SmallBizMentor: April 2006 Archives

« March 2006 | Main | May 2006 »

Apr30	Reducing Stress at the Office Melonie Murray April 30, 2006 Know More: Entrepreneurs, Home Based Business, Small Business, Smooth Sundays, The Healthy Entrepreneur 2.0, Home Based Business Whether your office is in your home or off-site, as an entrepreneur, you're probably dealing with some sort of stress each day that you work. This is true in every work environment, but small business owners and independent contractors deal with different types of stress (and face different causes) than employees who are working for others. Carlos Herramenta has a good article over at WorkZ that addresses ways to increase productivity and reduce stress. Keeping in mind that a lot of it comes down to personality and attitude (how you are affected by stress has a lot to say about your attitude and vice versa!), the seven tips in "Tools That Eliminate Stress at the Office" can be very useful as you go about your day. Wishing you less stress and much success! Posted at 9:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr29	Start-Up Saturday: Rachel Bridge's "7 Sins" Melonie Murray April 29, 2006 What are the "seven deadly sins" a small business owner can commit? Rachel Bridge has called us all out this week with a fantastic list of spots where start-ups cause themselves to, well, go south. Are you committing a "sin"... Continue Reading Posted at 6:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Start-Up Saturday: Marketing on a Budget Melonie Murray April 29, 2006 Doesn't it seem like we're always looking for free or low-cost marketing opportunities? One of the first things a new business needs is to create a brand and get the word out about it...but most of us don't parade out... Continue Reading Posted at 6:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Health Insurance for the Self-Employed Melonie Murray April 29, 2006 One of my concerns since my divorce has been finding affordable health insurance. Those of you who have been self-employed for a while know how hard this can be. It's much easier when you have a spouse whose company covers... Continue Reading Posted at 5:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr28	15th Annual International Franchise Expo Melonie Murray April 28, 2006 Those of you considering buying into a franchise or franchising your business are going to be very interested in the 15th Annual International Franchise Expo, sponsored by the International Franchise Association. I spotted the ad for this expo in the... Continue Reading Posted at 1:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Power of One: Alex's Lemonade Stand Melonie Murray April 28, 2006 I had the pleasure of "meeting" Bud Bilanich today thanks to a comment he was kind enough to leave here at SmallBizMentor. I'm glad I took the time to visit his blog, because I've had the opportunity to read an... Continue Reading Posted at 12:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr27	Ending Home Office Isolation Melonie Murray April 27, 2006 Home-based business owners know that while it can occasionally be very rewarding to be "home alone" (reporting to work in your robe, for instance, or having an eight foot commute), it can also be discouraging from time to time. This... Continue Reading Posted at 1:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr26	Wednesday Writer Tips: MFA Programs Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 It seems to me that among the more "scholarly" writers I know, the MFA is a highly-regarded honor much akin to the coveted Green Beret of the Army's Special Forces soldier. While this may or may not be due to hype... Continue Reading Posted at 11:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Head of SBA Resigns; New Nominee Immediately Announced Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 Hector Barreto, head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), has announced his resignation. The White House "immediately" announced the nomination of his successor, Steven C. Preston. Neither the New York Times nor CNNMoney.com seem to think small business owners (or... Continue Reading Posted at 10:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Resources for Entrepreneurial Veterans Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 As I mentioned earlier this month, a growing number of military veterans are striking out on their own when they come to the end of their time in service. Come to find out, about 4 million small businesses are owned... Continue Reading Posted at 9:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Every Day is Earth Day for Some Businesses Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 Have I convinced you yet that "going green" can be good for you, the environment and your wallet? If not, you'll want to check out this article over at CNNMoney.com. As I suspected, I'm not the only one that sees... Continue Reading Posted at 9:29 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr25	Tips for Using Windows XP More Effectively Melonie Murray April 25, 2006 I don't know about you, but I'm always wondering if there's someone out there who can walk me through some basic ways to streamline or speed up my computer systems. After the great laptop spyware spanking of March, I'm a... Continue Reading Posted at 6:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr24	Marketing Monday: Marketing to Women Melonie Murray April 24, 2006 It's been a while since we discussed the importance of marketing to women (and the many authors and business folks who are cashing in the concept of doing so). Today I learned that Leslie Grossman, founder of the Women's Leadership... Continue Reading Posted at 10:49 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr23	Building Your First Business Website Melonie Murray April 23, 2006 By now most business owners are aware of how important a presence on the Web can be to their company's marketing, sales and public relations efforts. Some of you may want to build a website for your business by yourselves,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tips for Healthy Eating Melonie Murray April 23, 2006 I'm sure you've all heard of the "freshman fifteen"...but have you heard of the "deadline five"? You may not have. It's a little term a colleague and I coined when we noticed that after the quarterly publication we worked for... Continue Reading Posted at 6:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Potential Publicity Opportunity for UK Entrepreneurs Melonie Murray April 23, 2006 Rachel Bridge has an interesting opportunity UK entrepreneurs-to-be should apply for. The Sunday Times is looking for folks who will be starting a new business within the next few months so they can select three start-ups to follow from, well,... Continue Reading Posted at 6:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr22	SmallBizMentor's Spring Cleaning Melonie Murray April 22, 2006 In the spirit of spring cleaning, it's time to get organized here at SmallBizMentor.com too! I think you're going to like this, based on the response to Wednesday's Writer Tips. As you know, I'm pretty big on being prepared and... Continue Reading Posted at 2:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr21	Five Ways to Brighten Your Business in Five Minutes Melonie Murray April 21, 2006 Some of my colleagues like to use the weekends to prepare everything in their office for the upcoming week; others take a few minutes each day to prepare for the next. Others just fly by the seat of their pants... Continue Reading Posted at 11:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr20	Have Pen, Will Travel: Writers' Conferences Melonie Murray April 20, 2006 I don't know about you, but all the spring cleaning lately has made me want to hit the road and head off into the sunset...to a hotel where someone else will do the cleaning for a day or two. Granted,... Continue Reading Posted at 10:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Resources for Canadian Small Business Melonie Murray April 20, 2006 Once again, my neighbors up north have caught my eye with some interesting looking resources! This week it seems the banks across Canada are conspiring to make me wander off for hours through their article archives. Whether you're looking for... Continue Reading Posted at 10:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bank of America Has $10 Million for Entrepreneurs Melonie Murray April 20, 2006 According to Inc.com, Bank of America has set aside $10 million for the Opportunity Finance Network. The network is made up of almost 200 financial firms that promote small business lending in low- and middle-income neighborhoods nationwide. They'll start out... Continue Reading Posted at 10:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr19	Meet & Greet: Maria Palma of Salon de Maria Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 We've got another wonderful Meet & Greet today, folks. Maria Palma, founder of Salon de Maria, is also one of the blog-hers here at Know More Media. In addition to learning about her amazing works of art over at SalonDeMaria.info,... Continue Reading Posted at 11:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Maria Palma (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 * What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? I love being able to work at home and... Continue Reading Posted at 11:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Announcing Wednesday Writer Tips! Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 Writers, it's time to share your favorite online (and offline!) resources with your fellow freelancers. As you've probably noticed, a good number of the small- and home-based business owners I've interviewed here at SmallBizMentor are writers, and that's not purely... Continue Reading Posted at 10:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	An Interesting Look at Growth in Minority-Owned Businesses Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 I spotted this article over at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle today and it piqued my interest for several reasons. First of all, their title says a lot..."Black entrepreneurs growing in number". According to the Census Bureau, minorities (including women... Continue Reading Posted at 10:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The PMA's "Star Power" Conference and "Schmooze-A-Rama" Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 Alrighty, Small Biz folks, I can't resist passing this information along, just because it's given me a good giggle. Yes, I really did receive a pamphlet in the mail today from the Promotion Marketing Association inviting me to attend their 15th... Continue Reading Posted at 9:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr18	Meet & Greet: Lisa Barthuly of Homestead Originals Melonie Murray April 18, 2006 Remember my tips about sprucing up your office and creating an enjoyable work environment? As you know, one of the ways I like to do that in my own home (and home office) is with scented candles. Those of you... Continue Reading Posted at 11:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Lisa Barthuly (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 18, 2006 * Please describe the business you operate or service(s) you provide to clients and customers. We are a family owned business. We handcraft all natural soy wax candles & beeswax candles, using only all cotton wicks, pure fragrance oils and... Continue Reading Posted at 11:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Lisa Barthuly (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 18, 2006 * What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? Being with my family and working and learning together.... Continue Reading Posted at 11:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr17	Editing Class for Freelancers (Or Wanna-Bes!) Melonie Murray April 17, 2006 Those of you who are stopping by SmallBizMentor because you are just in the initial stages of planning a home-based business (or, as I think of it, the "I want to stay home, but what will I do?" stage) may... Continue Reading Posted at 7:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr16	Should You Observe a Day of Rest? Melonie Murray April 16, 2006 Entrepreneurs know how easy it is to become so involved in their business that it consumes all too many hours in a day and too many days of the week. How frequently do you find yourself working more than 8... Continue Reading Posted at 8:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr14	BusinessWeek's SmallBiz, Spring 2006 Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 I picked up the new issue of SmallBiz (Spring 2006) a few days ago and finally got an opportunity to page through it. I can't wait to sit down and really devour this magazine! If you enjoy reading stories about... Continue Reading Posted at 10:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores of 10K Web Design Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 If you've been perusing the Know More Media network of business blogs, you've probably met my colleague Monica Flores. She's the highly talented author of the SistersinBiz blog here at KMM. But did you know that Monica is also a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 * Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have... Continue Reading Posted at 9:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 *What is the least enjoyable part of operating your business? Are there any tasks you’d gladly delegate to anyone else, no matter what the price?For me, the least enjoyable part was that first year in business, when we were... Continue Reading Posted at 9:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 * What challenges have you overcome during your endeavor? Please describe something that impacted you financially or intellectually and how you got past it.I've had to get over any of my own sense of fear, or low self-worth, or... Continue Reading Posted at 9:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr13	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey of TheHomeCast.com Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 I've got another fantastic survey chock full of information here from a small business owner/operator. Home-based business owner Jessica Harvey is the founder of TheHomeCast.com, an independent consultant for Once Upon a Family and the homeschooling mother of two children. She's... Continue Reading Posted at 10:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 * What steps did you follow to build your business? Are you still in the process of planning your endeavor? THC: TheHomeCast actually came together very easily. I had the idea of creating a site that combined podcasting, newsletters,... Continue Reading Posted at 10:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 *Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have helped... Continue Reading Posted at 10:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 * What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? It’s funny because I just realized that my answer... Continue Reading Posted at 10:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 5) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 * What accomplishments are you most proud of during your career? Has your business or product won any awards, mentions in the press, garnered praise in reviews or by users, or helped someone overcome a challenge of their own?... Continue Reading Posted at 10:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr11	Resource for Canadian Small Businesses Melonie Murray April 11, 2006 Being only a few hours' drive from the border myself, I find a lot of resources offered to Canadian business owners quite interesting and pertinent, no matter what country one resides (or operates) in. I recently came across CanadaOne, an... Continue Reading Posted at 11:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Need Tips for Emergency Kits? Melonie Murray April 11, 2006 Several times in the past I've mentioned that home-based business owners are in the best position to prepare their businesses for emergencies. Those of you who operate small businesses outside your homes have an advantage over the big boy corporations... Continue Reading Posted at 11:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	More Spring Cleaning Tips Melonie Murray April 11, 2006 Anyone else still have the urge to do some sprucing up around the office? Or are you already done? I've been tackling a room at a time here at my house, and am itching to get at my office. I've... Continue Reading Posted at 11:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr10	How Do You FEEL Today? Melonie Murray April 10, 2006 Every year tons of people I know resolve to lose weight, exercise, start eating right...and none of them make it past the first month or so. I've never bothered to even make such resolutions, until this year. Back in December... Continue Reading Posted at 11:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 7	Rubbing Elbows: Meet Dr. Ellen Weber Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 Frequent visitors to SmallBizMentor have surely seen the astute comments and questions posted by Dr. Ellen Weber of the MITA International Brain Based Business. Dr. Weber has taken the time to visit quite a few of the blogs in the... Continue Reading Posted at 10:56 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 1) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 Please describe the business you operate or service(s) you provide to clients and customers. "MITA International Brain Based Business is a center where we certify business leaders and university faculty to accomplish things never before accomplished by using parts... Continue Reading Posted at 10:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have helped... Continue Reading Posted at 10:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 What’s the worst advice you’ve been given with regard to building or operating your business? How about the best advice? "The worst advice is that something cannot be done. The best advice is to take a risk, step up... Continue Reading Posted at 10:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 What accomplishments are you most proud of during your career? Has your business or product won any awards, mentions in the press, garnered praise in reviews or by users, or helped someone overcome a challenge of their own? Tell... Continue Reading Posted at 10:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 6	QuickBooks Users Unite! Melonie Murray April 6, 2006 So how many of you small- and home-based business owners rely on Intuit's QuickBooks accounting software? Just about everyone I know does, since you can use a PC-based version or an online version to perform just about every accounting or... Continue Reading Posted at 11:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	2006 Small Business Games Melonie Murray April 6, 2006 Feeling competitive? Check out this press release from The Small Biz Games announcing the creation of the first ever Small Biz Games! Turns out Overstock.com is sponsoring a $10,000 Fast Start Small Business Challenge in which 15 micro-businesses and home-based businesses will... Continue Reading Posted at 10:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 5	Time to Meet Your Small Business Colleagues! Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 If you look to the right side of this blog, you'll notice I've added a new category to the SmallBizMentor offerings called "Meet & Greet". As I mentioned back in February, I want to give you, the visitors of SmallBizMentor.com,... Continue Reading Posted at 11:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 1) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 Please describe the business you operate or service(s) you provide to clients and customers. I have written 6 books in my "Collecting Money Series" and the "Ultimate Handbook of Credit & Collections" being published by Entrepreneur Press in August.... Continue Reading Posted at 11:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? I love to write and help people. I love when... Continue Reading Posted at 11:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 Have you worked with a mentor who has led you far? Take a moment to recognize their contribution(s) and we’ll all applaud with you! When I first started my collection agency I had a mentor, a man who owned... Continue Reading Posted at 11:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 Without spilling the beans, what is in the works for your business or product line for 2006? Where are you headed, and where do you hope to be by the end of the year? What about the coming years?... Continue Reading Posted at 11:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 3	Of Interest to Independent Booksellers and Writers Melonie Murray April 3, 2006 Are you headed to Washington, D.C. this summer? Don't forget to book your room and register for the annual BookExpo America event, which will be held May 19 - 21, 2006! Sponsored by the Association of American Publishers and the... Continue Reading Posted at 9:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Operation First Novel" for Unpublished Novelists Melonie Murray April 3, 2006 The folks over at Jerry B. Jenkins' Christian Writers Guild have announced the opening of this year's "Operation First Novel" contest. In addition to winning $20,000 (wow, that's a good sized prize!) the winner will have their novel published by... Continue Reading Posted at 9:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Grants Can Assist Small Business Owners Melonie Murray April 3, 2006 We've touched on using venture capitalists to gain funding for your small business in the past, but have you considered applying for grants to fund your dream? If not, you might want to do so! According to this article over... Continue Reading Posted at 4:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments

« March 2006 | Main | May 2006 »

Apr30	Reducing Stress at the Office Melonie Murray April 30, 2006 Know More: Entrepreneurs, Home Based Business, Small Business, Smooth Sundays, The Healthy Entrepreneur 2.0, Home Based Business Whether your office is in your home or off-site, as an entrepreneur, you're probably dealing with some sort of stress each day that you work. This is true in every work environment, but small business owners and independent contractors deal with different types of stress (and face different causes) than employees who are working for others. Carlos Herramenta has a good article over at WorkZ that addresses ways to increase productivity and reduce stress. Keeping in mind that a lot of it comes down to personality and attitude (how you are affected by stress has a lot to say about your attitude and vice versa!), the seven tips in "Tools That Eliminate Stress at the Office" can be very useful as you go about your day. Wishing you less stress and much success! Posted at 9:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr29	Start-Up Saturday: Rachel Bridge's "7 Sins" Melonie Murray April 29, 2006 What are the "seven deadly sins" a small business owner can commit? Rachel Bridge has called us all out this week with a fantastic list of spots where start-ups cause themselves to, well, go south. Are you committing a "sin"... Continue Reading Posted at 6:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Start-Up Saturday: Marketing on a Budget Melonie Murray April 29, 2006 Doesn't it seem like we're always looking for free or low-cost marketing opportunities? One of the first things a new business needs is to create a brand and get the word out about it...but most of us don't parade out... Continue Reading Posted at 6:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Health Insurance for the Self-Employed Melonie Murray April 29, 2006 One of my concerns since my divorce has been finding affordable health insurance. Those of you who have been self-employed for a while know how hard this can be. It's much easier when you have a spouse whose company covers... Continue Reading Posted at 5:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr28	15th Annual International Franchise Expo Melonie Murray April 28, 2006 Those of you considering buying into a franchise or franchising your business are going to be very interested in the 15th Annual International Franchise Expo, sponsored by the International Franchise Association. I spotted the ad for this expo in the... Continue Reading Posted at 1:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Power of One: Alex's Lemonade Stand Melonie Murray April 28, 2006 I had the pleasure of "meeting" Bud Bilanich today thanks to a comment he was kind enough to leave here at SmallBizMentor. I'm glad I took the time to visit his blog, because I've had the opportunity to read an... Continue Reading Posted at 12:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr27	Ending Home Office Isolation Melonie Murray April 27, 2006 Home-based business owners know that while it can occasionally be very rewarding to be "home alone" (reporting to work in your robe, for instance, or having an eight foot commute), it can also be discouraging from time to time. This... Continue Reading Posted at 1:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr26	Wednesday Writer Tips: MFA Programs Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 It seems to me that among the more "scholarly" writers I know, the MFA is a highly-regarded honor much akin to the coveted Green Beret of the Army's Special Forces soldier. While this may or may not be due to hype... Continue Reading Posted at 11:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Head of SBA Resigns; New Nominee Immediately Announced Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 Hector Barreto, head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), has announced his resignation. The White House "immediately" announced the nomination of his successor, Steven C. Preston. Neither the New York Times nor CNNMoney.com seem to think small business owners (or... Continue Reading Posted at 10:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Resources for Entrepreneurial Veterans Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 As I mentioned earlier this month, a growing number of military veterans are striking out on their own when they come to the end of their time in service. Come to find out, about 4 million small businesses are owned... Continue Reading Posted at 9:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Every Day is Earth Day for Some Businesses Melonie Murray April 26, 2006 Have I convinced you yet that "going green" can be good for you, the environment and your wallet? If not, you'll want to check out this article over at CNNMoney.com. As I suspected, I'm not the only one that sees... Continue Reading Posted at 9:29 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr25	Tips for Using Windows XP More Effectively Melonie Murray April 25, 2006 I don't know about you, but I'm always wondering if there's someone out there who can walk me through some basic ways to streamline or speed up my computer systems. After the great laptop spyware spanking of March, I'm a... Continue Reading Posted at 6:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr24	Marketing Monday: Marketing to Women Melonie Murray April 24, 2006 It's been a while since we discussed the importance of marketing to women (and the many authors and business folks who are cashing in the concept of doing so). Today I learned that Leslie Grossman, founder of the Women's Leadership... Continue Reading Posted at 10:49 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr23	Building Your First Business Website Melonie Murray April 23, 2006 By now most business owners are aware of how important a presence on the Web can be to their company's marketing, sales and public relations efforts. Some of you may want to build a website for your business by yourselves,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tips for Healthy Eating Melonie Murray April 23, 2006 I'm sure you've all heard of the "freshman fifteen"...but have you heard of the "deadline five"? You may not have. It's a little term a colleague and I coined when we noticed that after the quarterly publication we worked for... Continue Reading Posted at 6:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Potential Publicity Opportunity for UK Entrepreneurs Melonie Murray April 23, 2006 Rachel Bridge has an interesting opportunity UK entrepreneurs-to-be should apply for. The Sunday Times is looking for folks who will be starting a new business within the next few months so they can select three start-ups to follow from, well,... Continue Reading Posted at 6:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr22	SmallBizMentor's Spring Cleaning Melonie Murray April 22, 2006 In the spirit of spring cleaning, it's time to get organized here at SmallBizMentor.com too! I think you're going to like this, based on the response to Wednesday's Writer Tips. As you know, I'm pretty big on being prepared and... Continue Reading Posted at 2:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr21	Five Ways to Brighten Your Business in Five Minutes Melonie Murray April 21, 2006 Some of my colleagues like to use the weekends to prepare everything in their office for the upcoming week; others take a few minutes each day to prepare for the next. Others just fly by the seat of their pants... Continue Reading Posted at 11:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr20	Have Pen, Will Travel: Writers' Conferences Melonie Murray April 20, 2006 I don't know about you, but all the spring cleaning lately has made me want to hit the road and head off into the sunset...to a hotel where someone else will do the cleaning for a day or two. Granted,... Continue Reading Posted at 10:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Resources for Canadian Small Business Melonie Murray April 20, 2006 Once again, my neighbors up north have caught my eye with some interesting looking resources! This week it seems the banks across Canada are conspiring to make me wander off for hours through their article archives. Whether you're looking for... Continue Reading Posted at 10:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bank of America Has $10 Million for Entrepreneurs Melonie Murray April 20, 2006 According to Inc.com, Bank of America has set aside $10 million for the Opportunity Finance Network. The network is made up of almost 200 financial firms that promote small business lending in low- and middle-income neighborhoods nationwide. They'll start out... Continue Reading Posted at 10:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr19	Meet & Greet: Maria Palma of Salon de Maria Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 We've got another wonderful Meet & Greet today, folks. Maria Palma, founder of Salon de Maria, is also one of the blog-hers here at Know More Media. In addition to learning about her amazing works of art over at SalonDeMaria.info,... Continue Reading Posted at 11:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Maria Palma (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 * What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? I love being able to work at home and... Continue Reading Posted at 11:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Announcing Wednesday Writer Tips! Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 Writers, it's time to share your favorite online (and offline!) resources with your fellow freelancers. As you've probably noticed, a good number of the small- and home-based business owners I've interviewed here at SmallBizMentor are writers, and that's not purely... Continue Reading Posted at 10:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	An Interesting Look at Growth in Minority-Owned Businesses Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 I spotted this article over at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle today and it piqued my interest for several reasons. First of all, their title says a lot..."Black entrepreneurs growing in number". According to the Census Bureau, minorities (including women... Continue Reading Posted at 10:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The PMA's "Star Power" Conference and "Schmooze-A-Rama" Melonie Murray April 19, 2006 Alrighty, Small Biz folks, I can't resist passing this information along, just because it's given me a good giggle. Yes, I really did receive a pamphlet in the mail today from the Promotion Marketing Association inviting me to attend their 15th... Continue Reading Posted at 9:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr18	Meet & Greet: Lisa Barthuly of Homestead Originals Melonie Murray April 18, 2006 Remember my tips about sprucing up your office and creating an enjoyable work environment? As you know, one of the ways I like to do that in my own home (and home office) is with scented candles. Those of you... Continue Reading Posted at 11:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Lisa Barthuly (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 18, 2006 * Please describe the business you operate or service(s) you provide to clients and customers. We are a family owned business. We handcraft all natural soy wax candles & beeswax candles, using only all cotton wicks, pure fragrance oils and... Continue Reading Posted at 11:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Lisa Barthuly (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 18, 2006 * What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? Being with my family and working and learning together.... Continue Reading Posted at 11:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr17	Editing Class for Freelancers (Or Wanna-Bes!) Melonie Murray April 17, 2006 Those of you who are stopping by SmallBizMentor because you are just in the initial stages of planning a home-based business (or, as I think of it, the "I want to stay home, but what will I do?" stage) may... Continue Reading Posted at 7:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr16	Should You Observe a Day of Rest? Melonie Murray April 16, 2006 Entrepreneurs know how easy it is to become so involved in their business that it consumes all too many hours in a day and too many days of the week. How frequently do you find yourself working more than 8... Continue Reading Posted at 8:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr14	BusinessWeek's SmallBiz, Spring 2006 Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 I picked up the new issue of SmallBiz (Spring 2006) a few days ago and finally got an opportunity to page through it. I can't wait to sit down and really devour this magazine! If you enjoy reading stories about... Continue Reading Posted at 10:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores of 10K Web Design Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 If you've been perusing the Know More Media network of business blogs, you've probably met my colleague Monica Flores. She's the highly talented author of the SistersinBiz blog here at KMM. But did you know that Monica is also a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 * Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have... Continue Reading Posted at 9:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 *What is the least enjoyable part of operating your business? Are there any tasks you’d gladly delegate to anyone else, no matter what the price?For me, the least enjoyable part was that first year in business, when we were... Continue Reading Posted at 9:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Monica Flores (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 14, 2006 * What challenges have you overcome during your endeavor? Please describe something that impacted you financially or intellectually and how you got past it.I've had to get over any of my own sense of fear, or low self-worth, or... Continue Reading Posted at 9:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr13	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey of TheHomeCast.com Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 I've got another fantastic survey chock full of information here from a small business owner/operator. Home-based business owner Jessica Harvey is the founder of TheHomeCast.com, an independent consultant for Once Upon a Family and the homeschooling mother of two children. She's... Continue Reading Posted at 10:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 * What steps did you follow to build your business? Are you still in the process of planning your endeavor? THC: TheHomeCast actually came together very easily. I had the idea of creating a site that combined podcasting, newsletters,... Continue Reading Posted at 10:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 *Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have helped... Continue Reading Posted at 10:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 * What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? It’s funny because I just realized that my answer... Continue Reading Posted at 10:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet & Greet: Jessica Harvey (Part 5) Melonie Murray April 13, 2006 * What accomplishments are you most proud of during your career? Has your business or product won any awards, mentions in the press, garnered praise in reviews or by users, or helped someone overcome a challenge of their own?... Continue Reading Posted at 10:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr11	Resource for Canadian Small Businesses Melonie Murray April 11, 2006 Being only a few hours' drive from the border myself, I find a lot of resources offered to Canadian business owners quite interesting and pertinent, no matter what country one resides (or operates) in. I recently came across CanadaOne, an... Continue Reading Posted at 11:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Need Tips for Emergency Kits? Melonie Murray April 11, 2006 Several times in the past I've mentioned that home-based business owners are in the best position to prepare their businesses for emergencies. Those of you who operate small businesses outside your homes have an advantage over the big boy corporations... Continue Reading Posted at 11:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	More Spring Cleaning Tips Melonie Murray April 11, 2006 Anyone else still have the urge to do some sprucing up around the office? Or are you already done? I've been tackling a room at a time here at my house, and am itching to get at my office. I've... Continue Reading Posted at 11:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr10	How Do You FEEL Today? Melonie Murray April 10, 2006 Every year tons of people I know resolve to lose weight, exercise, start eating right...and none of them make it past the first month or so. I've never bothered to even make such resolutions, until this year. Back in December... Continue Reading Posted at 11:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 7	Rubbing Elbows: Meet Dr. Ellen Weber Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 Frequent visitors to SmallBizMentor have surely seen the astute comments and questions posted by Dr. Ellen Weber of the MITA International Brain Based Business. Dr. Weber has taken the time to visit quite a few of the blogs in the... Continue Reading Posted at 10:56 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 1) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 Please describe the business you operate or service(s) you provide to clients and customers. "MITA International Brain Based Business is a center where we certify business leaders and university faculty to accomplish things never before accomplished by using parts... Continue Reading Posted at 10:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have helped... Continue Reading Posted at 10:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 What’s the worst advice you’ve been given with regard to building or operating your business? How about the best advice? "The worst advice is that something cannot be done. The best advice is to take a risk, step up... Continue Reading Posted at 10:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Meet Dr. Ellen Weber (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 7, 2006 What accomplishments are you most proud of during your career? Has your business or product won any awards, mentions in the press, garnered praise in reviews or by users, or helped someone overcome a challenge of their own? Tell... Continue Reading Posted at 10:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 6	QuickBooks Users Unite! Melonie Murray April 6, 2006 So how many of you small- and home-based business owners rely on Intuit's QuickBooks accounting software? Just about everyone I know does, since you can use a PC-based version or an online version to perform just about every accounting or... Continue Reading Posted at 11:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	2006 Small Business Games Melonie Murray April 6, 2006 Feeling competitive? Check out this press release from The Small Biz Games announcing the creation of the first ever Small Biz Games! Turns out Overstock.com is sponsoring a $10,000 Fast Start Small Business Challenge in which 15 micro-businesses and home-based businesses will... Continue Reading Posted at 10:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 5	Time to Meet Your Small Business Colleagues! Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 If you look to the right side of this blog, you'll notice I've added a new category to the SmallBizMentor offerings called "Meet & Greet". As I mentioned back in February, I want to give you, the visitors of SmallBizMentor.com,... Continue Reading Posted at 11:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 1) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 Please describe the business you operate or service(s) you provide to clients and customers. I have written 6 books in my "Collecting Money Series" and the "Ultimate Handbook of Credit & Collections" being published by Entrepreneur Press in August.... Continue Reading Posted at 11:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 2) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? I love to write and help people. I love when... Continue Reading Posted at 11:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 3) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 Have you worked with a mentor who has led you far? Take a moment to recognize their contribution(s) and we’ll all applaud with you! When I first started my collection agency I had a mentor, a man who owned... Continue Reading Posted at 11:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get to Know Michelle Dunn (Part 4) Melonie Murray April 5, 2006 Without spilling the beans, what is in the works for your business or product line for 2006? Where are you headed, and where do you hope to be by the end of the year? What about the coming years?... Continue Reading Posted at 11:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Apr 3	Of Interest to Independent Booksellers and Writers Melonie Murray April 3, 2006 Are you headed to Washington, D.C. this summer? Don't forget to book your room and register for the annual BookExpo America event, which will be held May 19 - 21, 2006! Sponsored by the Association of American Publishers and the... Continue Reading Posted at 9:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Operation First Novel" for Unpublished Novelists Melonie Murray April 3, 2006 The folks over at Jerry B. Jenkins' Christian Writers Guild have announced the opening of this year's "Operation First Novel" contest. In addition to winning $20,000 (wow, that's a good sized prize!) the winner will have their novel published by... Continue Reading Posted at 9:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Grants Can Assist Small Business Owners Melonie Murray April 3, 2006 We've touched on using venture capitalists to gain funding for your small business in the past, but have you considered applying for grants to fund your dream? If not, you might want to do so! According to this article over... Continue Reading Posted at 4:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments

Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

Advertise

Related Resources

recent comments

sponsored ads

topics

subscribe

Current News

resources

Support This Blog

archives

blogroll

business social media

Know More Media - Small Business / Home Based Business

know more media network

we support unitus

PRWeb

Influencer

ProductivityGoal

CallCenterScript

AdHurl

TheBizofKnowledge

LandingTheDeal

CustomersAreAlways

HealthCareVox

BrainBasedBusiness

TheInsurancePolicy

MarketingBlurb