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Mar30
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This Yahoo! News report sure caught my eye: "Winner Named for 'Home Office From Hell'".
Turns out entrants got a chance to vent and plead as they described why they should win a pre-paid one-year office lease from sponsor Offices2Share.com. The home-based business folks entering the contest had to share their top ten reasons for why they "needed to escape their home offices." (Congratulations to winner Jason Welshonse, by the way, who apparently has pets on payroll.)
In checking out the Offices2Share.com website, I see other uses for the entrepreneurial types here. You can not only lease Ready-To-Use office space for yourself, you can rent it out as well. I can see where this could be handy for those who've dipped their toes into the real estate biz and have office space to spare!
That said...we'll all have to keep watch for another contest along these lines. My only question is: does the office space come with SuperNanny too?
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Mar30
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If you're ready to get your home office spruced up for spring, I'd like to share a few of my own little tidbits for keeping my office neat, tidy and enjoyable. Try one or try them all, and be sure...
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Mar29
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I don't know about you, but I spend a lot of time in my home office. (Okay, I spend almost all of my working time in my home office!) As the days get longer and warmer, I think most of...
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Sue Hagen's Avant-Garde Travel is making the news both for the customer service she offers and the business model she's created. According to Minnesota's Star Tribune, this former Northwest Airlines customer service agent has combined the kind of excellent customer...
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Seems like this time of year home-based workers the world over are considering their taxes. According to this article over at Bytestart, about two million folks in the UK are working from home full-time. As entrepreneurs here in the US...
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How many of you SmallBizMentor visitors are restaurateurs, caterers, or providers of other entertainment services? Check out this press release in the OttawaStart. The release is provided by an organization that caters to women entrepreneurs in Ottawa. While it's meant to...
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To add a little humor to your week, let's revisit The Watercooler. Having grown accustomed to putting a little bit of retail spin on just about anything (I don't clean out the cupboards, I re-evaluate necessary supplies), I've always wondered...
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Mar28
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"The E-Code". Sounds like a TV show, doesn't it? (Oh wait, that was the E-Ring...disregard.) I picked up a book recently at my local Borders that caught my eye not only due to the snazzy cover, but also because of...
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I think just about all of us have heard of small business loans and the like, but what about finding other ways to get an investor to fund your dream? Turns out there are fairs set up, just like a...
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"Hello, Wisconsin!" Those of you in the Green Bay area who have the urge to network with your fellow entrepreneurs don't have long to wait. According to the Appleton Post-Crescent, the second annual Northeast Wisconsin Entrepreneur Networking Day will take...
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We've already covered the ways a small business operator can green up their business and earn (or keep) cash while creating some good PR for the company or brand. But did you know that there are actually entrepreneurs out there...
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I've always been torn over whether it's worth it to incorporate the super small or solopreneur's business. It's easy to be swayed by the thought of calling oneself the CEO of My Company Inc., isn't it? Then there are the...
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Mar24
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As I mentioned in my previous post, I found two books from the Self Counsel Press Business Series that looked mighty interesting to me. Marketing Your Service caught my eye because, as a freelance writer, I have to keep in mind at...
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Today I discovered the Self Counsel Press Business Series at the library and I snatched up two of their titles that looked of interest. The first, Marketing Your Service (4th edition), goes over everything from the definitions of marketing and...
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Alright writers, who's headed to California for the 36th Annual Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference next month? I checked the mail today and lo and behold, there's a big hurkin' postcard for what appears to be one super-sized conference for...
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Mar23
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If you're considering purchasing a franchise to get you started as a small business owner, you'll want to do your due diligence and research all your options. While there are several periodicals available at the newsstands for those considering becoming...
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According to a survey taken by Small Business California, small business owners in the state are less than optimistic about the direction California is headed. One-third of survey respondents felt that the state's business climate would be worse in coming...
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As we get closer to April 17th, tax issues are at the forefront. A new bill introduced in Kentucky has been approved by the House and is on its way to the Senate. According to this article at Inc.com, pressure...
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The mantra of the small- or home-based business owner really must be "I can do this!" Know why? Because we can. We can make it through just about any trial if we are prepared. After reading of my folly this...
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So, SmallBizMentor visitors, did you notice crickets chirping in the silence as I was absent a few days? (Even if you didn't, stroke my ego and say you did. Please?) Lessons learned the hard way always stick best, right? I'm...
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Mar16
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As a homeschooling parent I frequently see recruiting literature from supplemental education franchises and work-from-home opportunities. Two of the big names, Kumon and Sylvan, are all over the place with ads in not just periodicals but also on radio, TV...
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Without belaboring the point that it's mid-March (one month left, folks, either file those extensions or file the taxes...one or the other!), here's a little tip for those of you who want to take advantage of some last minute deductions....
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Does your business revolve around offering a product or service that normally appeals to a certain niche market (clients who purchase high-end electronics, request custom-made products, etc)? If you're having a little bit of difficulty seeing how the standard articles...
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Mar15
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Those of you who are operating brick-and-mortar stores or dealing with clients face to face more frequently than those of us who are working primarily online will benefit greatly from Dan Tudor's posts over at LandingTheDeal. I especially enjoyed his...
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Mar14
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Yes, folks, it's Tuesday and the Kidling and I hit the library for our usual weekly trip. Rather than sticking myself with the Care Bears for all eternity (or at least the next week!), I hit the stacks as well...
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While we're on the subject of travel and the new (April 2006) issue of Entrepreneur, check out their "What a Trip!" article by "Biz Travel" columnist Chris McGinnis. It's several pages of picks for folks who need great deals for...
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As I may have mentioned in the past, I love the idea of working from home and being able to pick up and go whenever I like. Part of this is the freedom of knowing I can leave the "office"...
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Speaking of spring cleaning, when was the last time you went over your website or blog with a fine tooth comb looking for broken links, outdated information, typos and the like? It's vital, of course, that your website be updated...
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Laurianne McLaughlin's got a great article over at Yahoo! News for those of us who need to clean up our acts in the office. Pop on by and grab some tips from her piece, "Make That PC Like New". The...
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Mar13
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When I first flipped through a copy of Tom Markert's You Can't Win a Fight with Your Boss & 55 Other Rules for Success, I happened across a couple of funny lines and thought, "This might be good for a...
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Mar10
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I read this article on Yahoo! News with interest today. Not only because it discusses organic foods and the growth of the market (and subsequent demand by grocers, including Wal-Mart, for organic products), but also because of the branding issues...
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Mar 9
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Guess what, freelance writers! It's that time of year again! Yes, yes, you probably figured it out from the title... Writer's Digest has announced their annual writing competition. Not familiar with it? Grab a copy of the April 2006 issue...
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There are hundreds, if not thousands, of websites and books out there that will offer you insight into the world of effective copywriting. You don't have to be a professional and you don't have to be scared to death that...
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Admit it...it's not easy. You know you need help. Most of us do! One of the main questions I get when a colleague asks me about press releases or ad copy is how to write "good" copy. First of all,...
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I read an interesting press release today about Laurie Hayes, a Life and Business/Executive Coach who has decided to offer home-based business owners and budding entrepreneurs assistance on their journey. Hayes has created TheHBBSource as a way of helping home-based business...
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I don't know about you, but most folks I meet seem to think that writers are happy to be locked up in a dank, dusty library slogging along on an old typewriter (or these days, scarfing down ibuprofen to combat...
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Mar 7
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As you know, I'm all for being prepared for the worst. It's especially important (and easy!) for those of us who are operating small- or home-based businesses to get ready for disasters or just generally be prepared for anything that...
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Have you ever noticed that, as a home-based business owner, you can sometimes go for days or even weeks without actually speaking to another person? This may not be the case for those of you operating in offices or...
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Mar 6
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If you've been visiting SmallBizMentor.com for some time, you've probably noticed that category list on your right. Ever spot the term "The Watercooler"? Since the Watercooler or the Break Room are the unofficial "official" places I've always been able to...
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As I'm sure you've noticed, the fine folks at Know More Media (the parent company hosting this and dozens of other fantastic business blogs) are constantly adding more experts to the team of bloggers offering you great business tips and...
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Mar 4
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Ready to do some more surfin' for small business resources? Pop on over to CMP Media's SmallBizResource.com and check out some of their offerings. In addition to the standard articles and blogs, they also offer videos and a Business Center that...
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Mar 3
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So, have you finished up with those taxes yet? If not, no worries...you've still got a month or so to procrastinate. If your refund is already on the way and you're still looking to add to the bank account, you...
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Mar 2
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Women entrepreneurs, it's time to tell your story. Did you overcome adversity to create your own small- or home-based business? Do you have an inspiring story to tell about how you balance home, family and work as a solopreneur? The...
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Mar 1
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While everyone else is stapling shamrocks to the wall for St. Patrick's Day or stocking up on marshmallow Peeps and egg dye for Easter, savvy business owners will also take the time to seek out information about the lesser known...
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