://silversnowball.com/229 for sign up information to begin to put real money back into your life with silver bullion. ***And since this video was first posted, silver has hit a correction so the price of the program has been reduced accordingly…a correction like this is a great buying opportunity.

(cont.)
American Silver Eagles to be exact…The value of silver even at $20 an oz pricing (At the end of June it’s around the $17/oz mark) has a ways to go if it is to match historical trends in following gold’s value…which is at an all time high (along with oil and foreclosures) So you already know how money works, what real money is…maybe Ron Paul’s candidacy for President clued you in, but what do you do if you are maybe in the ‘worst case scenario’ kind of group…not alot of resources or maybe you don’t even have the power to make the decisions in where your retirement or pension plan is invested…maybe your savings has already been drained because you have already been out of work for up to a year…what are you supposed to do? This dreary cloud does have a silver lining! It’s in silver bullion, American Silver Eagles, in other words…real money!

Even those in the worst case scenario can use this program to improve their situation, bring ‘real’ money back into their lives and get on board the silver train. It’s not too late to get your ticket to ride. Educate yourself, educate your family and friends and then DO something about it, it’s not too late but you need to be quick
http://silversnowball.com/229

A tip of the iceberg collection of video resources are gathered in the playlist on this channel under video log 2 to assist you with a little background and history…past is prelude (and it is now our present)

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